This keto lemon poppy seed cake with blueberries brings together two classic flavours in one bright, low carb dessert: fresh lemon poppy seed cake and juicy blueberries. It is soft, lightly sweet, full of citrus flavour, and made with keto-friendly ingredients for a satisfying cake that works well as a dessert, snack, or afternoon treat.
This keto lemon cake recipe was created in partnership with Nuvia. All opinions are my own.
This keto lemon poppy seed cake is adapted from my lemon coconut cake with cream cheese icing, which has been very popular with readers. The recipe uses coconut flour, which helps keep the cake gluten free, grain free, and suitable for low carb baking. Coconut flour is very absorbent, so the balance of eggs, butter, lemon juice, and flour is important for creating a tender cake rather than a dry loaf.
What is Nuvia Baking?
Nuvia Baking is a sugar replacement designed for home baking. It is made with a blend of erythritol, soy protein isolate, chicory root extract, and stevia extract. The goal of this blend is to offer sweetness, browning, and structure in baked goods while replacing regular granulated sugar on a one-for-one basis.
In this keto lemon poppy seed cake, Nuvia helps sweeten the loaf and the lemon glaze without using traditional sugar. The erythritol provides bulk, while the stevia helps balance the cooling taste that erythritol can sometimes have. The result is a sweetener that works well in this style of low carb cake.
Many keto bakers use erythritol, monk fruit, or stevia-based sweeteners in cakes and cookies. This recipe uses Nuvia because it blends smoothly into the batter and can also be processed into a powdered sweetener for the icing. The icing is made with lemon juice and butter, creating a simple glaze that adds extra brightness without overpowering the blueberries.
The recipe also includes gelatin powder, which is useful in low carb baking because it helps improve texture. Keto cakes can sometimes be crumbly due to the lack of gluten and traditional flour, but gelatin helps give this loaf a more cake-like consistency. It also helps the slices hold together once the cake has cooled.
Blueberries are folded into the batter at the end so they stay mostly whole during baking. Fresh blueberries work well, but frozen blueberries can also be used. If using frozen berries, add them directly to the batter without thawing to help reduce colour bleeding.
Looking for a Keto Lemon Pound Cake Recipe?
If you prefer a plain keto lemon pound cake, you can leave out the blueberries and poppy seeds. However, the combination of lemon, poppy seeds, and blueberries gives this cake a fresh flavour and a lovely texture. The poppy seeds add a subtle crunch, while the blueberries bring little bursts of fruitiness throughout the loaf.
This keto lemon poppy seed cake is best cooled completely before icing. If the cake is still warm, the glaze may melt too quickly and run off the loaf. Once cooled, spoon the lemon glaze over the top and let it settle before slicing. The cake can be served as is, or chilled for a firmer texture.
Related Recipes
- Low Carb Cheesecake Brownies
- Low Carb Chocolate Chip Smores
- Lemon Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
- Keto Lemon Pound Cake
Recipe
Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Blueberries
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup Nuvia Sweetener
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 tsp gelatin powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup blueberries frozen is fine
Icing
- 1 cup Nuvia Sweetener
- 1 Tbsp salted butter room temperature
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice use enough to make a smooth glaze
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
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Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Add the melted butter and whisk again until combined.
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Add the coconut flour, lemon juice, Nuvia Sweetener, poppy seeds, gelatin powder, and salt. Mix until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
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Gently fold the blueberries through the batter with a spatula.
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Transfer the mixture to a 4 x 8 inch (10 x 20 cm) loaf tin lined with parchment paper. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Icing
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Blend the Nuvia Sweetener in a food processor until it resembles confectioners sugar or icing sugar.
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Place the powdered sweetener in a bowl with the butter and a little lemon juice. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth, adding more lemon juice as needed until the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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Keep the icing in the fridge while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
Once Cake Is Cooked
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Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before adding the lemon icing. Slice and serve once the glaze has set slightly.
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