Moist and dense with a profound citrus flavor, this keto lemon pound cake won't leave you indifferent. It's a gluten-free and low carb dessert that can feed a large crowd of people.
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Ingredients and substitutes
Almond flour and coconut flour - Almond flour will give us a super moist and soft low carb keto pound cake, while the coconut flour will take in all the extra moisture. If you want to make this cake even more like the "real thing", add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum (totally optional, though).
Baking powder - We need one tablespoon of baking powder per cup of flour we use. Feel free to use gluten-free baking powder if you like.
Butter - Use melted unsalted butter or coconut oil.
Lemons, vanilla extract, and salt - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice of two lemons. Don't forget about lemon zest! We will also add some vanilla extract and some salt to balance out all the flavors.
Sweetener - Using pure erythritol will lead to a cooling aftertaste, while too much stevia will make our keto lemon pound cake bitter. To avoid possible aftertaste problems, I use blends of these two sweeteners from Sukrin. You can also use allulose or monk fruit sweeteners.
Greek yogurt - Yoghurt will make our low carb pound cake super moist and add extra tanginess and acidity (not that we have a lack of acidity in this LEMON pound cake recipe, but why not add a little extra).
Eggs - We need 4 large eggs at room temperature. If you use eggs straight from the fridge, the sweetener won't dissolve well and the eggs won't beat very well.
Step by step directions
Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 350F (175C). Line a loaf pan (9"x 5" x 3"/25cm x 11.5cm x 7cm) with parchment paper and set aside.
As always, we start by combining all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl to break all the potential clumps and make sure that all ingredients are evenly spread in the mixture.
Then we need to beat the eggs (at room temperature!!!) and sweetener in another bowl with a hand mixer. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer on medium speed - beat until the mixture turn pale yellow and increases in volume by one third. This will take around 10 minutes.
Then, add the butter, yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Pour everything into the dry mixture bowl. Mix until no dry ingredients are left and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean after being inserted in the center and the top of the pound cake is golden. If you see the cake brown too fast, cover it loosely with foil and bake for the remaining time covered.
When done, remove from the oven and let it cool down in the loaf pan for at least 20 mins. After, transfer it onto a cooling rack to cool down completely before serving.
Topping ideas
I left my low carb lemon pound cake naked because I wanted to enjoy the lemon flavor to the fullest, but you can add different toppings to make it sweeter and add extra decorations for better presentation.
Icing - Nothing can beat a simple sugar-free icing on top of keto pound cake. Just mix powdered sweetener with heavy cream and pour on top of your completely cooled cake.
Cream cheese frosting - You can use your favorite sugar-free frosting or go ahead and make the frosting that I use for my GLUTEN-FREE KETO CARROT CAKE RECIPE.
Lemon zest - Sprinkle a little bit of fresh lemon zest right on top of the lemon cake to elevate the citrus flavor even more.
FAQ
By beating the eggs with sweeteners for a long time (around 10 minutes), we incorporate air bubbles into the batter which will expand and lift our lemon pound cake during baking. It will also help to make our cake lighter and fluffier.
Yes, lemons are low in carbs. One medium lemon has around 4g net carb, if we assume you eat the whole fruit. The juice, however, of one medium lemon (around 2 tbsp) contains only around 2 net carbs.
If you beat eggs at a very high speed instead of medium, larger bubbles of air get into the batter. During baking, they will expand and lift your cake, but burst afterward. This will make your pound cake sink during the cooling process.
Carbs in sugar-free pound cake
This gluten-free lemon pound cake can be indulged in on a low carb diet. I usually cut it into 14 thick slices, which brings me to around 3g net carb per slice. However, this keto lemon cake can be easily cut into 16 servings if you need to serve more people!
More low carb recipes
HEALTHY CARROT CAKE MUFFINS RECIPE
ALMOND FLOUR KETO ZUCCHINI BREAD
Recipe
Keto lemon pound cake
Equipment
- loaf pan 9"x 5" x 3" (25cm x 11.5cm x 7cm)
Ingredients
- 2 cup 200g almond flour
- ¼ cup 30g coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup 120g granulated sweetener such as Sukrin
- ½ cup 113g butter, melted
- ⅓ cup 90g Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Lemon juice and lemon zest of 2 lemons
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 350F (175C). Line a loaf pan 9"x 5" x 3" (25cm x 11.5cm x 7cm) with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the first 4 ingredients (all dry) in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sweetener with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture turns pale yellow and increases in volume by one-third. This will take around 10 minutes.
- Then, add the butter, yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until no dry ingredients are left. Then, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean after being inserted in the center and the top of the pound cake is golden. If you see the cake brown too fast, cover it loosely with foil and bake for the remaining time covered.
- When done, remove from the oven and let it cool down in the loaf pan for at least 20 mins. After, transfer it onto a cooling rack to cool down completely before serving.
Notes
This website, https://heretocook.com, offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is a product of online calculators such as Cronometer.com and MyFitnesPal.com
Jo says
This was great! Next time, will try to make cupcakes instead.
Anna says
Amazing! Thank you for your comment!
Regina says
This came out with the perfect texture and wonderful lemony flavor I was looking for. Thanks for this winning recipe!
Anna says
Thank you for sharing, Regina! I'm happy you liked it!
Lea says
Was your batter pourable into the pan or did you have to spoon it in and spread it?
Jenniffer says
I need to be dairy free due to my autoimmune disease. Is there a dairy free alternative to the yogurt?
Anna says
Maybe lactose-free yogurt or vegan yogurt? They both should work for this recipe.
Cannette says
This is excellent. I substituted the Greek yogurt with sour cream and it turned out amazing. Very lemony, great texture. Next time I’ll try a lemon glaze on the top.