This paleo chocolate cake will trick your friends and family members into believing that this is a traditional chocolate cake. No one will suspect that it’s gluten-free and made with healthier ingredients! It’s so decadent that you’ll want a glass of cold (dairy-free) milk to help you wash it down.
“I found this recipe years ago and have been making it for my family. It is a huge hit and is super moist and delicious. I follow the recipe exactly and it turns out perfect every time. It’s the only cake I ever make…Thank you! 🙂”
Ash
This chocolate cake is so rich and decadent that I can barely finish a single slice (I somehow find a way, of course). This is the kind of cake that you’ll want to serve with a cold glass of almond milk or coconut milk.
I made this paleo chocolate cake for my dad’s birthday, and he was so impressed. My dad has a major sweet tooth and can be pretty particular when it comes to dessert. He told me he liked this cake better than the chocolate cake he was used to eating. Now, that is a compliment! Trust me, you will win anyone over with this cake recipe.
I think this is the perfect cake to make for a loved one’s birthday, any celebration, or even just because. While this chocolate cake is grain-free and Paleo-friendly, it doesn’t feel limiting in any way. Your guests will never know that it is a gluten-free cake.
I use two 6-inch spring-form pans to make this layer cake. I love the way my cakes look using these smaller pans. You can use a larger pan if you prefer.
The cake is made with raw cacao and maple syrup. I added dairy-free chocolate chunks to the batter, to make the cake extra chocolatey, but you can reduce or leave them out if you want. The ganache is very simple to make; you need ghee or grassfed butter and dairy-free chocolate. You can spread the ganache onto the cooled cake and serve immediately for a glossy shine (as seen in the picture below), or you can put the cake in the fridge if you want the cake to have a hard chocolate coating (as seen in the first pic above).
If you prefer a coconut caramel frosting to ganache, just use the frosting recipe from my German Chocolate Cupcake recipe.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup sifted coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup ghee or butter 1 stick, melted
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 1 10 ounce package of chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons ghee or butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup to taste
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients (almond flour flour, cacao, coconut flour, baking soda and salt).
- Add the maple syrup, melted butter and mix well.
- Then, add the eggs and mix well.
- Stir in the chocolate chunks and spoon the batter into two greased 6-inch round cake pans.
- Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Melt the chocolate using the double boiler method (glass bowl over pot with simmering water).
- As the chocolate begins to melt, add the ghee and maple syrup. Mix until smooth.
- Remove the chocolate from heat, allow it to cool slightly, then pour it on top of the cooled cake.
Ash says
I found this recipe years ago and have been making it for my family. It is a huge hit and is super moist and delicious. I follow the recipe exactly and it turns out perfect every time. It’s the only cake I ever make…Thank you! 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Ash, so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Shiveeta Mattoo says
Can we substitute jaggery or brown sugar for maple syrup?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Shiveeta, this recipe calls for coconut flour, which is very absorbent and requires a lot of liquid, so I’m not sure how it’ll go if you substitute the syrup with a dry sugar like jaggery or brown sugar. If you experiment, please let us know how it goes!
Anne says
I subbed melted coconut oil for the ghee, recipe worked out perfectly!
My Heart Beets says
Anne, that’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out with the coconut oil 🙂