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Keto Chocolate Pound Cake with Cheesecake Swirl

4.76 from 58 votes
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This Keto Chocolate Pound Cake with a moist cream cheese swirl is completely over the top, and the best part is that it only brings 4.7 grams of net carbs per serving!

If you are looking for a low-carb Easter cake recipe, this one is perfect for this occasion!

How To Make Chocolate Keto Pound Cake

This keto chocolate cream cheese pound cake is the easiest to make, even for keto beginners. 

If you crave a moist keto chocolate pound cake, this is for you.

Ingredients

All you need to make the keto chocolate pound cake batter are:

  • Large eggs – at room temperature, bring them out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking the cake.
  • Erythritol – or any keto-friendly crystal sweeteners you love like allulose or xylitol.
  • Almond flour – I am using ultra-fine almond flour to avoid any gritty texture. Almond meal works as well, but the texture won’t be as moist and soft. Learn how to pick keto flours.
  • Melted coconut oil – I don’t appreciate melted butter in this recipe simply because it requires a long baking time to set the cream cheese swirl. Therefore, since butter has a lower smoking point than coconut oil, it will start burning the cake on the sides and top after 40 minutes.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking powder
  • Unsweetened almond milk – because regular milk is high in carbs.
  • Vanilla extract

For the cheesecake filling, you need:

Prepare the mold

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with lightly-oiled parchment paper.

You can also use an 8-inch bundt cake mold to make a keto chocolate bundt cake.

If you are making a bundt cake, the batter sets faster, and the cream cheese swirl won’t be as thick.

Make the chocolate batter

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with erythritol, vanilla, and lukewarm melted coconut oil. Make sure you don’t use hot coconut oil, or it will ‘cook’ the eggs.

Melt your coconut oil, then measure and wait for a few minutes to cool down before adding it to the mix.

In another bowl, whisk the almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder.

Finally, pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Stir until it forms a thick consistent batter. Set aside the chocolate batter while preparing the cream cheese filling.

How to Keto chocolate Pound cake with almond flour

Cream cheese filling

In another bowl, add softened cream cheese, egg, erythritol, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric beater until fluffy, light, and white in color.

Assemble the cream cheese chocolate pound cake

First, spread evenly half the chocolate batter. Then, top up with all the cream cheese filling, making sure you don’t add cream cheese on the borders.

Then, top up with the remaining chocolate batter.

Making the ‘smile’ effect

Finally, use a knife and swirl it into the loaf batter from left to right. Only do this twice, once from left to right and once from right to left.

This will create an 8 shape on top of the loaf and, in the end, a beautiful ‘smile’ effect in the center of the pound cake.

How to Keto chocolate Pound cake

Baking

This is a thick low-carb chocolate pound cake with a cheesecake filling.

Therefore, it’s way longer to bake, and patience is the key to creating a moist pound cake. First, bake the pound cake for 40 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

Then, tent the loaf pan with foil and keep baking for up to 55-65 minutes in total.

Testing The Baking

After 55 minutes, the center should start to set, but the cheesecake filling will keep jiggling slightly. That’s normal, and it will set later as the pound cake cools down.

To know if your keto cream cheese chocolate pound cake is read, insert a pick in the center of the loaf. If the chocolate crumb doesn’t stick to the pick, it is cooked through.

Low carb chocolate pound cake

Cooldown

This is very important to cool down this pound cake for 1 hour in the loaf pan. This will give the cream cheese filling time to cool down gently and set properly.

After that time, use the pieces of hanging paper on the side of the loaf to pull out the pound cake from the pan.

Let it Cool down for 3 hours or overnight on a rack before slicing. Again, this is not negotiable! You must be patient, or you could end up with a runny cheesecake filling.

Keto chocolate pound cake

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Have To Add The Cream Cheese Filling?

No, if you are looking for a dairy-free chocolate pound cake, skip the cream cheese filling.

The pound cake will bake slightly faster, around 40-55 minutes in total.

Can I Make It Dairy-free?

Yes, you can use dairy-free cream cheese or lactose-free cream cheese for the center.

Can I Use Egg Replacers?

No, you can’t use any egg replacers in this cake recipe.

You must use eggs, and it won’ work with vegan egg-replacer or flax eggs.

When Should I Eat This Pound Cake?

This is a perfect dessert, a treat to share on your keto diet with family and friends.

With Easter just around the corner, I would say it makes a delicious keto Easter cake! I recommend adding a chocolate ganache on top of this cake to bring it to your Easter dessert table.

To make a keto chocolate ganache, melt on low heat:

This chocolate ganache brings out the chocolate flavors of the pound cake and makes it even more moist and delicious.

