Get ready for a flavor explosion that will redefine your idea of dessert! This Keto Maple Bacon Apple Cake combines the smoky, salty crunch of bacon with the subtle sweetness of apple and rich maple, all wrapped in a tender almond flour cake and slathered in a luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s the ultimate sweet and savory treat that proves you don’t have to sacrifice flavor to stay low-carb. Perfect for a special occasion or whenever you crave something truly unique!
Ingredients
• For the Cake
• Coconut oil spray, for greasing the pan
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cashew milk or almond milk
• 1 teaspoon apple extract or maple extract
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• For the Frosting
• 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener
• 12 ounces (1½ cups) cream cheese or mascarpone cheese
• 1 teaspoon maple extract
• 2 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• For the Garnish
• 4 strips bacon, fried until crispy and then crumbled
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pans and Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottoms of two 6-inch springform pans or two 6-inch round cake pans with coconut oil spray.
2. Mix the Cake Batter: Using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sweetener on high speed until light in color. Add the milk and extract and stir to combine. Add the almond flour and baking powder and mix well.
3. Fold in Egg Whites: In a separate small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture.
4. Bake and Freeze: Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool to room temperature, then place them (still in the pans) in the freezer for about 2 hours until semi-frozen. Once frozen, loosen the edges with a knife before removing the cakes from the pans.
5. Whip the Frosting: While the cakes freeze, make the frosting. Place the softened butter, sweetener, cream cheese, and extract in a small bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed to combine. With the mixer running, gradually add enough almond milk to reach your desired spreading consistency.
6. Assemble the Cake: Use a long serrated knife to cut each semi-frozen cake layer in half horizontally. Place one layer, cut side up, on a cake stand and spread with about ¾ cup of frosting. Stack the remaining cake layers, spreading frosting between each layer and ending with the top layer cut side down. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
7. Garnish and Serve: Garnish the finished cake with crumbled bacon. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Nutritional Information
• Recipe Facts
• Yield: 12 servings
• Prep time: 18 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Calories: 450 kcal
• Fat: 42g
• Protein: 9g
• Net Carbs: 4g
Pro Tips
• for Success
• Use 6-inch springform pans if you have them. It’s much easier to release the cake layers from springform pans than from regular pans.
• Freezing the cake layers before frosting is a crucial step. A semi-frozen cake is firm, crumbles less, and is significantly easier to slice and frost.
• Don’t worry if a cake layer breaks as you slice or assemble it. The frosting acts like a delicious glue that will hold everything together perfectly.
• For the smoothest application, ensure your frosting is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, it will be difficult to spread. You can gently warm chilled frosting to make it spreadable.
FAQ
Q: Is freezing the cake layers really necessary
A: Yes, freezing the cake layers for about 2 hours is a crucial step. According to the pro tips, a semi-frozen cake is firm, crumbles less, and is significantly easier to slice and frost.
Q: What makes this apple cake keto-friendly
A: This cake is keto-friendly because it uses low-carb ingredients like almond flour instead of traditional wheat flour and a sugar-free sweetener (Swerve) instead of sugar. This keeps the net carbs down to only 4g per serving.
Q: Can I use regular cake pans instead of springform pans
A: Yes, you can use two 6-inch round cake pans. However, the recipe recommends springform pans because they make it much easier to release the delicate almond flour cake layers without breaking them.
Q: How do I store this Keto Maple Bacon Apple Cake
A: Store the finished cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, it can be kept in the freezer for up to one month.
