This Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake is soft and pillowy, topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting and pecans. With the perfect moist crumb, this low carb, keto version is as good as the original. With no butter or oil, this keto cake gets its silky texture and heavenly flavor from healthy, gluten free ingredients.
Trending now: Gluten Free Cherry Meringue Pie.
Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake Reviews
Not that I want to brag, but my neighbors in San Francisco love this cake:
This is saying a lot, but this cake may be your BEST yet! My 7-year-old granddaughter also proclaimed it to be the yummiest cake ever! – Larry in San Francisco
I am really struggling now with which one is my favorite – the Chocolate Kahlua Cake or this one! This one is sooooo good! – Dolores in San Francisco
Whether you’re on a keto, low carb, sugar free, diabetic or gluten free diet, or just enjoy healthy cakes, this Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake is a must-try showstopper cake with a secret ingredient.
Also try keto Black Forest Bundt Cake.
Pro Tips to Make the Perfect Sugar Free Keto Red Velvet Cake
Beetroot Powder vs Red Gel Dye
To imbue the keto cake with its traditional crimson color, you have two options: Beetroot powder or a flavorless red dye or gel such as AmeriColor Super Red Gel Dye. There is however one problem with the natural method: Beetroot powder fades during the baking process, since leaveners such as baking soda and baking powder react negatively with beetroot powder, causing the vibrant magenta color to fade to brown.
There is however a solution: You can omit the leavening agent. Then to give your cake some rise and fluffiness, you can instead whip the egg whites and fold them into the cake.
But I opted for the easier method which is to use red food coloring or red gel dye. But not all dyes are created equal. I tried dying this cake once with red food coloring from the supermarket but it faded during baking. Then I ordered AmeriColor Super Red Gel Dye which is more concentrated. and gave the keto red velvet cake the beautiful red color you see in the photos.
Option 3 is, of course, the no dye approach. The sugar free cake has the same amazing flavor whether or not it’s red.
Use Quality Cocoa Powder in Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
This is a unique, light chocolate cake which only contains 2 tablespoons of non-Dutched cocoa powder, so use a quality cocoa powder.
Use Avocados Instead of Butter for Pillowy Softness
I rarely use butter in my cakes anymore, because avocados aren’t just a lot healthier. They also make keto cakes incredibly moist, tender and silky which is exactly the type of texture we’re going for in a sugar free red velvet cake.
Prep Your Cake Pan Properly
Line 2 nine-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides, so the cakes release easily.
Or make Keto Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Ingredients for Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
The Keto Cake Batter
- Almond flour – Naturally gluten free, opt for blanched or super-fine almond flour, not almond meal.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened, non-Dutched cocoa powder.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Avocados – You can replace some of the avocado with butter if you want the keto red velvet cake to be a brighter shade of red.
- Granulated sweetener of choice – To make a low carb, keto cake, you can use a zero-calorie, zero-carb sugar replacement such as monk fruit.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Apple cider vinegar
- Low-fat buttermilk or unsweetened almond milk – You can also use unsweetened almond milk but the cake is traditionally made with buttermilk.
- Flavorless red food gel – I found that concentrated red food gel doesn’t fade during baking. You can also omit the dye!
The Sugar Free Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese – regular or low-fat
- Vanilla
- Butter
- Milk (dairy or non dairy) or heavy cream
- Powdered sweetener of choice – such as zero calorie monk fruit sweetener. If you have a good blender, you can also pulverize granulated sweetener and make powdered sweetener.
Keto Cream Cheese Frosting tastes great on Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake.
Other Frosting & Topping Ideas for Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
- Chocolate-avocado frosting – Turn your sugar free red velvet cake into a chocolate frosted keto cake. You won’t regret it! I absolutely love frosting this cake with chocolate avocado frosting.
- Cream cheese avocado frosting – Naturally green, this is another fun option which gives the cake a gorgeous holiday look.
- Pecans – taste great sprinkled on top of this soft, pillowy keto cake.
- Berries – Jewel-toned raspberries and strawberries add even more color and punch and complement the chocolate and cream flavors.
Or try our keto version of the viral NYT Cranberry Curd Tart.
