Keto Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
Let the good times roll…but keto-style! Celebrate Mardi Gras (a.k.a. Fat Tuesday) with this Keto Mardi Gras King Cake recipe. Yum!
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What is a King Cake?
Every King Cake I’ve eaten in the past reminded me of a cinnamon roll. It’s basically a cinnamon roll made into a cake, lol
But there are other varieties of king cakes. Not all fillings are the same!
Traditionally, a King Cake is a circular pastry or cake filled with chocolate, cream cheese, fruit, or cinnamon and topped with icing and/or sweetener that is colored green, yellow, and purple.
Buried inside the cake hides a little plastic baby figurine. The person who finds the baby is “King for the Day”. Some believe the baby represents Jesus because of the religious connection to King’s Day.
The name “King Cake” is in honor of the Three Wise Men who came to visit Baby Jesus, bringing gifts.
Most people in America only enjoy King Cake on Fat Tuesday, but it’s meant to be enjoyed from January 6th until the Eve of Mardi Gras, celebrating the coming of the three kings.
Related: Do you have all the baking essentials you need? Check out my list and find out.
How to Make My Keto Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, swerve sweetener and vanilla. Then, add the softened cream cheese and beat with an electric hand mixer until well incorporated.
You may see small dots of cream cheese, but this is ok. Just mix as well as you can, and don’t be afraid to throw the electric hand mixer on high.
Next, beat in the almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder until well combined.
In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients: cinnamon, granulated swerve, and melted butter. This will have the consistency of a thick paste.
Related: Got a sweet tooth? Then, you need my keto dessert roundup!
Spoon half the cake batter into a well-greased bundt cake pan and smooth out with a spatula. Spread all of the cinnamon filling in a ring around the cake batter. (optional, place a small plastic baby figurine in the cake here)
Finally, spoon the remaining cake batter into the bundt cake pan and smooth with a spatula so that all of the cinnamon filling is covered.
Bake for 25-35 minutes until it just begins to brown on top. I started checking mine at 20 minutes, then every 5 minutes after that until I was satisfied with how it looked.
When it’s cooked through, you should be able to poke a toothpick in and come out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely before turning the cake out onto a cake serving platter. Or if you are like me, on a large plate 🙂
Related: Learn the 8 comfort food swaps that can keep your diet on track.
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by combining the softened butter, softened cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered swerve, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. I like mine easily spreadable, but not so thin that it runs down the sides.
To make the colored granulated sweetener, divide the 3 tbsp of granulated swerve between 3 bowls.
Add yellow food coloring to one, green food coloring to another, and combine the red and blue coloring to make purple in the last bowl.
It will take a lot of stirring and smashing with the spoon to get the food coloring soaked into all the swerve granules, so just keep at it until it’s mixed well.
Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the frosting on top and sprinkle with the colored sweetener.
The amount of colored swerve you put on top is totally up to you, but if you don’t want a lot, then 3 tablespoons total may be too much. Reduce to ½ tbsp for each color if you want less colored sugar sprinkles on top.
Other Keto Dessert from Healthy Ambitions
Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake with an Oreo Cookie Crust
Keto Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
This gluten-free version of the famous Mardi Gras King Cake is exactly what you need to enjoy Fat Tuesday without the guilt.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 5 Eggs
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Swerve
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
For the filling
- 2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
For the Frosting:
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup Heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Powdered Swerve
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Colored Sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, swerve sweetener and vanilla.
- Add the cream cheese and beat with an electric hand mixer until well incorporated
- Beat in the almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder until well combined. Set aside
- Combine the filling ingredients (cinnamon, swerve, melted butter) in a small bowl.
- Pour half the cake batter into a well greased bundt pan.
- Spoon the filling in a ring around the cake batter. (optional, place a mardi gras baby in the cake)
- Pour the remaining cake batter into the bundt pan.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until it begins to brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before turning the cake out onto a cake serving platter.
- While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by combining the softened butter, softened cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered swerve, and vanilla extract. Whisk or beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the desired consitancy.
- To make the colored granulated sweetener, divide the 3 tbsp of granulated swerve between 3 bowls.
- Add yellow food coloring to one, green food coloring to another, and combine the red and blue coloring to make purple in the last bowl.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, top it with the frosting and sprinkle with the colored sweetener.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g
I cannot believe how incredibly delicious this recipe is. The cake texture is perfect. Filling is perfect. Frosting is perfect. Cathy, you are my new best friend!
Only changes I made were: added one tbs cayenne and two oz cream cheese to the filling. Left out the HWC from the frosting. Mine did not need the liquid.
I baked them in a silicone loaf pan with 8 individual servings. Thank goodness for individual servings, because this recipe is heaven. Zero exaggerations!!!!
Thank you!!!Baking in individual servings is a great idea too!
My husband has a severe nut allergy and also had a reaction to coconut flour. Could oat flour be substituted for the almond & coconut flour? I think it has more carbs than either of those, but may be our only option.
Hey Anne! So sorry to hear of your husband’s allergies! I have not experimented with Oat Flour to understand the ratios when subbing it for almond and coconut flours.
We ALWAYS had King Cake from New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. Type 3C Diabetes (from pancreas removal from cancer)changed that annual tradition. I watched a zoom call while our granddaughter decorated their King Cakes. I was determined to find one that I could enjoy with the ingredients I had here. This is MARVELOUS! Thank you, thank you. This is super. It is cakier than the bread-like one I am used to, but it is every bit as delicious. You saved our 2 person Mardi Gras dinner making this grandma very happy. I made it exactly as written, except I halved it (by weighed 1 egg of 3 eggs and halving it!)and then made it in a 7″ springform pan with an oven-safe glass in the middle and only filling half the pan.
Donna!!! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! You honestly just made my day!!
All I have is vanilla extract and ground cinnamon could that be used instead of cinnamon and vanilla? Sorry may be a dumb question but I don’t bake much. Thank you!
Hey Torie! Yes, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon is what I used. I’ll update the recipe card to specify that 🙂
Is this recipe gluten free
Yes, every recipe on my website is 100% gluten-free 😉
My husband has requested this again this year, but it cupcakes this time!
Love this!!!!!!
How would you recommend storing this cake? Can’t wait to try it!
When I made it last year, I simply stored it in an airtight container on the counter. Of course, the cake didn’t make it past 4 days before it was gone, so not sure how long that’s good for, lol. I’d say you should be good in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you think you won’t eat in inside a week, I would cut up slices and freeze them.
I made this yesterday and it was delicious. I added a little bit of cinnamon to the frosting and sifted those dry ingredients together as I’m not always fond of the texture of almond flour baked goods. This was a winner!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear you liked it!! Adding cinnamon to the frosting is a great idea. I’ll have to try that next time 😉