Fall in love with chocolate all over again with this low sugar almond flour chocolate cake recipe. A deliciously rich and moist gluten-free, diabetic chocolate cake that’s also low carb. Perfect for a celebration cake or an afternoon tea!
Chocolate cake is one of our favourites, but also one that over the years I have struggled to get right. Before my daughter’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Nigella’s old fashioned chocolate cake was my go-to recipe. However, I really wanted to create a deliciously light and moist chocolate cake recipe that:
- had a reduced diabetic carb count
- had less sugar
- was gluten-free.
And I am confident that this low sugar chocolate cake recipe can deliver all of that!
In this recipe, you’ll learn why this cake is perfect for anyone who loves chocolate but wants to cut back on sugar, how to make it, tips for the perfect bake, and even variations you could try.
Why This Almond Flour Chocolate Cake is Perfect for Diabetics and Gluten-Free Diets
This Almond Flour Chocolate Cake is a surprisingly easy cake to bake and will definitely have everyone coming back for more. It make a great diabectic friendly celebration cake (its my daughters favourite) and is my go to birthday party or holiday celebration cake. No one ever knows its gluten free or low sugar!
Unlike traditional cakes, that spike blood glucose, this recipe uses almond flour, a naturally low-carb, high fibre alternative that doesn’t have the same effect. Plus, almond flour’s subtle nutty flavour adds a depth to the chocolate that’s incredibly delicious.
By swapping refined sugar for a suitable substitute, (in my case I use Xylitol) this cake becomes a more blood-sugar-friendly option without compromise. This chocolate cake still achieves a wonderfully sweet and indulgent chocolatey flavour. To read more about sugar substitutes you can read my article below:
This recipe like my LOW CARB CHOCOLATE TORTE also switches the traditional wheat flour for a combination of almond and gluten free flour. Both have a different impact on blood glucose, which ultimately reduces the overall (diabetic) carb count for this cake making it a great low-carb option and the perfect diabetic cake!
Low Glycemic Index – A Better Choice for Blood Sugar Stability
One of the key benefits of using almond flour and sugar substitutes in this cake is its lower glycemic index (GI), meaning it has a gentler effect on blood sugar levels compared to cakes made with refined flour. Foods with a lower GI are digested and absorbed more slowly, resulting in a steadier release of glucose into the bloodstream. This can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes, helping to minimise blood sugar spikes and the need for rapid insulin adjustments.
If you’d like to learn more about the glycemic index and how it affects blood sugar, take a look at my article on the High vs. Low Glycemic Index of flour on Blood Sugar Management, where I dive into how choosing the right ingredients can make a big difference for those managing diabetes.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Eggs
- A key component to any bake and should be free-range
Sugar Replacement
- I used Xylitol, a 1:1 sugar replacement. But you could use any sweetener of your choice. Just make sure to adjust quantities as the sweetness levels vary between them as I explain here
- You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!
Sour Cream
- A fermented cream used instead of butter to add moistness and creaminess to this cake
Vegetable Oil
- I use rapeseed oil which has a very mild flavour
- Again the oil adds a reliable moistness to this cake
Gluten Free Plain Flour
- There are lots of variations of GF flour containing different mixes of grains
- I use FREEE GF plain flour
Almond Flour
- Gluten-free and adds an extra nutty flavour
- Used instead of wheat flour – it is a great no carb-count option.
- Read more about using almond flour in this article!
- You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Intensifies the chocolatey-ness of the cake and adds a slight bitterness
- But make sure it doesn’t have any added sugar
Bicarbonate of Soda & Baking Powder
- An alkali to raise & add air to full-flavoured cakes
Dark Chocolate
- Try to use chocolate that has a cocoa content of 70% or above
- Plus the higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar!
Hot Coffee
- Compliments and brings out the rich chocolatey flavour
- You can’t taste that it’s added so don’t worry if you’re not a coffee fan!