Keto chocolate cream cheese pound cake

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More Keto Chocolate Recipes

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Below I listed my favorites:

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Chocolate keto pound cake

Keto Chocolate Pound Cake

4.7gNet Carbs
A moist keto chocolate pound cake with moist cream cheese swirl that smiles at you.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Cool 1 hour
Total: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 12 slices
Serving Size: 1 slice
4.76 from 58 votes

Ingredients

Cream cheese swirl

Chocolate ganache

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the paper to make sure the pound cake doesn't stick to the pan. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar-free crystal sweetener, melted coconut oil (or butter), vanilla extract, and almond milk. Ensure that your coconut oil is not burning hot, or it will 'cook' the eggs and create lumps. All your ingredients must be roughly at the same temperature. Think room temperature, especially the eggs and almond milk. Cold ingredients just out of the fridge will solidify the coconut oil, creating oil lumps.
  • In a different large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder. Stir to combine the flours evenly.
  • Pour the liquid ingredients onto the dry ingredients.
  • Stir all the ingredients together with a baking spoon until it forms a thick cake batter with no lumps. Combine for at least 2 minutes to make sure the fibers from cocoa powder absorb the moisture.
  • Set aside while you prepare the cream cheese swirl mixture.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, erythritol, vanilla, and egg.
  • Using an electric beater, beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined – about 1 minute. Stop the beater, set aside the bowl.
  • Pour roughly half of the chocolate batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Spread all the cream cheese filling evenly on top, avoiding the sides of the pan. The cream cheese batter is thick, so use the back of a spoon to spread it around – avoid touching the sides of the pan! Scroll up in the post to see the steps-by-steps- pictures to guide you. Finally, pour the remaining chocolate batter evenly on top.
  • Draw a knife through the batter and swirl from one side of the pan to the other. Repeat once in the other direction to form an 8 shape on top of the pound cake. This will create a 'smile' effect in your cream cheese layer. Don't over swirl, or all the layers will mix together.
  • Place the loaf pan in the center rack of your oven and bake at 350°F (180°C), for 25 minutes.
  • After 25 minutes, cover the loaf pan with a loose piece of foil. This will prevent the top from burning, and the middle will bake slowly. Keep baking for 55-65 minutes in total.
  • This is a large, heavy cake, so don’t feel frustrated if it takes a little longer in your oven, be patient. To check the baking time, insert a pick in the center of the pound cake. If it comes out with little to no chocolate crumbs on it, it's ready. Note that the cheesecake filling will stay soft and slightly jiggly like cheesecake, and that's normal.
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and let the pound cake cool for 1 hour inside the pan.
  • Then, pull out the hanging pieces of parchment paper on the side of the pan to lift ou the pound cake out of the pan.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. It is a thick pound cake, so allow at least 3 hours before slicing and eating. Be patient and add the chocolate ganache on the pound cake when it reaches room temperature, not before!

Chocolate glazing

  • In a medium saucepan, over low/medium heat warm chocolate chips and heavy cream, stirring gently until it melts and becomes shiny.
  • Drizzle over the cooled pound cake.
  • You can place the cake for a few minutes in the freezer to set the glazing if too runny.

Storage

  • Store your pound cake in the fridge in an airtight cake box for up to 3 or 4 days. Slice before serving to keep the cake moist.
  • Slice the cake into slices before freezing. Freeze the cake in an airtight box, making sure the slices don't overlap, or place a piece of parchment paper between each slice to make it easier to defrost individually. Defrost the slice the day before at room temperature, on a plate, don't overlap the slices.
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Nutrition1 slice
Yield: 12 slices

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 295.3 kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 8.2 g (3%)Fiber: 3.5 g (15%)Net Carbs: 4.7 gProtein: 8.3 g (17%)Fat: 28.2 g (43%)Saturated Fat: 13.2 g (83%)Trans Fat: 0.1 gCholesterol: 99.9 mg (33%)Sodium: 84.2 mg (4%)Potassium: 88.4 mg (3%)Sugar: 1.2 g (1%)Vitamin A: 375.8 IU (8%)Vitamin C: 0.1 mgCalcium: 77.3 mg (8%)Iron: 1.5 mg (8%)
Keto chocolate pound cake with cheesecake swirl
Carine Claudepierre

About The Author

Carine Claudepierre

Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook, and founder of Sweet As Honey.

I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I'm passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I'm also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.

I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet

Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!

All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.

Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.

I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!

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Recipe Rating




    17 Thoughts On Keto Chocolate Pound Cake with Cheesecake Swirl
  1. 5 stars
    I made this for some of my friends and they could not believe that it was low carb. They loved it. Great recipe that I will definitely make again.

  2. Hi I made this but the cream cheese batter was in no way thick it was a liquid. How could cream cheese, cream, egg, erythrol and vanilla essence be thick, am I missing something?

      • 4 stars
        Silly me, cake was still delicious, very moist and will be making again this weekend (without the cream) 🙂

  3. I was so excited to see this recipe but questioned if there was an error in the amount of baking powder listed. One tablespoon seems like a lot for a small cake. I went ahead & followed the recipe & like I figured, it came out tasting bitter. Should it be 1 teaspoon instead of tablespoon?

    • There’s no error, you need 1 tablespoon or it won’t get so fluffy and moist. Baking powder is not bitter, baking soda is bitter on the other side, maybe that’s what you used or your sweetener brings out the bitterness. You can reduce baking powder but I would get under 2 teaspoon to keep the texture right. Enjoy

Disclaimer

The recipes, instructions, and articles on this website should not be taken or used as medical advice. You must consult with your doctor before starting on a keto or low-carb diet. The nutritional data provided on Sweetashoney is to be used as indicative only.

The nutrition data is calculated using WP Recipe Maker. Net Carbs is calculated by removing the fiber and some sweeteners from the total Carbohydrates. As an example, a recipe with 10 grams of Carbs per 100 grams that contains 3 grams of erythritol and 5 grams of fiber will have a net carbs content of 2 grams. Some sweeteners are excluded because they are not metabolized.

You should always calculate the nutritional data yourself instead of relying on Sweetashoney's data. Sweetashoney and its recipes and articles are not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose, or treat any disease. Sweetashoney cannot be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or advice found on the Website.