The Easiest Almond Flour Chocolate Cake Ever! A one-bowl recipe that makes a moist, dense chocolate cake. The recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.
Why You’ll Love This Almond Flour Chocolate Cake Recipe
Easy to Make. Like my almond flour yellow cake recipe, you only need a bowl and whisk to make this cake. If you’ve got an electric mixer, you can use it but it isn’t required.
Flavor. This cake is for chocolate lovers. It’s got a deep chocolate flavor and a hint of almond.
Texture. Moist and dense without being heavy or gritty, the texture is a dream. It’s based on my popular gluten-free chocolate cake. Like that recipe, this cake is deeply chocolatey and is perfect for birthdays.
Key Ingredients
Finely Ground Almond Flour. For a delicate (not gritty) texture, use a finely ground almond flour. Almond meal, while similar, isn’t as fine and can make the cake heavy.
Natural Cocoa Powder. Use natural cocoa powder in this recipe. Since it’s acidic, it works with the baking soda to help the cake to rise.
Cane or Coconut Sugar. To sweeten this cake, you have two options: granulated (evaporated) cane sugar or coconut sugar. Using granulated cane sugar gives you a sweet flavor that’s similar to a traditional chocolate cake. Coconut sugar lends a mild caramel-like flavor. Both work well.
Oil. A neutral liquid oil, like grapeseed or canola oil, give the cake a moist texture. Since this is an almond cake recipe, you could use almond oil if you keep it in the house.
Eggs. This recipe uses a lot of eggs. They provide structure and texture. So don’t skip the six (yes, six!) eggs.
Milk. To keep the cake moist and tender, milk is needed in the batter. You can use traditional milk or a dairy-free milk, like almond milk.
How to Make An Almond Flour Chocolate Cake. Keys for Success.
- Preheat your oven. Putting the cake pans into a hot oven ensures that the cakes rise high and evenly. Turn the oven on before you start mixing the batter.
- Make the Batter. Combine all the “dry” ingredients in a large bowl. (That’s the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.) Whisk these ingredients together to evenly distribute the baking soda. If you see any lumps of almond flour or cocoa powder, break them up by rubbing them between your fingers. Add the oil, eggs, and milk. Mix until the batter is smooth. You can do this by hand with a large whisk or use an electric mixer. It’s really up to you. I’ve tested the recipe both ways and the cake comes out the same.
- Prep the Pans. Grain-free cakes love to stick to pans. To prevent this, line your cake pan with a parchment round and then brush the parchment with a little oil. (Or use a nonstick cooking spray.)
- Fill the Pans. For two even layers, divide the batter evenly among your two cake pans.
- Bake the Cake. This cake is done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few dry crumbs clinging to it.
- Cool on a Rack. Once you’ve let the cakes cool in the pan, gently turn them onto a wire cooling rack. If you let the cakes cool completely in the pan, they can stick.
- Frost the Cake. You don’t need to frost this cake. But if you want to finish it with frosting, let the cake cool completely and then frost with your favorite frosting, like this gluten-free buttercream.
Baking Questions Answered
Can I use coconut oil in this recipe?
Coconut oil makes the cake heavy and a little greasy. I don’t recommend it.
Can I replace the almond flour with coconut flour?
Coconut flour is very different from almond flour. It absorbs liquid quickly and it does not contain fat. It won’t work in this recipe.
Can I replace the almond flour with gluten-free flour?
You’ve got two options! If you want to use a gluten-free flour, my gluten-free chocolate cake is the perfect recipe for you. This coconut flour chocolate cake recipe is great if you want to use coconut flour.
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes! Allow the layers to cool completely and then wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Easy to make almond flour chocolate cake. Deep chocolate flavor. Gluten-free and grain-free.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (340 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1 cup (170 grams) coconut sugar or evaporated cane juice
- 1 cup (100 grams) natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup oil, like grapespeed oil
- 6 large eggs (about 300 grams out of the shell)
- ½ cup (113 grams ) milk, dairy-free or traditional
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 4 cups (455 grams) powdered sugar (use corn-free to keep the recipe grain-free)
- ¾ cup (75 grams) cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 grams) softened butter or dairy-free butter spread
- 4 tablespoons milk, traditional or dairy-free, plus more as needed
Instructions
For the Cake
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and grease with vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray.
-
Whisk the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Break up any large pieces of almond flour with your fingers. Add the oil, eggs, and milk. Mix the batter until smooth. Use a handheld whisk or electric mixer.
-
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
-
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
-
Remove the pans from the oven. Place on a wire rack. After about 8 minutes, turn the cakes out of the pan and place directly onto the wire rack to cool completely.
-
Frost cooled caked with frosting. Cover cake and store on the counter for up to three days or freeze up to three months.
For the Frosting
-
Whisk together powdered sugar,cocoa powder, and salt to combine in a small bowl.
-
In a large bowl, cream the butter unitl light with a mixer. Stop mixer and add the powdered sugar mixture and milk. Turn mixer to low and mix utnil combined. Increase mixer speed to medium. Mix frosting until fluffy. If frosting seems too thick, add an additonal tablespoon of milk.
Pirate Jeni says
This looks amazing! How well would this scale if I cut it in half? I mean.. I could eat a two layer cake but… I shouldn’t eat a two layer cake.
Elizabeth says
It works GREAT scaled in half! In fact, that’s how it appears in my baking book.
Jennifer J Kluender says
Can I grind my own almonds into flour?
