When I was a kid, boxed cherry chip cake mixes were a favorite — bright, candy-like cherry flavor and thick, sweet frosting. Over time my palate changed: I no longer crave heavy icing, but I still missed that nostalgic cherry-chip taste. So I set out to recreate a similar cake that’s lower in carbs and free of refined sugar and gluten.
This vintage-inspired cherry chip cake is low carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Below I offer tips for a dairy-free variation and suggestions for flavoring and sweeteners so you can tailor the recipe to your needs.
A keto cherry-chip cake is possible — you just have to get creative
Why a cherry cake in January? Cherries are seasonal in many places, so if you can find fresh ones in summer, use them. Frozen cherries are an excellent alternative when fresh are unavailable. Avoid maraschino cherries — they contain too much added sugar and undermine the keto intent.
How to get a big cherry flavor without raising net carbs
A single cup of cherries gives some flavor, but to recreate that sweet, candy-like aroma from boxed mixes I use a concentrated cherry emulsion or a sugar-free cherry flavoring. Emulsions and concentrated flavor extracts provide a strong, rounded fruit flavor without the carbs; use them sparingly, as they’re potent. Start with small amounts and adjust to taste.
Having a small collection of bakery emulsions and extracts in your low-carb pantry makes many recipes possible — a few drops go a long way, and they store well. If you enjoy low-carb protein shakes, these flavorings are also great for customizing drinks and desserts.
Are cherries keto-friendly?
Cherries are moderately low in carbs: a half-cup of sweet cherries carries about 8 net carbs. That may be more than a typical keto serving if you’re tracking closely. Spreading a cup of cherries across an entire cake makes the per-slice impact more manageable, but if you want to reduce carbs further, omit the chopped cherries and rely on cherry emulsion for the “chip” flavor. The cake still captures that boxed cherry-chip taste without the extra carbs.
Can I make this cherry chip cake dairy-free?
Yes. Replace butter with solid coconut oil and swap sour cream for extra almond milk (or a thick dairy-free yogurt if you prefer). For frosting, use chilled whipped coconut cream, flavor it with cherry emulsion and your preferred sweetener, and stabilize it with a small amount of a thickener if needed.
Which sweeteners work best?
Best and tested sweeteners
I tested this cake with powdered allulose, a powdered monk fruit/erythritol blend, and granular monk fruit. All performed well. Cakes made with allulose tended to brown more quickly; if you use allulose, shield the pans with foil or tent the cakes partway through baking to avoid dark edges.
Other suitable sweeteners
Swerve, xylitol, or erythritol blends are also fine here. For powdered sweeteners, use a confectioners-style variety for smoother frosting.
Sweeteners to avoid
Liquid sweeteners like concentrated stevia drops will upset the dry-to-wet balance in this batter, so I don’t recommend them unless you plan to experiment.
Make-or-break tips for low-carb cake baking
Use these practical tips to ensure success:
- The batter will be thick and won’t pour. Spoon it into pans and level it by hand.
- Line pans with parchment and grease well to prevent sticking.
- Wrap pans with foil to avoid over-browning the sides and bottoms — coconut flour and some sweeteners brown faster than wheat flour.
- Don’t skip xanthan gum; it gives the cake structure and prevents crumbliness.
- Whip the eggs until airy before folding in other ingredients — this lightens the batter.
- Add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to help the cakes rise by reacting with the baking powder.
- Sift dry ingredients to remove lumps and add loft to the batter.
- About ten minutes into baking, loosely tent the cakes with foil or parchment to prevent overly dark tops.
Following these steps will improve texture and appearance and help the cakes bake evenly.
Whipped cream-cheese frosting
This frosting is a stabilized whipped mixture with a cream cheese flavor — lighter and less cloying than traditional powdered-sugar frostings. Sweeten to taste with your preferred sweetener. My version is moderately sweet and complements the cake well.
Frosting tips:
- Whip cold cream cheese until smooth and spreadable, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add sweetener, flavoring, and a touch of color, then fold in chilled heavy cream.
- Whip until light and fluffy but avoid overbeating, which can cause the mixture to become loose.
- If the frosting softens while decorating, chill briefly to firm up.
Can I make this into muffins, a bundt, or other shapes?
I used three 6-inch pans for a three-layer cake, but you can use two 9-inch rounds or another pan shape. Adjust baking time accordingly. For muffins, line pans, fill them about three-quarters full, and bake 12–15 minutes. For a large bundt, wrap the pan with foil to prevent the exterior from over-browning before the center bakes through.
Storage and serving suggestions
Wrap cooled, baked cakes and freeze for up to a month. After frosting, store the cake in the refrigerator for up to four days; the texture and flavor are best on days one and two. Muffins freeze well and are convenient for portion control.
Looking for more low-carb cake recipes?
If you enjoy low-carb baking, try a variety of gluten-free cakes that use almond and coconut flours, flavored emulsions, and different sweetener blends. Experimenting with flavorings and techniques will help you build a repertoire of keto-friendly favorites.
Low Carb Cherry Chip Cake Recipe (Gluten-Free and Keto Friendly)
This low-carb cherry chip cake is moist with a tender crumb and a candy-like cherry aroma. It’s a great option when you want an indulgent dessert without the carbs and gluten.
Ingredients
Cherry Cake Batter
- 1 cup powdered erythritol (or preferred powdered sweetener)
- 3/4 cup butter (or solid coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream (or extra almond milk for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup chopped cherries (optional)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cherry emulsion (or sugar-free cherry flavor)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cherry-Flavored Icing
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (or chilled coconut cream)
- 1/4 cup powdered erythritol
- 1 cup (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese (or dairy-free cream cheese)
- 1/2 tsp cherry emulsion (or cherry flavor)
- 2 drops pink food coloring (optional)
- (If you plan to pipe ruffles or decorations, make an extra batch of icing.)
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cake pans: grease well and line with parchment. To prevent over-browning, wrap the outside of pans with foil.
- Whisk eggs on high speed for about 2 minutes until airy.
- Melt butter gently; it should be warm but not hot.
- Mix melted butter, almond milk, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, sour cream, and cherry emulsion into the whipped eggs.
- Sift coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and powdered erythritol into a bowl. Stir in chopped cherries to coat.
- Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter between pans (two 9-inch rounds or three 6-inch rounds).
- Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes. After 10 minutes, tent the tops loosely with foil or parchment to prevent darkening. Cakes are done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack for about an hour before frosting.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cube cold cream cheese and beat it in a mixer until smooth and lump-free; scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla, powdered sweetener, and any color or emulsion.
- Pour in 1/2 cup cold whipping cream and mix on low until incorporated. Increase speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Do not overbeat.
- If the frosting softens while decorating, chill briefly to firm it up.
Notes
Tips recap: the batter is thick and should be spooned into pans; use parchment and foil to prevent sticking and over-browning; don’t skip xanthan gum; whip the eggs to add air; sift dry ingredients; tent the cakes during baking.
If you omit the chopped cherries and rely on cherry emulsion alone, you can reduce the recipe’s total carbs significantly while keeping the classic cherry-chip flavor.
Recommended products
- Powdered monk fruit sweetener with erythritol
- Bakery cherry emulsion
- Cake decorating supplies kit
- Round cake pans (6″ x 2″)
- Xanthan gum
- Almond flour
- Organic coconut flour
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 359
Net Carbohydrates: 5.8g
Nutritional information is approximate. Sugar alcohols like erythritol are not included in net carb counts.
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a comment with your results or share a photo on social media — we’d love to see your version.