This almond flour chocolate cake is moist, fluffy, and needs just a handful of ingredients to make! Made in one bowl, it’s naturally gluten free and easily made low carb!
Ever since making homemade almond flour, I’ve been on a kick using it in anything and everything.
While I use it in more breakfasts (like in banana pancakes) and in cookies (like chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies), I’ve recently loved using it to make a chocolate cake!
How does almond flour affect cakes?
Almond flour makes cakes fluffy yet moist, and with a lighter crumb. It works well in chocolate desserts, as it doesn’t leave you feeling heavy afterwards, and the higher fat content means you also don’t suffer a sugar crash afterwards!
Why this almond flour chocolate cake recipe will be a dessert staple-
- Even though it’s made with almond flour, there is NO almond flavor. It tastes like any excellent chocolate cake out there.
- It’s made in one bowl, so you have no excuses for cleaning up for it.
- It’s naturally gluten free and easily made keto, so it’s a perfect keto dessert.
No dairy and no grains are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is super moist and tender, layered and topped with a creamy frosting. It is rich, and full of chocolate flavor throughout.
How to make almond flour chocolate cake
The Ingredients
- Almond flour- You must use blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Doing so will ensure the cake is fluffy and moist (not dense!).
- Arrowroot flour- Gives the cake structure and stability.
- Cocoa powder- Unsweetened and sifted cocoa powder. For a darker and richer flavored cake, use dark cocoa powder.
- Sugar- I used coconut sugar, but brown sugar or white sugar can also be used.
- Baking soda- Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness.
- Salt- Brings out the sweetness of all the other ingredients.
- Eggs- room temperature eggs.
- Oil- Canol oil, vegetable or any neutral flavored oil.
- Vanilla extract- A must for any good cake or dessert recipe.
- Chocolate frosting- You can try a healthy frosting or even a keto frosting.
The Instructions
Start by mixing your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Next, whisk in the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until combined and smooth.
Now, distribute the cake batter amongst two 9-inch cake pans. Bake the cake for around 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely, before frosting and layering them.
Ingredient swaps and substitutions
- Make it eggless. While not recommended, you can try using one of these egg substitutes.
- Swap out the arrowroot powder. Cornstarch is a suitable replacement.
- Lower the carbs. Replace the sugar with a brown sugar substitute or allulose.
- Use coconut oil. Refined coconut oil has no coconut flavor and can be used.
- Omit the frosting. This cake tastes just as delicious on its own.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Do not over-bake the cake, as it continues to cook as it continues to cool down. Once a skewer comes out mostly clean, it’s ready to remove from the oven!
- If you’d like to make this a single layer cake, you can halve the recipe.
- Use a spring-form cake pan for easy removal.
- Avoid replacing the sugar with monk fruit or erythritol. They both crystalize and do not dissolve like white sugar does. You would be better off making a keto chocolate cake instead.
- Do not use Dutch processed cocoa powder, as it can react negatively with the baking soda and yield a flat cake.
Storing and freezing instructions
- To store: If you intend to enjoy this cake within two days, you can keep it at room temperature, stored in a sealed container. If you’d like it to keep longer, store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- To freeze: Place slices of the cake in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More almond flour dessert recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
No, this cake won’t work with coconut flour. You may like to make a coconut flour chocolate cake instead.
Unlike coconut flour or oat flour, almond flour is an easy flour to work with and works similar to cake or wheat flour. To ensure your cake turns out perfect, use grams instead of cups.
Without a leavening agent, almond flour cakes won’t rise. However, when made with some baking soda and/or eggs added in, they will rise.
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Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar can use brown or white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil or any neutral oil * See notes
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease two 9-inch springform pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients and mix well. Next, add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined.
- Transfer the batter into the two greased cake pans. Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely, before layering them up and frosting them.
Notes
Nutrition
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What can I use in place of arrowroot powder?
I haven’t tried any alternatives, you could see if tapioca flour works but I can’t vouch for it myself.
Can I replace arrowroot powder with xanthum gum?
I haven’t tried!
It’s a great recipe as all yours. But in the future can we hope to have the metric measurements as well.
Regards
Sure can! We are working on this!
How much is a cup in grams, please?
Here you go- https://thebigmansworld.com/how-many-grams-in-a-cup/
Sounds good! Do you think this recipe or your Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Cake is more similar to classic American chocolate cake?
Definitely this on 🙂
Could you substitute the coconut sugar for jaggery? Would the measurement be the same?
I don’t know what jaggery is, never used it before.
I’m in heaven! This cake is my new grain-free favorite. It is rich, and chocolaty, so a small slice is all you need (and all I can eat). FYI, I did follow the recipe exactly. At first I thought it was too little batter, but it rose nicely in the oven. Also, used regular cake pans greased, lined with parchment on bottom, and greased again and they came out of the pan fine. Thank you so much for this recipe!
DELICIOUS !
I would like to make these as cupcakes, would the cooking time be the same??
Probably be less.
This was a very nice cake. I used melted coconut oil but made sure the eggs were at least room temperature (covered in a bowl of warm water for several minutes before using them) and I didn’t have any clumping problem.
For a 3 layer 6-inch cake, do double the recipe or keep the same?
I’d still double the recipe to be safe 🙂
Can I use butter instead of Canola or anyother oil? If so, how much butter? Thanks
I haven’t tried but you can experiment and see. Try the same amount.
I love making this cake. I was skeptical when I first made it but the end result was just like bakery style chocolate cupcakes (my favorite go to dessert before I went gluten-free). I have always made it in the round tins but I wanted to try using a 9×13 cake pan…has anyone attempted this? Did you have to adjust the baking time? Double the recipe? Etc.
Uusually if I use a larger cake pan, I reduce the baking time to compensate for the extra size and thinness of the cake 🙂
Made this cake for my husband he is diabetic and loved it. Instead of coconut sugar I used erthythritol in the cake and the frosting just turned it in to powder for the frosting. My husband is not a fan of coconut sugar I made a Bundt cake instead. Everything I have tried so far is delicious. Thanks for all the recipes.
Kellie
The best and most loved choclate cake I’ve made- my kids and friend inhaled it. So moist and so easy, thank you