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Vanilla Heart Cake (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Feb 14, 2019 · 27 Comments

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Have your cake and eat it too. This Vanilla Heart Cake is every bit the decadent treat you might expect with the perks of being low-carb and gluten-free!

Valentine’s Day is no doubt the most dubious holiday of the year. Some people love it and live for it…others, well, cringe at the thought, sometimes the very sound of it gives them anxiety. Then there are the few who don’t know where they stand in their blossoming relationship and if they even should celebrate. While in that mix, are a few optimists who simply see it as a day to celebrate love in its most general and broad terminology. Where do you fall in this category?

I guess, over the years, I’ve become the latter. I used to have a very hard-nosed opinion of this day. Scoffing at romantic gestures, rolling my eyes at what I deemed to be overtly tacky. That’s what modern day romcoms will do to an angsty teenager – with their lame pick-up lines and poorly executed portrayals of love where the girl most likely makes a fool of herself for some very random guy.

But as I said above, some years later, here I am today – with a very different outlook, a more positive one to be clear. Five years ago, I’d be wracking my brain as to what to write in the spirit of Valentine’s, but these days I don’t think of romance with nausea.

Love comes in many forms, my friends. I think my experiences so far in life have almost softened my attitude towards ‘love’. Having a more open heart and mind to those around us, recognizing that each day is a gift and can be taken from us at any moment.

When I was younger I was taught to count my blessings every night and in reflection, then ask myself, if I could do one thing differently, what would it be? I make it a point to acknowledge my mistakes each day so that I don’t make the same mistakes tomorrow.

Sometimes, I wish I were more patient, maybe a little bit calmer when I’m having a disagreement with someone, sometimes though, I regret not spending more time with those closest to me.

All these things are forms of love. To give your time, your attention to others is the greatest act of love. You see, it’s not always just wine and roses.

So, Valentine’s Day has a multi-dimensional meaning for me. I am full of so much love today and gratitude. Love for my family- as chaotic as we may be, I am blessed to call them mine. Love for friends- I don’t think they realize how they helped me through some of the most troubling moments in my life by just being there even in the smallest way. I have immense love for those who are no longer with me, yet I carry their memory and stories in my heart always.

Today, I’m honoring love in all its forms with this Vanilla Heart Cake.

It’s low-carb and gluten-free, but I promise you, it is just as decadent as any other. This cake is ultra moist and a little dense. I used a combination of almond flour and coconut flour which plays into the flavors of the vanilla really nicely. For the top, I made a simple cream cheese frosting. You can decorate this cake however you like, but I put a few flower designs with goji berries and sprinkles.

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Vanilla Heart Cake (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

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  • Author: Living the Gourmet
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cake 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener
  • 2 eggs, plus two egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 1 8oz package cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 drop pink food coloring
  • Spinkles and dried goji berries, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. and grease your cake pan.
  2. In a medium glass bowl, whip 2 egg whites and cream of tartar until still peaks form. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of your mix master blend flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Add vanilla, sweetener, vegetable oil, milk and 2 whole eggs. Mix until a thick batter forms. On low speed, add the whipped egg whites to the bowl. The cake batter will be lighter and airy now.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake plate and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the cake tester comes out clean.
  5. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before turning over onto a cake plate.

For the cream cheese frosting:

  1. In a small bowl, whip cream cheese, sweetener, and food coloring.
  2. Spread evenly over the entire cake.
  3. Garnish with your desired toppings. (See notes for ideas).

Notes

To keep the cake as keto friendly as possible, you can swap the sprinkles with fresh berries. I used what was on hand and just a few sprinkles for a decorative touch. You can also omit the toppings all together and just serve with the frosting alone.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @LivingtheGourmet on Instagram and hashtag it #LTGfood

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Maybe, at the end of it all, I am a bit of a romantic. I’m a sucker for roses, pink heart-shaped cakes, and one of my favorite stories is the tumultuous romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. I read the book more times in high-school than even I would like to admit; the same goes for the film adaption too. Like most of you, I’ll probably indulge myself in a romcom later tonight (most likely You’ve Got Mail in which Meg Ryan’s character coincidentally also cherishes Pride & Prejudice. That cafe scene is probably my favorite). While my romantic opinions and interpretations more than likely differ from most, make no mistake about this, “We are all fools in love”.

