Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
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My almond flour chocolate cake recipe guarantees a moist, fluffy chocolate cake with a gorgeous crumb and rich, fluffy frosting. Sweetened with coconut sugar, it’s made in one bowl and is naturally gluten-free.
Why I love this recipe
Baking with almond flour requires a bit of patience, but once you get used to it, the results can be better than those made with regular flour. That’s why I prefer it to conventional flour now.
Almond flour gives cakes a gorgeous, tender crumb, and its subtle, almost sweet flavor complements its richness. While my family adores my classic almond flour cake, my almond flour chocolate cake is #1 in our household.
When testing this cake, I wanted the richness of a classic chocolate cake with a lighter crumb. While it’s delicious without frosting, I usually add it because it not only makes it look stunning, but the creaminess also complements the subtle nuttiness.
The best part? No one will know it’s made with almond flour. Let’s bake this together now!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Made this yesterday for my husband’s birthday. I swapped the oil for avocado and added a “dash” of cinnamon to the batter. One of the best gluten-free cakes I have had. Beat Simple Mills hands down.” – Faith
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Almond flour. Definitely use blanched almond flour and NOT almond meal, which makes for a dense, crumbly texture.
- Arrowroot flour. Gives the cake structure and stability. I also tested this with cornstarch, and it worked well.
- Cocoa powder. Unsweetened and sifted Dutch-processed cocoa powder. For a darker and richer cake, I sometimes use dark or black cocoa powder.
- Sugar. I used coconut sugar, but brown or white sugar also works.
- Baking soda. Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness.
- Salt. Brings out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Eggs. Room-temperature eggs mix into the batter easily without firming up the oil. I usually take them out of the fridge about 20 minutes ahead of time.
- Oil. I used canola oil, but any neutral-flavored oil will work. Butter will work, but I found it doesn’t rise as well as oil.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake recipe.
- Chocolate frosting. I used dairy free frosting, but any chocolate frosting (including store-bought brands) will work.
How to make almond flour chocolate cake
Step 1- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Step 2- Combine. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Do not overmix.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Step 4- Cool. Let the cakes cool briefly in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5- Frost. Once cool, frost between each layer and on top.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t have springform pans? Don’t worry about it! I often use regular 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking. Just cut them in roughly the same shape, and you’ll be fine.
- Do not overmix. Through testing, I find mixing the batter until just combined resulted in the moistest cake. Overmixing can result in a slightly gummy texture.
- Don’t overbake. The cake will continue to cook as it cools, so once a toothpick comes out mostly clean, it’s ready to come out of the oven.
- Make a single-layer cake. I made a double-layer cake for fun, but this cake is just as delicious as a single-layer cake with frosting. Just halve the ingredients!
Frequently asked questions
No, this cake will not work with coconut flour. It’s not a suitable substitute for almond flour, as it needs significantly more liquid ingredients to compensate for its absorbent texture. If you only have coconut flour, you may prefer to make my coconut flour chocolate cake.
I learned in culinary school that the number one reason cakes sink in the middle is opening the oven door before they’re fully baked. Even a few seconds can cause heat loss, which leads to structural collapse. Cakes rely on steam and expanding air to rise, so when the heat escapes, the volume drops and the center deflates. I recommend checking the cake no sooner than 35 minutes.
You can! I tested this cake in an 8-inch cake pan and also a mini 6-inch cake pan. You will need to increase the baking time by 5 minutes and 15 minutes, respectively.
Unfortunately, no. I do know many of you follow a vegan and gluten-free diet, and unfortunately, this cake won’t work with egg substitutes. The reason for this is the significant number of eggs needed (four), which would require the other ingredients to be altered to compensate for a flax egg or egg substitute.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to one week.
To freeze: Wrap cake slices in plastic wrap and freeze them in a shallow container for up to six months.
More baking with almond flour
Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour 150g
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder 60g
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder 65g
- 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar can use brown or white sugar, 300g
- 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 240g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 9-inch springform pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt, and mix well. Next, add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until just 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. Do not check on the cake until the 35-minute mark to prevent sinking in the center.
- Let the cakes cool completely, before layering them up and frosting them.
Notes
- Neutral oil: You can also use avocado oil or olive oil. Avoid using coconut oil or other oils that are solid at room temperature, as they will clump up.
- Cake pan size: 9 inches is ideal, but this recipe also works with an 8-inch or 6-inch cake pan. Increase the baking time by 5 minutes and 15 minutes, respectively.
- Leftovers: Keep at room temperature, covered, for 2 days, or up to one week in the fridge. Freeze slices of cake for up to 6 months.
- Single layer cake: Halve the ingredients.
Same question for this recipe. Can I switch out the sugar for maple syrup? I hate to use sugar or substitutes. Thx.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl- you could swap it out for 1 full cup of maple syrup, but you’d need to then reduce the oil to 1/3 cup instead of using 1/2. This is to compensate for the extra moisture and liquid the cake batter will have. Let me know how you go!
This has been my favorite chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. I would not lie if I say in made this over 30 times.
I did make adjustments, less sugar, more oil, also I added one can of coconut cream and it made it super moist
30 times! Galina you are a gem. Thanks so much for your lovely review and rating. I love that you added coconut cream- did you use it as a frosting or in the cake itself?
Can we substitute the arrowroot powder?
Hi Afifa, you definitely can! Cornstarch, tapioca starch or potato starch are all suitable replacements. Hope this helps 🙂
Galina, can you respond on how you used the coconut cream? What was the amount that you used to make your cake moist? Did you use the fat or just a cream?