Vanilla Extract
- Adds an extra sweetness to bakes and cakes
Ingredients for the sugar free chocolate icing
Butter
- Essential for the smoothest of butter icings
Powdered Sweetener
- It needs to be a powdered sweetener otherwise your frosting will be crunchy
- For all my icings I use powdered xylitol
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Intensifies the chocolatey-ness of the icing
- But make sure it doesn’t have any added sugar
Dark Chocolate
- I prefer to use chocolate that has a cocoa content 70% or above
Equipment Needed
How to make almond flour Chocolate Cake
This recipe is simple and easy to follow, although it does have a few steps to it. You don’t need any fancy equipment as you can make it with the baking basics like mixing bowls and a whisk. However, I do prefer to use a stand or electric whisk with all my cakes to get as much air in as possible
- Start by preheating your oven to 180c / 160c fan and preparing your 2 x 8″ round cake tins, lining them with baking paper.
- Next beat the eggs and xylitol together until slightly lighter in colour. Then add in the sour cream and oil and whisk again until well combined.
- In a large bowl combine all your dry ingredients – GF flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well.
- Now add your wet mixture to your dry ingredients and whisk gently. However, if you are using a stand mixer then add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix on slow.
- Make your hot coffee with 150ml of water, add the dark chocolate and vanilla extract and mix well until the chocolate has melted. Now add this to your cake batter and mix in gently.
- Pour your cake batter into your prepared tins and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, but start checking from around 40 minutes.
- Leave the cakes to cool slightly before turning out to completely finish cooling on a cooling rack
How to make sugar free chocolate icing
I do like to use a stand mixer or electric whisk for this part.
Simply whisk the butter until it is smooth and creamy. Then add the powdered sweetener and cocoa slowly. Finally, add the slightly cooled melted chocolate and keep whisking until you have a nice smooth icing.
Now you are ready to assemble the cake(s). Once the cake is completely cool spread the icing generously on top and in between for a layer cake.
Tips for making the perfect chocolate cake
To make the perfect low-sugar & gluten free chocolate cake, there are a few tips you should keep in mind.
Start by measuring all your ingredients accurately, – use kitchen scales as this is the most accurate method. This will help ensure that your cake is balanced and not too dry or dense.
Use quality ingredients where you can, especially when it comes to your cocoa powder and dark chocolate. Look for a high-quality cocoa powder and dark chocolate that has a cocoa content of 70% or above. This will make a big difference in the taste of your cake as well as reduce the added sugar in the chocolate bar.
Be sure not to overmix your batter. Overmixing the batter can result in a tough and dry cake. Instead, mix until everything is just combined and the batter is smooth.
Let your eggs come to room temperature before using them, as this can help them mix in more easily and create a better texture.
Finally, be sure to let your cake cool completely before adding the icing, slicing and serving. This will ensure that your icing doesn’t melt and the cake holds together without crumbling.
a 4-tier almond flour chocolate cake – Just carefully slice each cake in half to make an impressive celebration cake
Variations for this chocolate cake recipe
You can easily adjust the sweetness level of this cake based on your personal preference by adding more or less sweetener. You can also add some other flavours. Here are a few ideas:
- Add some texture by adding chopped nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, or even sunflower seeds could all work well in this recipe.
- Make it mocha-flavoured by increasing the intensity of the coffee used. Add extra coffee granules to the 300ml of water for an even richer flavour.
- Add some spice with cinnamon, nutmeg, or chilli powder. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
- Make it fruity – top the cake with fresh berries for an impressive centrepiece to wow the crowd.
- Keto friendly– For a Keto chocolate cake replace the gluten-free flour with more almond flour
- Make it Nut-Free – Try sunflower seed flour if you have nut allergies.
- Vegan Option – Replace eggs with flax or chia seed substitutes and use plant-based sour cream.
How to store your chocolate cake
For any leftovers carefully wrap the cake in foil or place it in a lidded cake box and keep it at room temperature for 3-4 days.
If you want to keep it a little longer then you can store it in the fridge for up to a week. Just bring it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before so you don’t have hard icing.
You can also freeze slices of chocolate cake. Again ensure the cake is in a suitable container and freeze for up to 6 months.
Diabetes Note
This recipe makes a wonderful diabetic-friendly chocolate cake. With its reduced carb count from sugar replacements and alternative flours like almond flour, this cake is much gentler on blood sugar levels. The lower diabetic carb count per serving also helps to reduce the margin for insulin errors, making it an even more practical choice for those mindful of blood sugar management.
