This low carb and keto-friendly walnut cake is easy to make and only requires 3 simple ingredients. You don’t need any low-carb flour alternatives to make this cake. The cake is lightly sweet and has a light and delicate texture.
This cake is a low carb version of Italian walnut cake, also known as torta di noci. This cake has a unique and delightful texture. The cake is light and delicate and the walnuts add a nice textural element. The cake also has a lovely flavor from the toasted walnuts.
Ingredients
- Walnuts
- Allulose
- Eggs
Walnuts: Walnuts are coarsely grounded to form the base of this cake. The walnuts are not turned into a flour consistency but they are grounded so they are have a more manageable texture for chewing.
Allulose: Traditionally this cake is sweetened with sugar. For this low carb version, we are using allulose. You do need to make sure to use allulose and not other low carb sweeteners like monkfruit, erythritol or Stevia. Allulose is a naturally occurring sugar that is largely not metabolized and passes through the body, which is why it is considered a low carb and keto-friendly sweetener. Because it is a naturally occurring sugar, it actually melts very much in the same way that regular sugar does which makes it ideal for making this cake.
Eggs: Eggs are separated and the egg whites are beaten with some of the allulose until they form a meringue. The meringue is folded into the batter which creates the structure for the cake and gives it its light and slightly bouncy texture.
How to Make Keto Walnut Cake
- The walnuts are first ground in a food processor.
- The egg yolks and half of the allulose are whisked together. The walnuts are added in. The mixture will be very thick, like a paste.
- The egg whites are then beaten with the remaining allulose gradually added until a stiff meringue forms. The meringue is then folded into the walnut mixture in batches until you have an airy batter. The batter is then transferred to your prepared baking pan and ready to be baked. The cake will need about 30 minutes in the oven.
More Keto Cake Recipes
3 Ingredient Keto Walnut Cake
Ingredients
- 340 grams shelled unsalted walnuts approximately 3 cups walnut halves
- 4 large eggs whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup (170 g) allulose divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the interior of an 8 inch round springform pan with cooking oil spray and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. (You don’t need to line the sides, but make sure the sides are thoroughly greased).
- Pulse the walnuts in food processor until they resemble coarse crumbs. You should hear a change in sound in your food processor when the nuts are ready. (It will sound quieter and you won't hear sounds of walnuts hitting the processor or blades)
- In a large mixing bowl, add egg yolks and 1/2 cup allulose. Whisk until evenly combined and uniform. Add in the walnuts and fold them in with a spatula until the walnuts are fully incorporated into the egg mixture. The mixture will be very thick, like a paste.
- Add egg whites to a clean mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat at medium speed until the eggs are foamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. With the machine still running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup allulose until all of it is added. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until mixture is thick, glossy and stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Working in 4 batches, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture with a spatula. With the first batch of egg whites, it will be very difficult to fold. The goal is just to get the egg whites mixed in so that the batter becomes thinner and more wet. With the second batch of egg whites, you should be able to fold a little more and with the last two batches, you should be able to gently fold and keep the batter very light and airy. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites too much especially when adding the final two batches. Gently fold until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Bake the cake for about 30-35 minutes or until done. The cake should be a dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Then run a butter knife or spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan and remove the cake and transfer to a plate to fully cool.
- Let the cake cool completely before decorating or cutting and serving. I dusted mine with powdered allulose before serving.
Notes
- We recommend using walnuts you would find in the baking aisle as they are unsalted and already shelled.
- Make sure to use allulose.* This cake was tested with other low carb sweeteners and they did not work well.
- *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Estimated nutrition does not include powdered allulose garnish.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
