Description
This Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake is a delicious low-carb dessert featuring a moist almond flour cake filled with a creamy custard pastry and topped with a rich sugar-free chocolate ganache. Perfect for keto and low-carb diets, this cake brings traditional Boston cream pie flavors with a healthy twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup Swerve Granular
- ⅓ cup unflavored whey protein powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup water, plus more as needed
Pastry Cream Filling
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or low carb milk of choice)
- 1/3 cup allulose
- 3 large egg yolks
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 ounces sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease a 9×9 inch metal baking pan for the cake.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener (Swerve), unflavored whey protein powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add wet ingredients: Stir in the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and water into the dry ingredients until well combined. If the batter is very thick, add more water one tablespoon at a time, ensuring the batter is scoopable and spreadable but not pourable.
- Bake the cake: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the top is just firm to touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Poke the cake: Once cooled, use a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the surface of the cake to prepare for the filling.
- Make the pastry cream filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine heavy cream, almond milk, and allulose, bringing to just a simmer. Whisk egg yolks with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add about half the hot cream mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly to temper. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture.
- Thicken the filling: Continue to cook while whisking constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let it cool slightly.
- Fill the cake: Pour the warm pastry cream evenly over the cake, letting it seep into the holes. Gently tap the pan on the counter to help the filling settle. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to firm up.
- Prepare chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add sugar-free chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes to melt, then whisk until smooth.
- Finish the cake: Pour the chocolate ganache evenly over the chilled cake and spread to the edges. Allow the ganache to set for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- If batter is too thick to spread, add extra water carefully 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Use sugar alternatives like Swerve and allulose to keep the cake keto-friendly and low-carb.
- Allow the cake and filling to fully cool before assembling to avoid melting the ganache.
- The cake is best served chilled and can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Ensure the chocolate chips are truly sugar-free to keep the dessert keto compliant.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Keto Boston Cream Cake, Low Carb Poke Cake, Sugar Free Dessert, Keto Dessert, Almond Flour Cake, Sugar Free Chocolate Ganache
