This Low Carb Strawberry Poke Cake is the perfect gluten-free dessert! A delicious vanilla cake that is soaked in strawberry gelatin and then topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries – it’s irresistible!
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Strawberry shortcake is one of summer’s delicacies in my opinion. This cake has all the flavors of typical strawberry shortcake, all while being keto-friendly and gluten-free!
What you’ll need:
- Almond Flour
- Vanilla Whey Protein Powder – I like to use About Time Protein, but you can use any that you like. If you don’t have protein powder, simply substitute it with about 1/4 cup of coconut flour or almond flour.
- Salt and Baking Powder
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Low Carb Sweetener – I use confectioners swerve!
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Sugar-Free Strawberry Gelatin Mix
- Fresh Strawberries
- Xanthan Gum (optional)
Why xanthan gum?
Xanthan gum is a popular thickener for people on a keto or gluten free diet. It is made when sugar is fermented. It has no sugar itself and has zero net carbs.
In addition to thickening, xanthan gum also serves as a stabilizer which is why I use it in this recipe. Adding a tiny bit of xanthan gum to the whipped cream prevents if from ‘falling’ and keeps it light and fluffy for days!
You can read more about xanthan gum HERE!
Tips for making this cake:
The batter for this cake will be slightly thicker than a traditional cake batter. Make sure to get all the lumps out of the batter, but don’t overmix.
The cake is finished baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will still be soft, and due to the lack of gluten, it won’t spring back up when you press on it as a traditional cake would.
Be sure to pour the gelatin over the holes that you made with a fork. This helps to get the gelatin all the way to the bottom of the cake.
Be sure to check out these other great recipes:
- Keto Lemon Lush
- Keto Peach Cobbler Cake
- Low Carb Fruit Pizza
- Keto Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Keto Tres Leches
- Low Carb Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Keto No-Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
- Keto Banana Pudding
Strawberry Poke Cake | Keto, Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ⅔ cup Almond Flour
- ⅓ cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter softened
- 3 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Low Carb Sweetener
- 4 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Small Box of Sugar Free Strawberry Gelatin
For whipped cream topping:
- ¾ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Confectioners Sweetener
- ½ tsp Xanthan Gum optional
- 2 cup Strawberries sliced
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, whey protein, salt, and baking powder, stirring to combine. Set the mixture aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and sweetener. Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and whipping cream and beat again until well integrated.
- Working in batches, add the dry ingredients in with the wet, mixing after each addition until you have a smooth, creamy batter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once the cake is finished baking, use a fork to poke holes all over the cake.
- While the cake is still warm, make the gelatin by adding the mix to 1 cup hot of water and stirring to dissolve. Then add 1 cup of cold water, stirring to combine. sloly pour this liquid over the top of the cake, making sure it goes through the holes made by the fork. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until the gelatin is set.
For the topping:
- Combine all the heavy whipping cream, sweetener, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer beat until soft peaks form and the mixture has almost doubled in volume. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the top of the cream and continue beating for another minute or two until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chilled cake. Top with sliced fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Notes
I just ate a piece of this cake before writing this review. Yum! I’ve made this cake multiple times. It is fantastic. My only modification is to add 2 tsp of vital wheat gluten to the dry mix. I think it just adds that extra bit of rise.