Keto Blueberry Poke Cake

Total Time: 1 hr = 25 min (prep), 35 min (cook)
Yields: 24 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 190 cal, 2 g net carb, 14. 9 g fat, 8. 7 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj3QIlUlEl3/

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Buttermilk (310 g):

• 182 g water
• 92 g heavy cream
• 36 g apple cider vinegar

Cake:

• 270 g keto flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 226 g butter, room temp
• 100 g sweetener
• 100 g (2 large) eggs, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 310 g buttermilk (above)

Filling:

• 200 g fresh blueberries
• 50 g sweetener
• zest of 1 lemon
• 60 g water
• pinch of salt

Topping:

• 400 g heavy cream
• 40 g sweetener
• 1 tsp vanilla
• fresh blueberries, garnish
• lemon zest, garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F / 162C. Prepare a 9x13-inch pan.
2. Combine water, heavy cream, and apple cider vinegar in a container with a pourable spout, and set aside.
3. Whisk together keto flour, baking soda, salt, and set aside.
4. Cream butter and sweetener until light and fluffy (approx 3-5 min).
5. Add eggs, one at a time.
6. Add vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated.
7. In 3 alternating additions, add flour then buttermilk, and mix on medium speed until incorporated.
8. Pour batter and spread evenly onto prepared pan.
9. Bake for 30-35 min, or until the center springs back to the touch.
10. In the meantime, combine the blueberries, sweetener, lemon zest, water, and salt in a small sauce pan.
11. Cook until sweetener dissolves, and berries release their juices. Let cool.
12. Cool cake for 8-10 min.
13. Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke 1-inch spaced holes in the cake.
14. Pour over the filling and push some down into the holes.
15. Make the whipped cream by beating together the heavy cream, sweetener, and vanilla.
16. Spread over the top of the cooled cake.
17. Garnish with fresh blueberries and lemon zest.

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Notes:
First time making a poke cake! I like how the berry juices soak into the cake and really gives good flavor. This is a great summery dessert.

Keto Creamed Spinach

Total Time: 15 min = 5 min (prep), 10 min (cook)
Yields: 4 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 142 cal, 1. 8 g net carb, 13. 3 g fat, 4. 5 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjNPvpFFG9m/

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Ingredients:

• 28 g butter, divided
• 2. 5 g (4 tsp) keto flour
• pinch of salt
• 80 g heavy cream
• 30 g cream cheese 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 0. 5 tsp onion powder or 0. 5 Tbsp fresh onion, minced  
• 170 g (6 oz) spinach frozen or fresh spinach, chopped 
• 20 g water 
• 25 g parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. On medium-low heat, make sauce by melting half the butter with keto flour and salt.
2. Slowly add heavy cream and cream cheese.
3. Increase to medium heat, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a separate pan, sauté garlic and onions with remaining butter.
5. Add spinach and water.
6. Reduce heat, cover, and steam a few minutes until spinach is cooked to liking.
7. Stir in sauce and parmesan cheese, and coat the spinach. Serve immediately.

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Notes:
This reminded me of Boston Market’s creamed spinach. Thick and cheesy! I paired it with some meatballs.

Keto Glazed Lemon Blueberry Scones

Total Time: 30 min = 15 min (prep), 15 min (cook)
Yields: 8 scones
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 306 cal, 2. 3 g net carb, 18. 5 g fat, 20. 2 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BihM-xblXsb/

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Scones:

• 75 g (2.664 oz) sweetener
• zest of 1-2 lemons
• 250 g (8.75 oz) keto flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 112 g (4 oz) butter, frozen
• 118 g (4 oz) sour cream
• 50 g (2 oz, 1 large) egg
• 150 g (5 oz) fresh blueberries

Glaze:

• 30 g butter, melted
• 100 g powdered sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• juice of 1 lemon
• water to consistency

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C.
2. Combine sweetener and lemon zest, and gently massage with fingers to let flavors mingle.
3. Add keto flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Grate frozen butter, and work into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it forms the texture of coarse sand.
5. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
6. Stir wet into dry using a fork until large clumps form.
7. Add blueberries, and form dough into a ball.
8. Pat out onto a lightly floured surface, and cut to desired shapes.
9. Place 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
10. Bake on the lowest rack for 15-17 min, or until golden.
11. Cool for 10 min.
12. While cooling, prep glaze by combining all ingredients and whisking until smooth.
13. Glaze as desired.

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Notes:
I didn’t have time to bake these right away, so I left the cut and prepped scones on the baking sheet covered with plastic in the fridge overnight. I baked it first thing the next morning. I think the advantage here is the butter gets really cold, so there is some nice lift happening during the baking process. You can probably get away with baking immediately, but if you want the butter chilled, 30 min should be enough.

