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This dairy free and gluten free chocolate cake is rich and full of chocolate flavor. It's Paleo approved, and continually proves to be a favorite.
I've been making it for every occasion I can think of for the last year or so.
When I served it at our family party for my oldest daughter, I even got a few comments of, "Megan, this is the best cake I've ever eaten".
And those comments were from the non-Paleo members of the family.
It's just that good.
This dark chocolate cake is a show stopper that tastes amazing and (BONUS) it won't spike your blood sugar like a "normal" cake.
tools needed to make this dark chocolate cake
- Bowl & spatula (or stand mixer like this one)
- Baking pans - this recipe uses 2 8" round cake pans (avoid the tpxic chemicals with these)
- Parchment paper - I've used these parchment rounds before and they made it really easy to line the pan. They're a perfect fit!
ingredients used in this chocolate cake recipe
- Almond flour
- Tapioca flour
- Coconut flour
- Coconut sugar
- 100% cocoa powder
- Eggs - farm fresh is best
- Coconut milk (full fat from the can like this kind...only one ingredient is a bonus!)
- Brewed coffee
- Avocado oil
- Vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- Baking soda, salt, vanilla
I remember almost ten years ago when I was first getting into baking from scratch (meaning...not out of a box). I made a cake for a woman I sort of knew. I'd met her at church a few times, but didn't know her too well.
When her birthday came around, a group of us were going to celebrate and I volunteered to bring the cake.
So I made her a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (apparently my chocolate obsession has been around for a while).
Immediately when she saw it, she said..."Is that a scratch cake?" with a hint of awe in her voice. I figured she could tell because of my sub-par frosting job. But she was extremely grateful and couldn't believe I made her a cake from scratch.
The cake was a hit, and from that day on, she would often talk about how I made her a "scratch cake" for her birthday. She even introduced me to her grown daughter as the "girl who made me a scratch cake".
Cooking from scratch is a lost art, and one that takes time. It meant so much to my friend that I took the time to make her a cake completely from scratch.
To her, it was an incredible gift. To me, it was fun (and delicious). But through that experience I learned the impact a "scratch cake" can have.
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Dairy Free & Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
This recipe was inspired by this cake at Downshiftology. After a few adjustments (adjusting the size and making a few ingredient substitutions), it's just how I like it! And I'm so excited to share it with you!
Have you ever had a piece of cake and you feel the blood sugar spike almost immediately? Maybe it's so sweet that you get a headache? And then when your blood sugar drops, you feel like you just need more sugar to bring it back up. This is a cycle I'm all too aware of.
And I don't like it.
And that's why I love this dark chocolate cake. It's made with almond flour which is high in fat and protein. And even though the cake is sweet, it won't spike your blood sugar as much because the fat in the almond flour helps slow the effects of the sugar.
Brilliant, isn't it? I think so.
What's In This Cake?
Here are a few of the wholesome ingredients you'll find in this chocolate cake:
- Flour (almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour)
- Coconut Sugar (a Paleo friendly sugar)
- Coffee (makes the chocolate flavor deep and rich)
- Cocoa powder
- Coconut milk (you won't taste a coconut flavor, but it adds necessary fat to the mixture)
What's out?
- Wheat flours
- Gluten free flour blends
- Grains
- Excess sugar
- Dairy
How to make this Paleo Dark Chocolate Cake
Prepare your cake pans. This recipe will make two 8" round cakes. You'll want to mix the ingredients (wet and dry separately) and then combine them. Then bake in a 350 (F) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the middle springs back a bit when you gently touch it.
Do I really need all three Paleo flours?
If you want it to have a soft, spongy, moist texture, I'd recommend it. Remember that the cake (the kind you're probably used to) is typically made with wheat flour, which has gluten that holds it together and gives it the airy, spongy texture.
Since we're avoiding grains and gluten, you need a few different flours to re-create the spongy texture.
What about Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting?
I frosted this cake (and most of my cakes) with a delicious and simple chocolate frosting. You can find it here by another name.
The secret ingredient in the frosting is avocados. But don't let that scare you off. It's SO good and there's no avocado off-taste at all. Trust me. I take my chocolate seriously.
I would not be talking about it right now if it wasn't amazing. My grandpa (who would tell me if he didn't like it) loved it and then told all his skeptical buddies it was delicious. Trust me. It's good.
Can I use this Recipe for cupcakes Instead of a Cake?
Yes! Definitely, yes. And I encourage you to do so. Bake them for about 15 minutes in a 350 (F) oven, or until the tops spring back when you gently push them.
More Paleo, Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chocolate dessert Recipes
Need more chocolate recipes that won't spike your blood sugar? No problem.
- Rich & dark healthy chocolate brownies (no refined sugar)
- Double chocolate Paleo cookies with roasted almonds
- Ramekin date night brownie
I love chocolate. And when I eat chocolate desserts I want them to be made with nourishing ingredients, I want them to be really rich and taste amazing. You'll find those recurring themes in this cake and all my chocolate dessert recipes.
Thanks for stopping by! If you've tried this cake, leave a rating and comment below.
Dangerously Dark Chocolate Cake (GF + DF)
An irresistible Paleo dark chocolate cake that's always a crowd pleaser. Gluten free and dairy free, everyone can have a slice!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup coconut milk (full fat)
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ½ tsp vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 (F)
- Prepare your two 8" round cake pans by laying parchment down. Grease the pan.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl (almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt).
- Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl (eggs, coconut milk, coffee, avocado oil, vinegar, vanilla).
- Combine and stir until the dry is incorporated into the wet.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans.
- Bake in the 350 (F) oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the center springs back when you gently touch it.
Notes
- I recommend this chocolate frosting for a delicious (and healthy) option.
- For cupcakes, bake in 350 (F) oven for about 15 minutes. It will make 15-18 cupcakes (depending on how big you make them).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/12th of cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 218mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 17gProtein: 6g
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Jill says
This is great! I think the coffee helps to add that dark chocolate flavor - great idea! I liked the recommendation to try it as cupcakes. I did half the recipe and it made 10 perfect cupcakes.
Megan says
Jill...yes, exactly. The coffee helps the chocolate flavor stand out. LOVE that chocolate flavor. Thanks for your comment!