Elizabeth says
Sure! For the best texture, just be sure the almond flour is finely ground.
Jennifer J Kluender says
Can I use egg replacer instead of real eggs?
Elizabeth says
I don’t think this recipe would work with an egg replacer.
Marina says
Would this work as cupcakes? And any thoughts on subbing allulose for the sugar? Tyvm in advance. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Yes! This recipe makes great cupcakes.
Line two (12 cup) muffin tins with paper liners.
Fill the cups about 2/3 full with batter.
Bake until set, about 20 minutes.
Barb says
Can you make this into cupcakes?
Elizabeth says
Yes! This recipe makes great cupcakes.
Line two (12 cup) muffin tins with paper liners.
Fill the cups about 2/3 full with batter.
Bake until set, about 20 minutes.
Holly says
Hi Elizabeth,
Does this freeze well after being baked?
Also, the paragraph in which you refer to the different sugars that can be used is confusing. I believe there are some errors in it. I am referring to the section underneath the cocoa powder paragraph.
Thank you for your recipes. We always love them! I’m so happy to see more healthy ingredients such as almond flour and coconut sugar!
Elizabeth says
Hi Holly,
You’re right! There was an error in that paragraph. Sorry about that.
It read:
Cane or Coconut Sugar. To sweeten this cake, you have two options: granulated (evaporated) cane sugar or coconut sugar. Using granulated cane sugar gives you a sweet flavor that’s similar to a traditional chocolate cake. Cane sugar lends a mild caramel-like flavor. Both work well.
It’s been updated to read: Cane or Coconut Sugar. To sweeten this cake, you have two options: granulated (evaporated) cane sugar or coconut sugar. Using granulated cane sugar gives you a sweet flavor that’s similar to a traditional chocolate cake. Coconut sugar lends a mild caramel-like flavor. Both work well.
As for freezing, the cake freezes very well.
Holly says
Thanks for answering me Elizabeth. I just made this cake and I believe I overcooked it because it’s really dry. I cooked it a bit less than the recommended time and your recipe however I think my new oven cooks hotter or something. I know it’s not your recipe as to why it happened because I’ve made dozens of your recipes and they’re always perfect.
Any suggestions on how to moisten it up (paleo style)? I’m pretty experienced so I’ve run the gammit in my mind as to what would work. I’m thinking some kind of simple syrup situation (say that three times fast lol) however I’m not the expert, you are so I’m hoping you can shed some more light on if that would work or what would work and how to do it. I really don’t want to add more sugar but that might be my only option.
I always use organic super fine almond flour which is suuuper expensive so I really would like to fix this. Even with the frosting it’s just too dry. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Elizabeth says
Hi Holly,
Interesting that it’s dry. With the fat from the almond flour and six eggs, it shouldn’t be dry. I’d say that the texture of grain-free cakes is different than grain-based but I wouldn’t call it dry.
Since it baked faster than the recommended time, I think you’re right. The oven might be running hot.
For dry cakes, you have a few options. As you mentioned, you could brush on a simple syrup. Or you could brush on a little milk. If you use milk, expect the texture to change.
If you want to make a totally different dessert, you could make a trifle or crumble the cake, add more frosting and turn it into cake balls/truffles.
I hope this helps!
Holly says
Elizabeth, last night during my downtime I was going back over the ingredients I used because I know one simple change can completely alter gluten-free baking. The only thing I did was used dutched cocoa rather than regular cocoa. I don’t even stock regular cocoa powder because of its bitterness I just don’t care for it and I was buying really expensive brands like Valrona. Anyways, could that have been part of the problem along with my oven maybe?
I crumbled the cake and mixed it with your icing recipe and made cake balls. I dipped them in semi sweet chocolate. They are OUTRAGEOUS! The cake had fantastic flavor straight from the oven so I knew these would be tasty. I’m getting used to this new oven day by day.
Thanks again for all of your feedback ?
carol says
I made a half recipe of this cake, used a granulated brown sugar and hersheys brand cocoa. It is now in my recipe file as AMAZING almond flour chocolate cake. I baked it in a 7 inch springform pan with Parchment paper on the bottom. I had a teensy bit (3 tablespoons) of chocolate, butter type frosting and put it on while the cake was very warm which worked like a glaze. I served it cooled but not chilled a few hours later to friends willing to test a new recipe and they raved about it! With or without icecream on the side, OMG so good!. Thank you!
Tom says
This cakes is fabulous . I didn’t use layers , but put in two loaf pans and made two cakes , because I didn’t really want two layers of frosting
Elizabeth says
Glad you liked it!
Lisa says
This cake is AMAZING! It is so light and chocolatey and not dense at all! This cake will definitely be in my regular rotation. Thank you for the delicious recipe.
I used allulose sweetener and the cake was perfect!
CHARLENE MCGRADY says
I made this for Valentines Day 2023 and it was such a hit with my husband that I made it again a month later for his birthday, this time as a checkerboard cake. Sorry I can’t share a photo!
Kate says
Oh my, this is quite delicious. Really good and moist. I used light olive oil and brown sugar (but I didn’t pack it into the cup.) I also needed to bake it longer, which happens every time I bake gluten-free. (only 5 minutes longer, since the center wasn’t quite ready)
I have been baking gluten-free for about 10 years and have not had this much success with chocolate cake. It’s pretty rich, so I had it with milk and will freeze the rest. Thank you for your hard work, it is truly appreciated!