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A keto ding dong cake combines almond and coconut flour chocolate layers, cream cheese-stabilized whipped cream, and sugar-free chocolate ganache. Cool the cakes completely before assembly so the creamy center stays thick and the soft fudge topping settles neatly over the layers.
This homemade take on the chocolate snack cake delivers a bold cocoa crumb and a generous white cream center. It’s a full-size layer cake with three components you prepare separately.
The filling holds its shape for piping, while the ganache becomes softly fudgy in the refrigerator. That chilled chocolate-and-cream contrast makes the slice.
Set out the cream cheese to soften before mixing the batter, but keep the whipping cream cold.
Key Ingredients for Each Layer
The flours and eggs build structure, cocoa and coffee deepen flavor, and oil and sour cream retain moisture. Cream cheese gives the filling body, while chocolate, cream, and butter create the soft fudge coating.
- 336 grams blanched almond flour (3 1/2 cups)
- 45 grams coconut flour (3 tablespoons)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup avocado oil
- 1 1/3 cup Granulated Swerve (powdered erythritol )
- 9 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup strong coffee
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioner’s Sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Choc Zero Chocolate Chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
The cake ingredients run from almond flour through strong coffee. Almond flour supplies a tender crumb; coconut flour absorbs moisture, while eggs and xanthan gum help the layers hold together. Keep both flours rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Baking powder and baking soda provide lift. Salt balances the sweetener, vanilla rounds out the cocoa, and coffee reinforces the chocolate flavor. Avocado oil and sour cream keep the crumb rich and moist.
The filling uses the first heavy cream measure, cream cheese, confectioners sweetener, and optional vanilla. Powdered sweetener keeps it smooth, and softened cream cheese blends more evenly than cold cream cheese.
The remaining heavy cream belongs to the ganache with the chocolate chips and butter. Cream softens the chocolate coating; butter adds richness and gloss. Keep these measures separate as you work.
Step-by-Step Preparation and Assembly for the Keto Ding Dong Cake
Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F on regular bake before mixing. Prepare the pans first, too, so the batter can go straight into the heated oven.
Cake
- Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment and coat them with baking spray.
The parchment should lie flat against each pan’s bottom. - Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cocoa in a bowl, keeping the sweetener separate.
The mixture should have an even cocoa color without concentrated pockets of flour. - Beat the avocado oil with the cake sweetener, then incorporate the eggs individually.
Blend each egg into the mixture before adding another. - Mix in the sour cream and cake vanilla, followed by the coffee.
The wet mixture should look evenly blended before the flour mixture goes in. - Add the dry mixture and stop mixing as soon as it combines with the wet ingredients.
No dry streaks should remain. - Distribute the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes.
If the edges look set before the centers finish, loosely tent the cakes with foil and continue baking until the centers reach 210°F.
Weighing the filled pans helps you divide the batter evenly, giving the layers similar heights and a more consistent baking rate.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the confectioners sweetener until smooth, then add the filling’s heavy cream and optional vanilla and whip to nearly stiff peaks.
The cream should hold distinct ridges and a piped shape without looking grainy.
Ganache
- Combine the ganache cream, chocolate chips, and butter in a stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
Keep the heat low as the chocolate melts into a smooth, pourable coating.
This water-bath setup, called a bain-marie, gives the chocolate gentle, indirect heat. Keep the bowl above the water rather than resting in it.
Assemble
- Wait until both cake layers have cooled fully before building the cake.
Neither layer should feel warm when you handle it. - Trim uneven areas with a serrated knife and arrange the bottom layer on your cake plate.
Reserve the second layer with its rounded surface facing upward. - Pipe an even layer of stabilized cream over the bottom cake, then position the second cake on top.
The filling should form a consistent band between the layers. - Return thickened ganache to gentle heat until it flows again.
It should pour freely rather than fall in heavy clumps. - Pour the ganache over the assembled cake and leave the surface untouched as it sets.
The coating should settle without spatula streaks. - Refrigerate the finished cake.
The chocolate coating will firm into a soft fudge texture.
For an optional assembly aid, chill the leveled bottom layer before filling, then pipe a perimeter ring of stabilized cream and fill inside it. This creates a defined outer edge before you add the top layer and glaze.
Troubleshooting Common Baking Issues
Watch texture and heat closely, especially at the edges of the cakes and during whipping.
- Dry or overly dark edges: The outside is baking faster than the center. Tent loosely with foil once the edges look set.
- Lumpy filling: Cold cream cheese resists blending. Soften it fully and beat it smooth with the powdered sweetener before adding cream.
- Sliding layers: Warm cake softens the filling. Cool both layers completely before assembly.
- Grainy whipped cream: Overwhipping can spoil the smooth texture. Stop once the mixture holds a pipeable shape.
