Sugar Free Low Carb Cinnamon Sponge Cake: a simple, healthy, and delicious keto dessert with only 2.5g carbs per slice.
After making this sugar free low carb cinnamon sponge cake several times, I finally decided it was time to share it properly. It is one of those easy keto cake recipes that feels special without being complicated. The cinnamon may look generous at first glance, but the flavour is gentle, warm, and beautifully balanced rather than overpowering. I even served it to someone who normally dislikes cinnamon, and they happily asked for another slice.
Going sugar free and low carb has saved the munching monster
My kitchen is rarely without a keto cake, pastry, biscuit, spoon dessert, or savoury snack. I love baking, testing, and experimenting, but there is another reason: my husband is a serious munching monster. By “munching”, I mean anything eaten outside a main meal, whether that is a slice of cake, a sweet snack, a savoury bite, a biscuit, a nut bar, or anything else that can be picked up and enjoyed in passing.
I am not exaggerating. Some people like an occasional treat after dinner, but his sweet tooth is in a league of its own. He finds it almost impossible to finish a meal without something sweet afterwards. It might be cake, chocolate, a pastry, a biscuit or, more realistically, several biscuits. Chocolate is another story entirely, and it deserves its own chapter.
Before we moved to a low carb and sugar free way of eating, this habit usually meant sugary snacks and high carb treats. Since our keto conversion, the ingredients have changed completely. Now the snacks and desserts are high fat, low carb, grain free, gluten free, and sugar free. That means I can make something indulgent like this keto cinnamon sponge cake while still keeping it suitable for our lifestyle.
Any dessert or sweet treat I make tends to disappear very quickly when he is around.
Then there are the savoury snacks. Whether he is relaxing at home or driving, he likes to have something to pick at. These days it is more likely to be pork scratchings or nuts rather than crisps and chocolate bars. Lots of nuts, in fact. I have even hidden treats on occasion so that I could enjoy some before they vanished.
Luckily, a sugar free and low carb approach makes it possible to create satisfying desserts with better ingredients. Cinnamon, almond flour, eggs, butter, cream, and cream cheese all work beautifully in keto baking, and together they make this sponge cake rich, soft, and comforting without the need for sugar or grain flour.
With a chocolate cake in the fridge already disappearing faster than expected, I knew it was time to prepare a fresh dessert. I remembered a cinnamon cake I had baked a few weeks earlier and decided it deserved another outing. This version is easy, reliable, and perfect for anyone looking for a sugar free cinnamon cake that still feels like a proper treat.
The steps are straightforward, and the cake comes together quickly before going into the oven.
You will need two baking tins of the same size. I find that round 20 cm tins work very well because they create even layers that are easy to fill and stack. Non-stick tins are helpful, but I still recommend buttering them well before adding the batter. This makes it easier to release the sponge once baked and cooled.
The ingredients are simple and familiar if you already bake low carb or keto desserts. You will need almond flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, erythritol, butter, eggs, stevia, vanilla extract, coconut milk, cream cheese, and double cream. Nothing unusual is required, and the result is a soft sponge with a creamy filling and topping.
I used homemade coconut milk for this recipe, but shop-bought coconut milk also works. If you prefer to use full-fat cow’s milk, you can do so, although the carbohydrate count will be higher and the macros will need adjusting. The coconut milk keeps the sponge moist and works well with the warm cinnamon flavour.
A low carb and sugar free delight with a hint of cinnamon
This sugar free low carb cinnamon sponge cake is light enough to enjoy after a meal but rich enough to feel satisfying. The sponge has a delicate cinnamon swirl, while the cream cheese layer adds a smooth, tangy contrast. It does not need any extra decoration, glaze, or topping because the creamy layer already makes it feel complete.
If you enjoy keto desserts that are not overly sweet, this cake is a lovely choice. It has the comforting flavour of cinnamon, the softness of a sponge cake, and the richness of a cream cheese filling. It is also grain free and gluten free, making it suitable for many low carb baking needs.
Here is my sugar free low carb cinnamon sponge cake
This is a truly tasty keto sponge cake with a creamy filling and topping. It is simple, comforting, and ideal when you want a homemade dessert without sugar, grains, or unnecessary fuss.
Serve it chilled straight from the fridge for the best texture. The cream cheese layer firms up beautifully, and the cinnamon flavour becomes even more rounded once the cake has had time to rest.
Perfect for a keto lifestyle and delicious enough to share, this low carb cinnamon cake is one to keep on repeat. I am off to claim the last slice before the munching monster gets home.
Enjoy!
UPDATE: My favourite brand of pure stevia is no longer available. The recipe has therefore been updated to reflect the reduced sweetness of the new stevia brand I now use.
- 160g fine almond flour
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of fine Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp erythritol
- 150g softened unsalted butter
- 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 3 tsp pure stevia powder
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 100-120ml coconut milk
- 60-80ml water
- 350g full-fat cream cheese
- 100g double cream, whipped
- Butter two equal-sized cake tins and set them aside.
- In a bowl, mix the almond flour with 1 tsp cinnamon, the salt, and the baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat 100g butter with the erythritol and 1.5 tsp stevia until creamy. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in 100ml coconut milk.
- Prepare the cinnamon syrup by gently warming 50g butter with 1 tsp stevia, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, and 60ml water. The syrup should have a runny honey consistency. If it is too thick, add up to 20ml extra water.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C static.
- Add the dry mixture to the egg mixture and blend well. If the batter is too dry, add the remaining 20ml coconut milk. Swirl in the cinnamon syrup.
- Divide the cake mixture evenly between the prepared tins.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool completely.
- Beat the cream cheese with a little milk and 1/2 tsp stevia until thick and creamy, then fold in the whipped double cream.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, turn them bottom-side up. Spread the cream cheese mixture over one cake layer. Place the second cake on top and spread the remaining cream cheese mixture over the surface. Refrigerate immediately and serve chilled.
Metric kitchen scales are very useful for accurate low carb baking, especially when working with almond flour, butter, cream cheese, and sweeteners.