This Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Cake is soft, warmly spiced and finished with a tangy orange glaze, with just 4g total carbs per square. Every bite has pops of tart cranberries against a bright orange flavor, and it tastes like the holidays without any added sugar.
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Jump To:
- Why this Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Cake Works
- Ingredients for Low Carb Cranberry Orange Cake
- Low Carb Pantry Staples
- Step by step instructions
- How to make low carb cranberry orange spice cake
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe Variations and Swaps
- Macros and Nutrition
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More low carb dessert recipes
- Recipe Card
With a background in natural nutrition, I test every recipe in my own kitchen until the texture and the carb count are right. If you love cozy fall and holiday flavors, try my Low Carb Apple Spice Cake or my Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies.
For more cranberry orange, grab one of my Low Carb Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies, Low Carb Cranberry Orange Muffins for breakfast, or try the frozen version with my Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Ice Cream.
Why this Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Cake Works
- Only 4g total carbs per square: There's no added sugar in the cake or the glaze, so you get a real holiday dessert that still fits a low carb or diabetic friendly way of eating.
- No mixer needed: You only need a whisk and a rubber spatula, so it's a simple bake even during a busy holiday week.
- Makes 16 squares: That's enough to bring to a holiday gathering, set out on a dessert tray, or keep in the fridge for an easy snack all week.
- Naturally gluten free: This diabetic friendly cranberry orange cake works for more people at the table without any special swaps.
- Easy to make ahead: The glaze sets in the fridge, so you can bake the cake the day before and cut it into squares when you're ready to serve.
Ingredients for Low Carb Cranberry Orange Cake
- Almond Flour: This is the base of the cake. It gives a soft, tender crumb and keeps the cake naturally gluten free.
- Powdered Sweetener: It dissolves right into the batter, so there's no grittiness. You'll use it again in the glaze for a smooth finish
- Baking Powder: This gives the cake lift so it bakes up light instead of dense
- Warm Spices: Allspice leads, with ground ginger, nutmeg and just a pinch of cloves. Go easy on the cloves because a little goes a long way
- Eggs: They bind the almond flour and give the cake its structure, which matters because there's no gluten holding it together
- Unsalted Butter: Use softened butter for richness and moisture.
- Greek Yogurt: It keeps the crumb tender and adds a light tang that works with the orange and cranberry
- Orange Zest and Orange Extract: The zest brings fresh, bright orange flavor and the orange extract makes it stronger, so you get a full orange taste without adding any juice
- Vanilla Extract: It rounds out the spices and the citrus
- Frozen Cranberries: Add them straight from the freezer. Frozen cranberries keep their shape and don't bleed color into the batter
* See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
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Low Carb Pantry Staples
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Step by step instructions
How to make low carb cranberry orange spice cake
- Step 1: Make the batter
- Step 2: Transfer and Bake
STEP 1: Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment. Whisk the dry ingredients together to break up any clumps, then add the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula. Fold in the frozen cranberries last.
STEP 2: Bake: Transfer the batter to the lined pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 3: Make the orange glaze
- Step 4: Glaze, chill and serve
STEP 3: Make the orange glaze: While the cake bakes, whisk the powdered sweetener, Greek yogurt and orange extract in a bowl until smooth.
STEP 4: Glaze, chill and serve: Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the glaze evenly over the top. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours, then cut into 16 squares and serve.
Pro Tip
Keep the cranberries in the freezer until the batter is completely mixed, then fold them in with just a few gentle strokes. If they thaw or get overmixed, they release their juice and streak the cake pink. Fold them in frozen and you get whole, tart cranberries in every square of this low carb cranberry orange spice cake.
Recipe Tips
- Whisk the dry ingredients first: Almond flour and powdered sweetener both clump easily, so a quick whisk keeps you from finding pockets of sweetener in the baked cake
- Zest only the orange part: The white pith under the peel is bitter, so stop zesting once you reach it
- Leave a parchment overhang: Let the parchment hang over two sides of the pan so you can lift the whole cake out in one piece before cutting
- Test the cake, not a cranberry: When you check with a toothpick, aim for the cake between the berries. A toothpick that hits a cranberry comes out wet even when the cake is done
- Cool completely before glazing: The yogurt glaze melts and runs off a warm cake, so wait until it's fully cooled
- Don't skip the 2 hour chill: The glaze sets and the cake firms up, which gives you clean squares. Wipe the knife between cuts for the neatest edges
- Only have fresh cranberries? Use them: Fresh cranberries work just as well as frozen. Rinse them, pat them completely dry and fold them in the same way. Just leave them whole so they keep their juice inside
Recipe Variations and Swaps
- Other berries: Swap the cranberries for frozen raspberries or blueberries. Raspberries keep that tart bite, and blueberries make it sweeter
- Lemon instead of orange: Use lemon zest and lemon extract in both the cake and the glaze for a bright lemon cranberry version
- Add crunch: Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts along with the cranberries
- Spice it your way: If allspice isn't your thing, use cinnamon instead, or add a little cinnamon to the spices you already have
- Greek yogurt swap: Sour cream works in both the cake and the glaze, and it's just as tender and tangy
Macros and Nutrition
Here's the nutrition for one square of this diabetic friendly cranberry orange spice cake, based on 16 servings.
Storage
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The glaze is made with yogurt, so keep the cake chilled
- Freeze the cake unglazed for up to 2 months, then thaw it in the fridge and add fresh glaze before serving
- The glaze softens the longer it sits, so if you're making the cake far ahead, glaze it the day you plan to serve it
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Fresh cranberries work the same way. Frozen ones just hold their shape a little better and bleed less color into the batter.
Not as a 1:1 swap. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid, so the cake comes out dry and dense. This recipe is made for almond flour.
Use a powdered sweetener in both the cake and the glaze. Granulated sweetener doesn't dissolve as well and can leave the glaze gritty. You can find powdered sweeteners like erythritol, allulose or monk fruit usually in the grocery store or purchase online.
Yes. Bake and glaze it the day before, keep it covered in the fridge, and cut it into squares right before serving.
Recipe Card
Low Carb Cranberry Orange Spice Cake
RECIPE VIDEO
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¾ cup powdered sweetener sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup greek yogurt I used a 2% Greek Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon orange zest roughly zest of one large orange
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 cup frozen cranberries do not thaw
Orange Glaze (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered sweetener sugar substitute
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon orange extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- In a large bowl, add the almond flour, powdered sweetener, baking powder, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Whisk to combine and break up any clumps.
- Add the whisked eggs, butter, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, orange zest and orange extract. Mix with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the frozen cranberries.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Orange Glaze
- While the cake bakes, make the glaze: add the powdered sweetener, Greek yogurt and orange extract to a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
- Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cooled cake.
- Chill in the fridge for 2 hours to set, then cut into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- When you test for doneness, put the toothpick in the cake, not in a berry.
- Lifting the cake out by the parchment before cutting gives you the cleanest squares.
- Keep leftovers covered in the fridge.
Important Information
For more information, tips and variations please review the recipe video and content above and below the recipe card.
Updates and Revisions
If the video and recipe card differ, follow the recipe card for the latest ingredients and instructions.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition info is estimated and varies by ingredients, measurements, and portions.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooked food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more food guidelines
Oscar Chimenti says
Tart cranberries, warm spice and that tangy orange glaze make this my go-to holiday snack cake.