Keto Strawberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread

Total Time: 1 hr = 20 min (prep), 40 min (cook)
Yields: 24 slices
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 102 cal, 0. 7 g net carb, 7. 1 g fat, 6. 6 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BiIeKnbFM6s/

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Buttermilk (4 oz):

• 34 g heavy cream
• 80 g water
• juice from 1/2 a lemon

Wet:

• 114 g (4 oz) butter, softened
• 114 g (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 228 g (8 oz) sweetener
• 100 g (4 oz, 2 large) eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:

• 228 g (8 oz) keto flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Filling:

• 250 g (9 oz) strawberries, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F / 163 C.
2. Prepare baking pans.
3. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
4. In a stand mixer bowl, add butter and cream cheese and start creaming.
5. Slowly add sweetener, and cream until fluffy.
6. Add eggs, one at a time.
7. Add vanilla.
8. With the mixer on low, slowly incorporate flour into the creamed butter-cream cheese.
9. Pour in the buttermilk, and mix until just incorporated.
10. Using a spatula, fold in strawberries.
11. Fill pans, and bake 35-40 min for mini pans, or 55-60 min for a larger pan, or until the center springs back to the touch.

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Notes:
This would be good as muffins! They also seem to have a fairly long shelf life. I baked these before I left on a work trip. Took a loaf with me, and that survived the TSA check and 2.5 hour airplane journey + week stay at hotel. I made too much breakfast for the hubs, so we finished the remaining loaf when I returned. I would say shelf life would be about a week, no refrigeration. Could be longer with refrigeration.

Keto Strawberry Tiramisu Cake

Total Time: 3 hr 45 min = 25 min (prep), 20 min (cook)
Yields: 10 slices
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 210 cal, 2. 4 g net carb, 17 g fat, 8. 4 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh01mhiF6-J/

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Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 60 g (2. 133 oz) sweetener
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 83 g (2. 656 oz) keto flour
• heaping 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 30 g (1. 071 oz) butter, melted
• 10 g (0. 339 oz) heavy cream, room temp
• 24 g (0. 814 oz) water, room temp
• 200 g (7. 143 oz) cream cheese
• 80 g (2. 712 oz) sour cream
• 60 g (2. 133 oz) sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• scant 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 160 g (5. 424 oz) heavy cream, whipped soft peaks
• 60 g (2. 034 oz) brewed espresso, cooled
• 350 g (10. 714 oz) strawberries
• powdered sweetener for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F / 163 C.
2. Beat egg whites until foamy.
3. Add in 1/3 of the sweetener at a time, and continue beating until soft peaks form.
4. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla.
5. Sift in flour and baking powder.
6. Gently fold into batter.
7. Combine melted butter, water, and heavy cream.
8. Scoop a bit of batter, and loosen it up in the butter mixture until smooth.
9. Return the butter mixture to the batter, and combine.
10. Pour into prepared pan.
11. Bake for 20-24 min, or until the center springs back to the touch.
12. Cool on a wire rack.
13. Cream together sour cream, sweetener, cream cheese, and vanilla.
14. Sprinkle xanthan gum, and mix well.
15. Whip heavy cream to soft peaks, and whisk into cream cheese filling.
16. Slice cake into sheets and desired shape. 
17. Brush cake sheets with espresso.
18. Assemble as desired. Cake, filling, chopped strawberries, cake, filling, etc.
19. Chill at least 3 hours
20. Decorate with whole strawberries, leftover filling or whipped cream, and garnish with powdered sweetener.

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Notes:
I used an 8x8” square pan, but you can probably pipe them into traditional lady finger shapes. In hindsight, I could’ve used a round pan. The cake will harden up a bit as it cools to enable espresso soakage. This was a super fresh strawberry flavor and rich cake. Very tasty and welcomes spring!

Keto Blueberry Muffins Test 1

Total Time: 40 min = 15 min (prep), 25 min (cook)
Yields: 6 muffins
Difficulty: Easy
Macros: 209 cal, 1. 9 g net carb, 11. 4 g fat, 15. 1 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhoqFkvFQ66/

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Wet:

• 56 g (2 oz) butter, softened
• 100 g (3.5 oz) sweetener
• 4 g (2 tsp) lemon zest
• 50 g (1.75 oz, 1 large) egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Dry:

• 135 g (4.75 oz) keto flour
• 2 g (3/8 tsp) baking soda
• 2 g (1/4 tsp) salt

Additions:

• 80 g (2.75 oz) sour cream
• 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F / 177 C. Prepare a 6 cavity muffin pan by greasing or lining with muffin liners/parchment paper.
2. Cream butter, sweetener, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together keto flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add half of the flour mixture, and half of the sour cream into the creamed butter.
6. Fold until barely combined.
7. Repeat with half of the remaining flour and all of the remaining sour cream.
8. Toss the blueberries in the leftover flour, then carefully fold into the batter.
9. Fill muffin pan to the top with batter. Fill water in any empty cavities.
10. Bake for 20-25 min, or until center springs back to the touch and feels firm.
11. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp. Store in an airtight container or a paper towel lined plastic zip top bag.

