Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake

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My popular Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake is back and better than ever! Check out this luscious low carb cake topped with sugar free chocolate ganache!

Close up shot of a slice of Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake on a white plate.

I hear you, friends. I hear you and I take your wants and needs into consideration. Whether it’s sharing my knowledge on the best keto sweeteners or giving you a list of coconut flour recipes, I aim to provide my readers with everything they need to be successful.

Many of you were asking me to re-post this keto poke cake recipe, because it had disappeared from the Swerve website. And so I did. But I also took the opportunity to make it better. Lower in carbs (yay!), easier to make (double yay!), this Boston Cream Poke Cake is moist and tender, and absolutely delicious.

Let’s get baking!

Two slices of Keto Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake sit on a white wooden table with a bowl of strawberries.

Why you must try this recipe

There’s a whole lot to love about this cake, with its tender almond flour crumb, the sweet vanilla pastry cream oozing into the holes, and the rich chocolate ganache on top.

I originally made it back in 2016, which seems like a really long time ago now. It’s a fun twist my classic Keto Boston Cream Pie. And while it still takes several steps to make, it’s slightly easier and just as tasty.

Poking holes in a cake and letting a filling drip down into them is a guaranteed way to make it super moist. And pastry cream, which is essentially like vanilla pudding, tastes divine combined with the sugar-free chocolate glaze.

Despite the rich flavor and luscious texture, this keto cake has only 6.5g of carbs and 2.8g of fiber per serving. Dig in, my friends!

Ingredients needed

Almond flour: As always, choose a finely ground almond flour for the best cake texture. If you would prefer to use coconut flour, follow the cake recipe from my Keto Chantilly Cake.
Sweetener: You will need a number of different sweeteners for this recipe. The cake portion takes granular sweetener. You can use other brands but I used Swerve.
Allulose: I like allulose for the pastry cream so you don’t get any recrystallization. But you can do erythritol sweeteners or a combination as well.
Protein powder: Protein powder helps keto baked goods rise and be lighter and fluffier. I used whey protein for this cake, but you can also use egg white protein. Do not use collagen, as it will make it gummy and hard to cook through.
Eggs: You will need large egg as well as extra egg yolks for this recipe. Check out these ideas for the leftover egg whites.
Heavy Cream: Both the pastry cream and the ganache take heavy cream. You can try unsweetened coconut cream for a dairy free version but it may not thicken as easily.
Chocolate chips: I used Lily’s dark chocolate chips for my chocolate topping. ChocZero should work as well.
Kitchen staples: Butter, baking powder, eggs, vanilla extract and salt.

Step-by-step directions

A collage of 6 images showing how to make Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake.

1. Prepare the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the eggs, butter, vanilla, until well combined. Add just enough water for make a thick but easily spreadable batter.

2. Bake the cake: Spread evenly in a greased 9×9 inch pan and bake at 325ºF for 18 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on the edges and just firm to the touch in the center. Remove and let cool in the pan. Once cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake. Make sure to poke a lot of holes the filling gets into every little part of the cake.

3. Temper the egg yolks: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, milk, and the sweetener and bring to just a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk about half of the hot cream into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk the yolk mixture back into the remaining cream mixture in the pan.

4. Cook the filling: Continue to cook another 3 to 5 minutes, whisking continuously, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes, then pour over the cake, allowing it to sink into the holes. Give the cake a few gentle taps on the counter to help the filling sink in. Refrigerate 2 hours to help it firm up.

5. Make the ganache: In a small saucepan over medium low heat, bring the cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes to melt, then whisk until smooth.

6. Pour over the cake: Pour the chocolate topping over the chilled cake and use an offset spatula to spread to the edges. Let sit 30 minutes to set (you can speed this up a bit by returning the cake to the fridge).

A fork digging into a slice of Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake.

Expert tips

This isn’t a hard cake to make, but it does take time because it has several components. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to let the cake and pastry cream chill. You can even do this a day in advance and cover it, then add the chocolate ganache the next day.

Take your time when making the pastry cream and don’t rush it. Use a good, heavy duty saucepan and keep the heat low so you don’t curdle it. And make sure to temper those egg yolks properly!

Nut-free version: You can make a coconut flour cake base instead, and My Chantilly Cake would work well. Keep your eye on it as I am not entirely sure how long it will take to bake.

Sweetener Options

For the cake portion, almost any sweetener will work. If you use a sweetener that is mostly allulose, the cake may brown a little faster so keep your eye on it. I prefer allulose in the pastry cream to offset any recrystallization.

A slice of Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake on a white plate with several forkfuls taken out of it.

Recipe FAQs

What is poke cake made of?

Poke cakes usually consist of a single layer sponge cake baked in a square pan with holes poked all over it. A creamy or fruit filling is then poured all over so it sinks into the holes. The cake can be topped with whipped cream, chocolate glaze, or some sort of frosting.

What is Boston cream filling made of?

Boston Cream Pie has a vanilla pastry cream filling. Pastry cream is similar to pudding, as it is made with cream, milk, and egg yolks cooked together until it thickens. The filling for this Keto Boston Cream Poke Cake is made without sugar or cornstarch, so it’s ideal for low carb diets.

How many carbs are in Boston Cream Poke Cake?

This keto Boston cream poke cake recipe has 6.5 of carbs and 2.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.7g net carbs per slice.

More poke cakes to love!

Keto Pumpkin Poke Cake Recipe

This Keto Pumpkin Poke Cake combines tender low carb pumpkin cake with gooey caramel sauce and an airy cream cheese frosting. It might just be the best keto dessert recipe you make all year!

GET THE RECIPE

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Keto Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake

This keto poke cake takes all the delicious flavor of your favorite cinnamon rolls and turns it into a delectable sugar-free dessert. It’s fun to make and looks fabulous when you’re ready to serve.

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Close up shot of a slice of cinnamon roll poke cake.

Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake

Keto Strawberry Shortcake! The best of strawberry season in a poke cake. Tender almond flour cake with a sugar-free strawberry filling and whipped cream topping.

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