Eliminating fast-acting carbs and simple sugars presents dieters with a sweet tooth with a unique challenge of how to have their cake and eat it, too—especially if they've chosen to follow a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet.
Improved blood sugar levels, rapid weight loss and increased steady-state energy, along with enhanced concentration, all sound appealing but sacrificing rich and decadent chocolate forever seems like a steep, painful price to pay.
But the beauty about the ketogenic diet is that we get to have the best of everything—enhanced health and a smaller dress size—while indulging in sugar-free dishes that are cheat-day worthy but without the unwanted carbs and simple sugars that can easily sabotage efforts toward regulating blood sugar and weight-loss success.
You’ll never need another chocolate cake recipe to crush a carb craving! And the best part is the base is a box cake mix, à la King Arthur's keto baking line, and the homemade frosting is so simple to whip up that even the beginner baker can make it with ease. The cake-making process isn't rocket science. The recipe requires combining wet and dry ingredients and baking according to the instructions on the box. Nonetheless, here are some tips I gained during the testing process, plus a recipe for easy chocolate frosting that will have you and yours unapologetically licking the spoon.
Notes for making the box mix:
- I made a triple-decker chocolate cake because it offers a stunning aesthetic that makes it look like you've been baking all day when making the decadent treat is actually a breeze. ;)
-As an alternative, you can make a double-decker cake or opt to make cupcakes instead.
Just make sure you adjust your baking time based on your chosen recipe (e.g., three-tiered cake, bundt cake, cupcakes, etc.), as cooking time will vary based on your approach.
-Say you have two 8-inch springform pans and can't wait to dig into a rich slice of keto cake: bake your pans at 375 degrees F for between 19 and 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center returns clean.
- I used a vanilla, unsweetened macadamia milk, and have been using the #Milkadamia brand as my plant-based milk of choice for a while. I enjoy the mild and neutral flavor in beverages and it works well when baking, as well.
However, feel free to use whichever plant-based milk that you have on hand, 1:1.
- The King Arthur Keto Cake Mix is gluten-free, contains exclusively non-GMO ingredients, contains zero added sugar, and delivers a manageable 2g net carbs per serving—pretty sweet!
- The King Arthur Sugar Alternative is also a fantastic sweetener, and works amazingly well when making baked goods and whipping up creamy thick sugar-free frostings, but I was out of it when I made the cake (no worries, another order of sweetener along with the flour blend will arrive today!).
Definitely check out the KA sugar alternative, as I've experienced great results using it in everything from cakes to jams, and as the base for keto simple syrups.
I also bought the King Arthur Yellow Keto Cake Mix and will probably make cupcakes or a lemon and coconut cake later this week. Trust me, no one here is complaining about testing these mixes as the cakes are tender, moist and produce the perfect taste and texture.
The simple and easy directions needed to make the cake are clearly noted and illustrated on the box, but here's a handy and absolutely lovely recipe for the most luscious and delicious simple chocolate frosting ever—and you can make it from scratch in minutes!
Let's Make the Frosting!
This box mix paired with this decadent and delicious frosting makes for the perfect summer cake selection, although it's so good you'll likely make it in all seasons.
Alternative Recipe Options
The King Arthur Keto Cake Mix worked wonderfully, producing a super-moist, delightfully rich and dense cake with an indulgent hearty coating of chocolatey frosting; it's a chocolate lover's dream!
But I couldn't help but also notice recipes for Double Dark Chocolate Cookies and the irresistible Salty-Sweet Peanut Butter Cookie recipe on the #cake box; plus, the company encourages making cupcakes with the mix—giving us a wide range of options.
Final Thoughts
I have made several box cake keto mixes while following a low-carb, high-fat diet—and many of them were noteworthy. But the King Arthur mixes provide the perfect blend—offering cakes with a tender texture that's ready to pair perfectly with a sweet and thick creamy #chocolate frosting for the perfect keto confection, even if you're short on time.
I would recommend trying these mixes, and experimenting with the brand's Keto Wheat Blend flour and Carb-Conscious pancake mix, as they are options that enable the creation of various baked goods with the perfect texture and taste—and none of the unwanted carbs or fast-acting sugars.
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