This almond flour chocolate cake is easy to make, moist, and naturally gluten-free. All you need is one bowl, a whisk, and 30 minutes! Making a full-blown 2 layered cake can’t be easier!
I am used to baking with almond flour. Take my Cardamom Cake, for example. It is extremely popular with blog readers, family, and friends. And now the challenge was to bake a chocolate cake using almond flour. The biggest challenge when baking with almond flour is to ensure that it is moist because it can end up extremely dry, dense, and heavy. Well, I am happy to report that I have been able to achieve a light and airy cake with the perfect crumb! You won’t be able to tell it’s gluten-free!
Why I love this cake
Nutrient-dense Most gluten-free baked goods on the market are made with gluten-free blends that contain high-carb and starchy flour like rice and potato. This cake has arrowroot and almond flours that are mineral and vitamin-rich and low on the glycemic index making them way healthier than their wheat-rich counterparts.
Makes a great birthday cake for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Easy Like I mentioned above, this cake is so easy to make and assemble. It is a no-fuss cake but looks like a lot of work was put into it.
Tastes just like a regular cake My kids are cake snobs and polish this cake up every time I make it! it’s gluten-free but no one will be able to tell the difference!
What you’ll need for this recipe
Almond & arrowroot flours The two work well together and are easily accessible to most people globally. Tapioca starch can be used if arrowroot flour is not available to you but it will change the nutrition profile of this cake.
Cacao powder You can use cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder but do not use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa is alkalized which reacts with baking soda resulting in a flat cake.
Coconut sugar Coconut sugar keeps this cake paleo but you can use granulated cane sugar as well.
Baking soda To help give the cake some rise.
salt To balance out the sweetness.
Coffee For depth of flavor.
Oil I have tested this recipe with coconut oil, butter, and avocado oil and find it to be the moistest with oil.
Almond milk You can use any other nut milk in its place like cashew milk. Using regular milk in a 1:1 ratio is ok but the cake will not be Paleo.
Eggs Medium or large both work.
Vanilla extract Again, for depth of flavor. Ensure you get a brand that is alcohol-free and doesn’t contain additional sugars.
How to make the best almond flour chocolate cake
Preheat the oven and line the cake pans to 350ºF/180ºC. Line the bottoms of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and set them aside.
Whisk the dry ingredients To a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients There is no need to whisk the eggs separately. Just add them to the bowl along with the oil, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk again to combine.
Bake When you bake in the recommended cake pans, this recipe only takes 15 minutes! You can do a 9-inch spring form pan and 12 muffin pan as well but the bake time will change.
Cool and apply frosting Cool the cake completely before frosting it.
Some helpful tips
- I used to whip the eggs separately before adding them to the dry ingredients but there is no need to dirty another bowl. Just add the eggs and whisk them with the rest of the ingredients.
- If you are using coconut oil as the fat in this recipe, there is no need to melt it. As long as it is semi-solid, it is fine to use.
- Check on the cake after the 15-minute mark. Once a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, it is time to remove the cake from the oven. If left in the oven too long, the cake can burn and end up dry.
- Let the cake cool completely before icing it.
Storage
This cake can be left at room temperature on the kitchen countertop for up to 3 days, and stored in the fridge for a week.
To freeze Cut the cake into individual slices, wrap each slice separately in plastic wrap, and then store them in a zip-top bag. Defrost a slice overnight in the fridge or on the kitchen countertop.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
Variations:
Make it low-carb by using this monk fruit blend instead of coconut sugar. You can use the same amount or decrease it to 3/4 cup sweetener.
Make it paleo by replacing the heavy cream in the frosting with coconut cream.
Bake this recipe into chocolate almond flour cupcakes. Bake time may vary so take a look at the 15-minute mark and do the toothpick test.
Common questions
As mentioned above, using Dutch-processed cocoa powder can lead to a flat cake. Also, make sure to use blanched fine almond flour/meal.
You absolutely can but I would melt it before adding it to the batter. Do note that the cake is more moist when using oil.
More almond flour cake recipes to try
If you try this recipe, I’d appreciate it so much if you would rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! And let me know in the comments how it worked out for you. I love hearing feedback, and the recipe rating helps others find this recipe!
Easy Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/3 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup almond milk
For the frosting
- 1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet, dark or keto*
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and line 2 (8-inch) round pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients with a whisk till fully incorporated. Next add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract and whisk once again to fully combone the two.
- Pour equal amounts of batter into the two pans and tap them to help the cake batter settle and drive out any air bubbles.
- Bake for about 15 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes before taking them out and cooling them on a wire rack.
Make the frosting
- In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate chips in 20-second increments till completely melted. Add the cream and stir till fully incorporated.
- Once the cake layers are completely cool frost the cake. First the top of one and then place the other cake on top of the frosted cake and continue to cover both the cakes with the frosting.
Notes
- Although coconut sugar does have more minerals and fiber than regular table sugar, it is still sugar so although this cake is healthier, you can have too much of it.
- I use Lily’s chocolate chips to keep the frosting low-carb.
Leave a Reply