Low-Carb Orange Drizzle Cake

I know what you're thinking... "But oranges aren't keto so how can you use them in your recipes?"

Actually, oranges aren't off limits, you just need to know how to use them. In this cake we are only using one small orange to make the whole cake, enough to add amazing flavor with none of the carbs. In fact, one generous slice of this easy keto coffee cake is less than 4 grams of net carbs and only about 150 Calories!

You can serve a slice of this grain-free cake on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream, sour cream or mascarpone for a more satisfying sweet breakfast option or dessert.

This Low-Carb Orange Drizzle cake is similar to two other coffee cakes; Low-Carb Madeira Cake, a British classic, and American-style Keto Pound Cake. Both of them are just as easy and delicious!

The Perfect Orange Drizzle Cake

Recipe development sometimes takes a few attempts before my creations are good enough to be shared. And that's the approach I take with every single recipe I make. Sometimes it only takes one attempt but often it's two or more tries before it's ready. Sometimes I make a recipe more times even though it's a success just to be absolutely sure it works (or simply because it's so good!)

This cake took a few attempts before I got it right. I wanted a nice rise with fluffy texture that's not too dense. That's what you can see on the first cake from the left (photo below). It was my the third attempt and the best by far. In this cake I used Greek-style yogurt and a combination of low-carb flours rather than just one type. Instead of full-fat yogurt you can even use sour cream, the result will be very similar.

The other two cakes were made with melted butter and a different ratio of dry ingredients, resulting in a denser texture. They were just as delicious (and didn't go to waste!) but the texture wasn't as fluffy and they were way too flat, they were simply not shareworthy yet.

Decorating Orange Drizzle Cake

Even a simple coffee cake like this one can be decorated for a special occasion! If you want to prettify it for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day or any family gathering, simply add some edible flowers and/or a few fresh mint leaves.

Another way to decorate this cake would be by adding thin slices of candied oranges which can be prepared with Allulose. I made candied blood oranges with Allulose before (and dipped them in dark chocolate) and they were just as good as the real deal. No sugar needed!

To do that I used juice from 1 orange combined with a splash of water and about half a cup of Allulose. I then cooked thin slices of another organic orange in this mixture over a low heat until the sauce has thickened and slightly caramelized (do not burn or they will taste bitter). Once done, I used a fork to transfer the slices on a piece of heavy-duty parchment paper, drizzled with any remaining syrup and let them cool down. Once cool, you can use them to decorate the top of the cake, or freeze and then dip in dark chocolate like I did.

Finally, you could add simple frosting such as whipped mascarpone (sweetened or plain). I would advice against butter-based frosting with too much sweetener as the cake already has the glossy orange syrup. You want something light and simple, ideally served alongside the cake rather than spreading it on top.

Preparation time

Hands-on:    20 minutes
Overall:      1 hour 30 minutes

Nutritional values (per slice)

Total Carbs	5.8	grams
Fiber	2.1	grams
Net Carbs	3.7	grams

Protein	9.4	grams
Fat	10.9	grams
of which Saturated	2	grams

Energy	155	kcal

Magnesium	47	mg (12% RDA)
Potassium	213	mg (11% EMR)

Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (10%), protein (25%), fat (65%)

Ingredients (makes 10 servings)

Cake:

4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
¹/₄ cup granulated Erythritol, Swerve or Allulose (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
1 ¹/₂ cups almond flour (150 g/ 5.3 oz)
¹/₄ cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
¹/₄ cup whey protein powder (25 g/ 0.9 oz)
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
¹/₂ cup plain Greek-style yogurt (125 g/ 4.4 oz)
zest from 1 small organic orange

Orange syrup:

juice from 1 small organic orange (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)
1 tbsp water (15 ml)
¹/₄ cup granulated Allulose (50 g/ 1.8 oz)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160 °C/ 320 °F (fan assisted), or 180 °C/ 355 °F (conventional) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Note: You can use 8 inch or 9 inch (20 or 23 cm) loaf pan. The more the batter spreads (wider, larger pan), the shorter the baking time. A smaller, deeper cake loaf pan will result in a higher rise.
In a bowl combine the eggs, vanilla and half of the sweetener used in this recipe (Erythritol, Swerve or Allulose). Use an electric mixer or a hand whisk to beat.
Add the almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein powder. Beat to combine. Add the yogurt and orange zest and beat until smooth. Note: Instead of baking powder you can use a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar, or baking soda and lemon juice. Conversion: 1 tsp baking powder = ¹/₂ tsp cream of tartar (or 1 tsp lemon juice added to wet ingredients) + ¹/₄ tsp baking soda.
Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan. Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway to ensure even browning. You can test if it's done by inserting a wooden skewer into the cake. It comes out clean, it's done. Remove the cake from the oven and let the cake cool down to room temperature.
When the cake is baked, prepare the syrup by juicing one medium orange (about 4 tablespoons).
Place in a saucepan with a tablespoon of water and the remaining sweetener. This time it's best to use Allulose.
Note: You do need Allulose if you want to make syrup. You could use Erythritol or Swerve but the syrup won't thicken so keep that in mind.
Cook on medium-high until it starts to boil and then reduce to low. Cook until syrupy, for a few minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Once the syrup thickens (but can still be drizzled), take off the heat.
Use a wooden skewer to make several holes in the cooled cake. Drizzle the prepared orange syrup evenly over the top, allowing it to soak in the holes. Let it sit for a few minutes and then slice.
Store at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage (up to 6 months).
Optionally, you can decorate the cake with some edible flowers and fresh mint leaves.