Austrian Cinnamon Cake may sound exotic, but it’s a retro Finnish favorite that appears on coffee tables across the country. The traditional recipe uses wheat flour and sugar, along with applesauce and raisins, baked in a Bundt pan. This version keeps the familiar warm cinnamon flavor but adapts the cake to a low-carb, gluten-free keto diet with just five main ingredients. It’s moist, aromatic and simple to make—perfect for holidays or any cozy coffee break.
What is Austrian Cinnamon Cake
Austrian Cinnamon Cake, known in Finnish as Itävaltalainen kanelikakku, dates back to the mid-20th century and appears in many older Finnish cookbooks. The classic cake combines eggs, sugar and wheat flour with applesauce, cinnamon and raisins, baked in a ring (Bundt) pan. Although the exact origin is unclear, the cake is a familiar childhood favorite for many Finns. This keto adaptation preserves the signature cinnamon-apple character while replacing wheat and sugar with low-carb alternatives.
How to make the Keto Austrian Cinnamon Cake
This keto version uses only five ingredients (with an optional sixth): almond flour, eggs, erythritol, unsweetened applesauce and Ceylon cinnamon. Raisins are traditional but high in carbs; if your daily allowance permits, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped raisins (about 30 g), which increases net carbs by roughly 5 g per serving when the cake is divided into 12 pieces. Without raisins the cake contains about 1.6 g net carbs per slice despite the applesauce.
If you want a lower-carb dried fruit, use sweetened craisins (erythritol- or stevia-sweetened) instead of raisins. When using raisins, chopping them helps them distribute evenly through the batter so every bite has raisin flavor. Whole raisins can feel sparse when added in a small amount.
Baking tips: bake the cake fully—an underbaked cake sticks to the pan and tastes raw. In my oven, the ideal time was one hour at 300 °F (150 °C). Keto cakes made with almond flour benefit from a lower oven temperature to avoid over-browning the surface while ensuring the center cooks through. A silicone Bundt pan makes unmolding easy; you can grease it lightly with olive oil, melted coconut oil, or melted butter for extra security.
Here are the essential steps and ingredients for the tested recipe.
Take 6 eggs (preferably organic, free-range) and separate three of them.
Place the three egg whites in a tall bowl and the yolks in a large mixing bowl.
Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and set aside.
To the bowl with the three yolks add the remaining three whole eggs, 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) almond flour, 1/2 cup (120 ml) erythritol crystals or granules, 1/3 cup (80 ml) unsweetened applesauce and 2 tablespoons ground Ceylon cinnamon. If using, fold in 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped raisins now.
Beat the mixture with an electric mixer for about two minutes until well combined, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites with a spatula until the batter is smooth and uniform.
Pour the batter into a silicone Bundt pan and bake on the lowest oven rack at 300 °F (150 °C) for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan before unmolding to preserve its shape and texture.
Serve dusted with powdered erythritol if desired. The cake often tastes best the next day after flavors have settled.
How I came up with this easy keto cake recipe
I’ve followed keto for over a decade and wanted a faithful keto version of my childhood favorite. Early attempts without applesauce or with many replacement ingredients produced dry or artificial-tasting results. After discovering a simple method to achieve a fluffy texture without chemical leaveners, I revisited this cake and found that unsweetened applesauce works well and keeps carbs low per serving. The winning version uses separated eggs and beaten egg whites to create lift, combined with almond flour for a familiar crumb. I also tested a coconut flour alternative (use 1/2 cup coconut flour and 8 eggs total) — it yields a denser but still tasty cake for those avoiding almond flour.
The final recipe is simple, reliable and reminiscent of the original Austrian Cinnamon Cake while fitting a low-carb lifestyle.
5-Ingredient Keto Austrian Cinnamon Cake
12
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
This simple keto adaptation preserves the classic cinnamon-and-apple flavor in a gluten-free, low-carb cake that’s perfect for any coffee table.
Ingredients
- 6 organic free-range eggs
- 1 1/2 cups = 350 ml almond flour
- 1/2 cup = 120 ml erythritol crystals or granules
- 1/3 cup = 80 ml unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons ground Ceylon cinnamon
- (Optional: 1/4 cup = 60 ml chopped raisins or craisins)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300 °F (150 °C).
- Separate 3 eggs. Place the whites into a deep, narrow bowl and the yolks into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat the 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- To the bowl with the yolks add the remaining 3 whole eggs, almond flour, erythritol, applesauce and cinnamon. Add chopped raisins or craisins if using.
- Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a silicone Bundt pan and bake on the lowermost rack for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before removing. Decorate with powdered erythritol if desired. The cake often tastes best the next day.
| Nutrition information | In total | Per serving if 12 servings in total (without raisins) |
| Protein | 80.0 g | 6.7 g |
| Fat | 112.5 g | 9.4 g |
| Net carbs | 18.9 g | 1.6 g |
| kcal | 1437 kcal | 120 kcal |
Tips for variation
To keep the cake authentic, avoid changing the spice blend. If you want fewer carbs or don’t want to use applesauce, substitute thick Greek yogurt or pumpkin purée for applesauce. For an almond-free version, replace the almond flour with 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut flour and increase the total eggs to eight: separate 3 eggs and beat the whites, then add five whole eggs to the yolks before proceeding. The coconut version will be denser and won’t rise quite as much but remains tasty.
Notes from the author
Beyond recipe testing, I recently recorded a keto treats video course in Finland, producing versions in both Finnish and English. Filming in a cozy, old house was a joyful experience and resulted in many treats to share with the crew. I hope this simple, tested cake brings warm cinnamon comfort to your table—Merry Christmas to those celebrating!