- Thick or rough ganache: Use gentle water-bath heat rather than direct heat, and warm thickened ganache only until pourable.
I’d prioritize a smooth cream cheese mixture before adding the cream; extra whipping afterward won’t reliably hide those little lumps.
Recipe Variations and Customizations
Keep these optional changes separate from the ingredient list and method above.
Coffee-Free Chocolate Cake Batter
Warm water offers a neutral alternative to brewed coffee without adding another flavor. Extra sour cream changes the batter’s richness and thickness, so it isn’t a direct liquid replacement.
Mini Individual Keto Ding Dong Cakes
Smaller pans or ramekins offer an individual-cake presentation, but they need their own baking checks rather than the full-size timing. For a separate single-serving option, try a keto mug cake.
Berry-Topped Ding Dong Cake
Add fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries after the ganache sets. Their tartness balances the sweet cream and rich chocolate without changing the cake itself.
Make-Ahead and Chilled Storage Guide
Prepare the stabilized cream while the cakes bake, then refrigerate it until the layers have cooled completely. This keeps assembly organized without rushing the cooling stage.
Keep the finished cake covered in the refrigerator, using a cake carrier or container that won’t press against the coating. Chilling gives the ganache its soft fudge consistency and helps the cream center stay firm. Return leftover slices to covered, chilled storage.
Serving and Slicing Suggestions
Slice the cake chilled with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts. Use gentle pressure rather than pushing hard through the cream layer.
Serve with fresh berries, hot espresso, unsweetened coffee, or cold unsweetened almond milk. The unsweetened drinks provide a pleasant contrast to the filling and chocolate topping.
Conclusion
Moist chocolate cake, sturdy whipped cream, and soft fudge ganache give this dessert its distinctive layered texture.
Let the cakes cool completely and give each component the attention it needs. A little patience makes those chocolate-and-cream slices much neater.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Substitute for Coffee in This Keto Ding Dong Cake?
Use warm water for a neutral, coffee-free option. Coffee deepens the cocoa flavor, so omitting it makes the chocolate profile a little less pronounced.
Why Does the Whipped Cream Filling Use Cream Cheese?
Cream cheese gives whipped cream extra body to help support the upper cake layer. Beat it smooth with confectioners sweetener first for an evenly textured filling.
How Do I Prevent Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache From Turning Grainy?
Melt the chocolate, cream, and butter slowly over gently simmering water. Avoid direct heat and stop heating once the mixture looks smooth.
Can I Make the Stabilized Whipped Cream Ahead of Time?
Yes, prepare it while the cake layers bake. Keep it refrigerated until the cakes are completely cool and ready for filling.
Why Should I Not Touch the Ganache After Pouring It Over the Cake?
Leaving it undisturbed lets the coating settle smoothly. Spreading it as it sets can leave drag marks and dull the glossy finish.
Keto Ding Dong Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Stainless steel bowl
- Saucepan
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
- 336 grams blanched almond flour (3 1/2 cups)
- 45 grams coconut flour (3 tablespoons)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup avocado oil
- 1 1/3 cup Granulated Swerve (powdered erythritol )
- 9 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup strong coffee
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioner’s Sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Choc Zero Chocolate Chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Cake
- Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment and coat them with baking spray. The parchment should lie flat against each pan’s bottom.
- Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cocoa in a bowl, keeping the sweetener separate. The mixture should have an even cocoa color without concentrated pockets of flour.
- Beat the avocado oil with the cake sweetener, then incorporate the eggs individually. Blend each egg into the mixture before adding another.
- Mix in the sour cream and cake vanilla, followed by the coffee. The wet mixture should look evenly blended before the flour mixture goes in.
- Add the dry mixture and stop mixing as soon as it combines with the wet ingredients. No dry streaks should remain.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes. If the edges look set before the centers finish, loosely tent the cakes with foil and continue baking until the centers reach 210°F.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the confectioners sweetener until smooth, then add the filling’s heavy cream and optional vanilla and whip to nearly stiff peaks. The cream should hold distinct ridges and a piped shape without looking grainy.
Ganache
- Combine the ganache cream, chocolate chips, and butter in a stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Keep the heat low as the chocolate melts into a smooth, pourable coating.
Assemble
- Wait until both cake layers have cooled fully before building the cake. Neither layer should feel warm when you handle it.
- Trim uneven areas with a serrated knife and arrange the bottom layer on your cake plate. Reserve the second layer with its rounded surface facing upward.
- Pipe an even layer of stabilized cream over the bottom cake, then position the second cake on top. The filling should form a consistent band between the layers.
- Return thickened ganache to gentle heat until it flows again. It should pour freely rather than fall in heavy clumps.
- Pour the ganache over the assembled cake and leave the surface untouched as it sets. The coating should settle without spatula streaks.
- Refrigerate the finished cake. The chocolate coating will firm into a soft fudge texture.