How to Make Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
This is a summary of the steps, so please see the recipe card and video below for the full instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
- In a separate bowl, add the avocado purée and granulated sweetener and mix well.
- Add the vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar.
- Add the buttermilk.
- Add the red food gel and mix well.
- Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix.
- Pour keto red velvet cake batter into prepared cake pans and bake.
- Cool & flip.
- Frost & decorate your sugar free red velvet cake.
Questions and Answers about Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
It isn’t clear but it appears to date back to the 19th century. The Washington Post, for example, writes: “Red velvet has been on the menu at Stein’s Bakery in Dallas since it opened in the early 1860s, according to baker Juan Alvarado, whose family purchased Stein’s in 2002.”
It is made with non-Dutched or non-alkalized cocoa powder which gives the cake a light chocolate flavor and a crimson hue.
It has a unique, light chocolate flavor.
No, it has a lot less chocolate than a regular chocolate cake.
Yes, sifting the dry ingredients removes lumps and makes the cake fluffy.
Use a digital kitchen scale and weigh each filled cake pan.
Since the 1800s, cocoa powder has been added to cakes to soften the flour and give cakes a finer texture. These cakes came to be known as velvet cakes.
In the 1920s, the Adams Extract Company in Texas was one of the first companies to produce red food coloring and attach a tear-off recipe card for the cake. Then, in 1943, it appeared in The Joy of Cooking. In the 1950s, it was also popular in NYC’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel which claims to be the cake’s birthplace.
Not necessarily, some recipes call for beets but it isn’t clear whether beets were initially used in the cake.
What to Serve with Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
- Berries – I love topping this cake with strawberries or raspberries.
- Pinot Noir – If you’re a wine drinker, Pinot Noir brings out the chocolate undertones in keto red velvet cake.
You may also like Keto Chocolate-Walnut Cookies.
Tools Needed to Make Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake
- 2 nine-inch cake pans
- An electric mixer or Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
How to Store Keto Red Velvet Cake
To store: Refrigerate covered in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Want More Healthy Recipes Like This?
Try my other delicious cake recipes you might enjoy!
- Keto Coconut Cake
- Sugarfree Pecan Pie
- Orange Angel Food Cake
- Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Healthy Carrot Cake
- Chocolate Keto Bundt Cake
I’d love to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @cathyscakesalon on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!
You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK and PINTEREST for more healthy dessert and snack recipes!
Recipe Card
Sugar Free Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Electric mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Immersion blender or regular blender to puree the avocados
- 2 9-inch nonstick cake pans
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour (290 grams)
- 1¼ cups granulated sweetener of choice I use 245 grams of monk fruit.
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups pureed avocados (282 grams)
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup low-fat buttermilk or unsweetened almond milk (125 ml)
- 1-2 teaspoons red food gel Gel is more concentrated than grocery store dye and won't fade as much during baking.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups powdered sweetener of choice
Topping
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- strawberries or raspberries (optional)
Instructions
- Line 2 cake pans with parchment paper and grease sides.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
- In a separate bowl, add the pureed avocado, granulated sweetener, eggs, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, low-fat buttermilk, red food gel, and mix well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and mix.
- Pour batter into 2 prepared cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes at 350 F.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes in pan before flipping.
- Let the cakes fully cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Topping
- Top with chopped pecans and strawberries or raspberries, if desired.
Leona says
This is absolutely delicious. can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Daniel Catubig says
This Is the Best Red Velvet cake I have ever tried in my life. No joke !! it’s not only Super delicious 😋 👍but, healthy as well. for those of you who haven’t tried Cathy’s Cakes I recommend trying it and you’ll be blown away !!!! How great they are.
Cathy @ Cathy's Cake Salon says
Thanks so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it. Glad you love the cake!
Ann says
I made this for my sister’s birthday and we absolutely loved it. So delicious. The frosting is great with low fat cream cheese too. Did all monk fruit!
Jesse says
Maybe the best Red Velvet cake I’ve ever had! So moist and flavorful.
I served it to my family over the holidays and no one could believe it didn’t have sugar or normal flour in it. Blows away any other gluten free dessert.
Cathy @ Cathy's Cake Salon says
Thanks for letting me know. Glad you love it too!