Posting a little ahead of schedule to give y’all a heads up that National Chocolate Cake Day later this week – on January 27th to be exact. I want to give you plenty of time to start thinking of how you to pay homage to one of the world’s most popular desserts — will you partake in a cupcake, a layer cake, a Bundt cake, a sheet cake or even a single-serve mug cake? Heck, make them all!
This year, my Wow, it’s a Sugar-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free Chocolate Cake needs to top your must bake list. I’ve topped it with rich butter macadamia nuts, but it’s equally delicious eaten plain with just the ganache or topped with other garnishes like raspberries, pistachios or orange zest. Even though it’s dreamy and decadent-tasting enough for a hardcore chocolatavore, it’s got some decent nutritional value and is even Paleo diet friendly, gluten-free and lower carb
I know it’s hard to believe a cake be dairy-free, sugar-free and grain-free and still be delicious, but trust me! I’m picky when it comes to “alternative” baking and would often rather just do without, than to eat a dessert that is dry, dense or simply disgusting. But, this chocolate cake is seriously good and will make a chocolate-lover seriously happy!
This chocolate cake has no grains, instead almond meal, coconut flour and raw cacao powder give it life. This means it’s a safe treat for those with gluten allergies and sensitivities. There is no dairy used, meaning no cow’s milk, butter or traditional chocolate. There are eggs involved, but those aren’t actually a diary product and even though you buy eggs on the dairy aisle – there no lactose involved (for some reason, this confuses people)! And, finally, there is no sugar, including no refined white sugar and no higher carb sugars like honey, agave, coconut, etc. I’ve used a stevia-based baking blend to create more than enough sweetness to balance the bitter of the cacao powder used in the cake and ganache.
I baked these Paleo chocolate cakes in four individual metal ramekins, but the batter can also be baked in a 9” x 9” brownie pan, a single layer cake pan or about single muffin tins.
Tips to remember when prepping the cake:
- Use a whisk to mix up the dry ingredients, this breaks up the cacao clumps and keeps everything light.
- Also whisk the eggs until light and airy and gently fold into batter to prevent cake from being dense.
- Allow cakes to cook before topping with ganache.
- Once you prepare ganache, be ready to frost the cakes – it will harden fairly quickly. If it does, gently reheat on defrost or low in the microwave for a few seconds.
I used ingredients from one of my favorite natural food companies, Now Foods. You can find at major retailers or buy on Amazon:
What is your favorite chocolate dessert? Do you prefer chocolate over vanilla? Have you ever done one of those Hot Chocolate runs — finishing one is totally on my bucket list! Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer
- 3/4 cup almond meal/flour
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup Sugarless Sugar from Now Foods or "cup for cup equivalent" stevia baking blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 4 large eggs, whisked
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- 2 tablespons Sugarless Sugar from Now Foods or "cup for cup equivalent" stevia baking blend
- 1/4`` teaspoon vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 350 F. In medium bowl, use a whisk to mix together almond flour, coconut flour, cacao powder,sugarless sugar substitute, baking soda and salt. Ensure that all lumps of, cacao powder have been incorporated and dry ingredients light and sifted feeling.
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Mix in melted coconut oil. In small bowl, whisk together eggs until airy. Gently fold into chocolate mixture.
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Spoon mixture into chosen baking dish that has been sprayed with coconut baking spray. Select either one 9” cake pan, two 6” springform pans, or four 4” ramekins.
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Place cake batter and pan with nuts in 350 F degree oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until toothpick pulls clean from center. Times may vary based on the size and type of baking dish being used. After baking allow cakes to cool in their pans.
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While cooling, prepare ganache by adding melted coconut oil, cacao powder and sugar substitute to bowl and mixing until well combined. Gently reheat in microwave on defrost or low for a few seconds if it starts to thicken up too much before frosting cakes. Carefully invert baking dishes and remove cakes from baking dishes. Spoon warm ganache over top of cooled cake(s) and let drizzle down the sides. Top with nuts, dried fruit or other toppings of your choice.Store leftovers in airtight container for up to three days.
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Top with nuts, dried fruit or other toppings of your choice.Store leftovers in airtight container for up to three days.
Um I don’t even like cake that much and I want to eat the entire thing. That looks ridiculously amazing!
Now has the best sugar free alternatives! I bet this taste amazing. gonna have to add them to my amazon prime. Or do you deliver with cake? LOL!
sure, I deliver . . . but you have to wait until it warms up in CO 😉
This looks amazing!!! Love the macadamia nuts on top too 🙂
Making this cake for my wife’s birthday. Stuck it in the oven and started cleaning up. Turned around and there was a half a cup of sugarless sugar sitting on the counter. Whoops. Never saw when to add it in the recipe. This might be an interesting birthday cake 🙂
Ack, thanks for the heads up . . . going back to read the recipe now. I have been known to skip a step when retyping a recipe — so sorry. Maybe a drizzle of some sugar-free chocolate syrup or a bunch of sweet berries before serving will help salvage.
This looks GREAT! Can you please tell me if using regular Stevia would work rather than “baking blend”? Not sure what that is. . . thanks!
I’m not sure about using straight up stevia, stevia packets or stevia liquid, sometime those can be higher concentrated and I haven’t tried in this recipe. It’s a volume thing . . . 1 cup of substitute that has the same sweetness of 1 cup sugar. It will usually say 1:1 or cup-for-cup on the package. Even on that is 1/2 cup to 1 cup sugar equiv. would work. You can find the stevia baking blends on the baking aisle . . .like Truvia or Pyure or others. Hope this helps
I have a friend with an egg white allergy – Lyme disease but would like to bless her. Is there an egg white sub? Can I use just the yokes? Anyone with suggestions on substitutes they have tried and still have a tasty outcome?
I haven’t tried it with any substitutes . . .there are vegan substitutes for egg like flax mixed with water (? google that) or, you could try the egg yolk — just not sure if it would leven as much with either, but would still taste good
Can you use maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of stevia?
I think the coconut sugar would work better — use 1/2 cup!
How long do the paleo chocolate cakes cook in the oven and what
temp. do they bake at?
Pre heat oven to 350 and cook for approx 20 minute or until toothpick pulls clean. Thanks! enjoy!
Can you use honey as a replacement sweetener & if so how much?
That is a good question I’m not sure of entirely. I’m thinking that if you swap for the the 1/2 cup stevia baking blend — try 1/3 cup honey and maybe another tablespoon of coconut flour to compensate for introducing more “liquid”. That’s how I would go about it, but I’ve not tested it that way. I think the frosting could just be an equal swap.
Can you use cocoa instead of cacao powder ?
Can you use cocoa instead of cacao powder ?