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Notes:
Ah! Domed tops, no collapsing, soft and fluffy! And no baking powder, what?? The fresh blueberries give an added natural sweetness and some moisture. The lemon zest gives it a pleasant zing! Tip: Baking soda works with acid (in this case the sour cream). I tried this batch with different liners - parchment cup, cupcake liners, and one with no liner. I like the cupcake liners and the parchment cup the best. I just cut a square of parchment paper, folded it around a cup, and pushed it in the muffin pan. They left weird fold marks!

Keto Sandwich Bread Test 1

Total Time: 3 hr 5 min = 2 hr 20 min (prep), 45 min (cook)
Yields: 8 slices
Difficulty: Moderate
Macros: 104 cal, 0. 5 g net carb, 3. 9 g fat, 11. 6 g protein

Original Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BhTWDDDFli4/

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22% Sponge:

• 41 g (1.085 oz) water, 100 F / 38 C
• 1 g (1/4 tsp) instant/rapid rise yeast
• 30 g (1.078 oz) keto flour
• 21 g (4.5 tsp) vital wheat gluten

15% Water Roux:

• 40 g (1.695 oz) water
• 8 g (0.348 oz) keto flour

Final Dough:

• 37 g (0.746 oz) water, 100 F / 38 C
• 2 g (3/4 tsp) instant/rapid rise yeast
• 17 g (0.664 oz) heavy cream
• 83 g (3.096 oz) keto flour
• 5 g (1.1 tsp) vital wheat gluten
• 9 g (0.356 oz) sweetener
• 3 g (3/4 tsp) salt
• 24 g (1.071 oz) butter, room temp and cubed

Directions - Sponge:

1. Whisk yeast into water, and let set until foamy. About 10 min.
2. In a bowl, sift keto flour and vital wheat gluten.
3. Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture, and combine with a chopstick or wooden spoon. Mixture will be shaggy.
4. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a turned OFF oven with the oven light ON for 30-45 min until the bottom of the sponge looks like a sponge (aka it will have holes).

Directions - Water Roux:

1. While sponge is rising, make water roux. In a small pot, combine water and keto flour and cook over med-low heat until pudding consistency (when you drag a spoon/spatula through it should leave a trail).
2. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Directions - Final Dough:

1. Prepare a 4 x 4” cube loaf pan with a lid.
2. Whisk yeast into water, and let set until foamy. About 10 min.
3. In a bowl, sift keto flour and vital wheat gluten.
4. Add sweetener, and mix well.
5. In a bread machine with a dough kneading cycle, pour in the yeast mixture.
6. Add heavy cream.
7. Add water roux.
8. Dump the flour mixture on top.
9. Turn on the knead cycle, and slowly add the sponge in 4 additions.
10. Add salt.
11. After about 8 min or when the cycle says to "Add", put in the butter.
12. Dough will be very wet and sticky. You can run through a second knead cycle if desired, but consistency will be the same.
13. Scrap dough into loaf pan and close the lid. Remember to grease the lid.
14. Let rise in a turned OFF oven with the oven light ON until dough almost reaches the lid (90-120 min).
15. About 60 min into the rising, preheat oven to 350 F / 177 C.
16. Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 min, or until internal temperature reaches 200 F.
17. Remove from pan immediately, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
18. Slice into 8 servings.

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Notes:
This dough is basically 100% hydration, so it will be extremely wet and sticky. I used a bread machine and the dough cycle. I have not tried this with a stand mixer or by hand. Silicone spatula was extremely helpful when transferring the dough to the pan. Store in a paper towel lined Ziploc bag, or double wrap and freeze. The crumb is very open and airy. It stays soft for days, and regains its fluff when you microwave for 15-20 seconds at 50%. It toasts well, and you can bend it in half without it crumbling apart. I may experiment adding more vital wheat gluten, but am satisfied with this amount for now. On my next round, I want to bump down the hydration for a slightly tighter crumb. When I get a chance, I’ll add to the blog post on how to calculate for different sized loaf pans.