Enjoy with much love,
Tammy

3

Cakes/Cupcakes almond flour, cake, coconut flour, dessert, gluten free, heart cake, keto, keto diet, low carb, refined sugar free, valentine's day, vanilla

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. angiesrecipes says

    15/02/2019 at 7:02 am

    So beautiful and I love it’s low carb too 🙂

    Reply
  2. DAVID J MYERS says

    15/02/2019 at 6:01 pm

    Catherine, This cake looks so nice and dense…moist too! Great recipe for us to use when our friends come over…the wife can’t eat gluten at all. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      15/02/2019 at 11:42 pm

      Thank you Dave, I hope your friend likes it is you give it a try. Have a wonderful weekend to you and Laurie.

      Reply
  3. Stacie says

    16/02/2019 at 12:29 pm

    I love this! It’s super cute, and I think it’s great that even someone on a low carb, gluten-free diet can have a sweet treat for this sweet holiday.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:22 pm

      Thank you.

      Reply
  4. Brianne Tursi Manz says

    16/02/2019 at 4:22 pm

    I always love seeing gluten-free recipes because I have a good friend/former co-worker who has to have gluten free everything. It’s literally a matter of life and death for them! When I see recipes like this, I share them with them.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:23 pm

      Thank you and I hope your friend enjoys the recipe if they decide to give it a try.

      Reply
  5. John Mulindi says

    16/02/2019 at 8:08 pm

    Vanilla cakes are usually my favorites, thanks for sharing this guide.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:23 pm

      Your welcome. Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  6. Alexandra Cook says

    16/02/2019 at 8:34 pm

    Wow, so delicious and easy recipe to make for the kids. I am sure my kids will love it like and will make their favorite. And great it was gluten-free!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:24 pm

      Hope you and yours enjoy it.

      Reply
  7. Vanessa Delia says

    16/02/2019 at 8:51 pm

    This cake looks so good! Not to mention, I love the healthy spin on it!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:24 pm

      Thank you.

      Reply
  8. Danielle Wolter says

    16/02/2019 at 8:53 pm

    i must admit i am a hater of valentines day, but a lover of cake LOL! I don’t need the heart shape, but the flavors in this cake sound incredible!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:27 pm

      Oh, I think sometimes the commercial spin on this holiday gives everyone a bit of “indigestion”lol.
      I hope you like it if you give it a try. Thank you for visiting and have a beautiful weekend.

      Reply
  9. Nina says

    16/02/2019 at 10:03 pm

    Cream cheese frostings are the best. I recently made some cookies with that kind of frosting and they were awesome. I find that it’s not too rich and adds a little bit of substance.

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:28 pm

      I bet they were delicious! Have a beautiful weekend and thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  10. Sara Welch says

    16/02/2019 at 11:58 pm

    Looks delicious and my kids would enjoy making this too! Saving for a rainy day activity!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      17/02/2019 at 6:28 pm

      I hope they enjoy it. Have a beautiful weekend.

      Reply
  11. Shannon Gurnee says

    17/02/2019 at 10:12 pm

    This is a cute idea for a cake. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Looks yummy too!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      18/02/2019 at 2:19 am

      Thank you.

      Reply
  12. Jasmine Hewitt says

    17/02/2019 at 11:36 pm

    this is great for a gluten free valentines day! saving for next year!

    Reply
    • Catherine says

      18/02/2019 at 2:19 am

      Thank you. I hope you enjoy it.

      Reply
  13. Becca Talbot says

    18/02/2019 at 11:00 pm

    I love the sound of this recipe 🙂 and the steps are so easy to follow too – I will have to give it a go! x

    Reply
  14. Nati says

    18/02/2019 at 11:03 pm

    This cake sounds delicious and it looks lovely too!!

    Reply
  15. Reeni says

    20/02/2019 at 12:12 am

    Such a pretty cake and just in time because I’ve just started keto! I’ll be looking for desserts to make before too long. Aah you put into words how I feel about the day so perfectly Tammy! And You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorites no matter how many times I’ve seen it I can always watch it again. Meg Ryan is such a doll.

    Reply
  16. natalie says

    22/02/2019 at 5:55 pm

    Oh wow this cake looks amazing!!! I wish I could bake like this – I am a bit hopeless when it comes to baking!

    Reply

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