This is just one part of our toolkit bit if you would like to learn more then make sure to read this post.
Carb Counting
The overall carb count for a double-layer almond flour chocolate cake with chocolate icing, based on one slice would be calculated as follows:
- 160g Gluten free plain flour (FREE) = 128g of carbs
- 300ml of Sour Cream = 10.8g of carbs
- 120g +75g = 195 of Cocoa Powder (Food Thoughts)= 28.3g of carbs
- 50g + 200g = 250g of 70% dark chocolate (Lindt) = 85g of carbs
Now add all the carbs together – 128+10.8+28.3+85= 252.1g of carbs
For one slice of cake, divide this by the approx serving size of 12 slices – 252/12 = 21g of carbs per slice
For a more accurate carb count, you can weigh your total cake including the icing and then weigh your slice of cake when cut.
Then use the formula below:
Please note this carb count amount per portion is based on the standard ingredients listed above and may differ depending on what you use and how much you choose to eat.
Did you try this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a star rating or a quick comment below. Your feedback means the world and helps others find the recipe too.
Low Sugar Almond Flour Chocolate Cake (Diabetic-Friendly & Gluten-Free)
Fall in love with this deliciously rich and moist gluten-free, diabetic almond flour chocolate cake with reduced carbs and sugar.
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Ingredients
240 g 1 1/4 cup xylitol
4 large 4 large eggs
300 ml 10 fl oz sour cream
240 ml 7 1/2 fl oz vegetable oil
160 g 1 1/3 cup gluten free plain flour
160 g 1 1/3 cup almond flour
120 g 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp 2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
50 g 1/4 cup dark chocolate, 70% or above, broken into small pieces
300 ml 10 fl oz hot coffee
2 tsp 2 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Icing
300 g 1 1/3 cup softened butter
200 g 1 cup powdered xylitol
75 g 3/4 cup cocoa powder
200 g 1 1/7 cup chocolate, 70% or above, broken into small pieces melted
Directions
- Start by preheating your oven to 180c / 160c fan and preparing your 2 x 8 inch round cake tins, lining them with baking paper.
- Next beat the eggs and xylitol together until slightly lighter in colour. Then add in the sour cream and oil and whisk again until well combined.
- In a large bowl combine all your dry ingredients – GF flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well.
- Now add your wet mixture to your dry ingredients and whisk gently. However, if you are using a stand mixer then add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix on slow.
- Make your hot coffee with 150ml of water, add the dark chocolate and vanilla extract and mix well until the chocolate has melted. Now add this to your cake batter and mix in gently.
- Pour your cake batter into your prepared tins and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, but start checking from around 40 minutes.
- Leave the cakes to cool slightly before turning out to finish cooling on a cooling rack
- Directions for the Sugar-Free Chocolate Icing
- Using a stand mixer or electric whisk simply whisk the butter until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sweetener and cocoa slowly. Mix well until combined.
- Finally, add the slightly cooled melted chocolate and keep whisking until you have a nice smooth icing.
- Assembling the Chocolate Cake
- Now you are ready to assemble the cakes. Once the cake is completely cool spread the icing generously on top and in between for a layer cake.
For a 4 tier cake slice each cake in half and sandwich it with the chocolate icing.
Equipment
Tips and Notes
- use kitchen scales as this is the most accurate method for the best cake
- Let your eggs come to room temperature before using them, as this can help them mix in more easily
- Store any leftovers wrapped in foil or placed in a lidded cake box at room temperature for 3-4 days
- Diabetes Note – This recipe makes a wonderful diabetic-friendly chocolate cake. Because of the use of almond flour, dark chocolate and sugar alternatives, the overall carb count is dramatically reduced.
- The nutritional information provided is based on the ingredients used and calculated to the best of our ability. Please note that values may vary slightly depending on factors like portion sizes and specific products used.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1g
- Total number of serves: 16
- Calories: 609kcal
- Fat: 48g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 53g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 7g
- Vitamin C: 0mg
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