This paleo chocolate cake recipe is light with the perfect cake crumb. It's made with coconut flour, almond flour and covered in a paleo chocolate buttercream. It's and easy recipe that's perfect for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
Want more chocolate paleo recipes? These fudgy paleo brownies require one bowl and this chocolate potato cake is so moist.
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This is the ultimate death by chocolate paleo cake. If a chocolate craving strikes then this paleo chocolate cake recipe will without a doubt make you happy. The cake itself is so moist and crumby and the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
I like to top my paleo chocolate cake with fresh berries and some more frosting.
This recipe doesn't require too many steps but it does require a few extra ingredients. If your pantry is stocked with healthy baking essentials then you're good! If not, you may want to grab a few from Amazon or Thrive Market.
Ingredients for paleo chocolate cake:
- Almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour are a mixture of flours to create the lighty can crumby cake texture.
- Coconut sugar is in the cake itself as well as the frosting
- Cocoa powder gives the paleo chocolate cake all it's rich chocolate flavor and look
- Eggs help with the structure
- Water adds some moisture and helps it bake evenly
- Coconut oil adds fat
- Full fat coconut milk adds richness, moisture and fat
- Apple cider vinegar creates a buttermilk like texture and helps the cake rise
What is Paleo Chocolate Cake?
Paleo chocolate cake is similar to a traditional chocolate cake but it's gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Instead of traditional butter, oil and flour in the cake, paleo chocolate cake is made with alternatives flours and fats.
If you do it right, l then it tastes just like the traditional chocolate cake!
Do I need all three types of flours?
Yes, you do need all three flours. The combination of the three creates the type of texture you find in regular white flour. The almond flour is the base flour here then you add tapioca flour because it has more of a gluten-like texture and coconut flour helps absorb moisture.
Why do I need apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar reacts with the coconut milk and adds a tangy flavor similar to that of buttermilk, which helps keep the cake moist and tender. The apple cider vinegar also reacts with the baking soda to help this paleo chocolate cake rise.
How to decorate this paleo chocolate cake recipe
Start by placing one layer on your cake stand then add a heaping scoop of the frosting. Use an offset spatula to spread it out all the way to the edges. The frosting should be about ¼ inch thick. Then repeat the process with the other two layers.
At this point you can leave it as more of a naked cake or you can frost the whole thing. Next, frost lightly around the outside and top of the cake then place it in the fridge for 20 minutes to create a crumb coating. Finish frosting with the rest of the icing and pipe any extra details on the top.
Top with a dusting of cocoa powder, fresh berries or chocolate chips.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More chocolate recipes:
How to make paleo chocolate cake:
Paleo Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour packed
- ¾ cup tapioca flour (starch)
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 ¾ cups coconut sugar
- 1 ¼ cups raw cacao powder high quality
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
wet ingredients
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups full-fat canned coconut milk shaken so the liquid and the cream combine
- ¾ cup warm water
- ½ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate buttercream frosting:
- 4 cups organic coconut sugar
- 4 tablespoons tapioca flour
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ¾ cup organic palm shortening
- ½ cup almond milk plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with palm shortening or coconut oil spray then line th ebottom with parchemnt paper. I like to place my cake pan on top of the parchment paper and stencil the bottom with a pen then cut it out to get the bottom of the pan shape.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until well combined. Gradually pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between three baking pans and bake for 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It wont seem like a lot of batter in each cake pan but they will rise.
- Cool cakes in the pans for 10-15 minutes then flip over and cool on a wire completely before frosting. You can place the cakes in the fridge to speed up the process.
- While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Place the coconut sugar in the bowl of your food processor with the tapioca flour and blend on high until you get a powdery consistency and the coconut sugar isn't grainy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered coconut sugar to a large bowl then add the cocoa powder, palm shortening, ½ cup of dairy free milk, vanilla and salt and blend on high until completely combined and fluffy. Add more milk by the tablespoon if the frosting is too thick.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, assemble it by placing the bottom layer on the cake pan and spread ¼ inch of frosting on top, spreading it to the sides. Repeat with the other two layers and frost a thing coat around the outside of the cake. Leave as a naked cake or place in the refrigerator to cool to create a crumb layer. Frost the rest of the cake with a thick layer then pipe frosting on the top if desired. Decorate with fresh berries, chocolate chips or dusted cocoa powder.
Lulu says
Is the coconut oil measure before or after melting
Molly Leonard says
Measure it cool then melt it!
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Robin says
This cake looks beautiful but I'm wondering about the 3 cups packed almond flour. I always weigh my ingredients and for the super fine almond flour I use the weight listed on bag is 112g per cup so 336g for 3 cups. But I wouldn't call this packed. Should I be adding a couple more tablespoons? Thanks! I just discovered your site and there are so many Paleo/vegan baked goods I want to try.
Tully S says
What is the milk measurement 1/2-3/4 cup? Is it 1 cup plus two or three quarters of a cup?
Molly Thompson says
Hey there! You start by adding 1/2 a cup and if the consistency is too thick you can add 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 3/4.
Ludovic says
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Sara says
Hi Molly, have you ever made these as cupcakes? What do you think the baking time would be?