Paleo Chocolate Cake with Paleo Chocolate Frosting

This Paleo Chocolate Cake is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The cake is light and fluffy with the perfect crumb (and made in one bowl!). Then it’s smothered in smooth, creamy chocolate frosting.

And it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free.

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Why this recipe works

A chocolate cake just screams “celebration.” It’s perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays… really, whenever you want an event to feel more special.

But for those of us who can’t tolerate gluten, grains, dairy or other ingredients typically in classic chocolate cake, it’s off limits.

So I wanted to create a version that could be enjoyed by everyone!

Out goes the regular flour. Instead, we’re using a combination of almond flour, arrowroot flour/starch and coconut flour. I know needing 3 flours isn’t ideal, but they really are necessary for creating the perfect texture.

And instead of butter… we’re not using any butter substitute at all! The moisture from the almond flour (which retains the healthy fats from the almonds), eggs and honey are all we need.

Finally, out goes the refined white sugar. In its place is honey, one of my favorite sweeteners for refined sugar-free, Paleo baking.

And for the frosting, we’re using a combination of palm shortening (but you could also use coconut cream; see more in the FAQ section or in the notes below the recipe), coconut oil, honey and unsweetened chocolate. It all blends together to create a frosting just like classic chocolate buttercream, only without the pounds and pounds of powdered sugar (I’m exaggerating, but only slightly).

And it’s easy to assemble and frost the cake. Trust me, I am no expert cake decorator. So if I can put together a presentable double-layer cake, anyone can.

What you need

Ingredients for the cake:

• 4 large eggs, room temperature (if they’re cold, submerge them in warm water for 5-8 minutes)
• 1 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – you might think you don’t need vanilla in a chocolate cake, but it helps round out the flavor so it’s not so one-note
• 3-1/3 cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal) – this is the main substitute for regular all-purpose flour and provides the structure for the cake
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour/starch – this helps lighten up the almond flour (since a chocolate cake using almond flour can otherwise be dense and oily) and helps give the cake its cakey texture
• 2-1/2 tablespoons coconut flour – coconut flour is very absorbent so it helps absorb the excess moisture from the almond flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar – this will react with the baking soda in the oven to help give the cake its rise
• 1-1/2 teaspoons espresso powder – this helps give the chocolate flavor some depth and, like the vanilla extract, keeps it from being too one-note, but if you’re making this cake for little kids, you can leave it out
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – this will react with the cream of tartar to give the cake its rise
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt – even desserts need salt! This helps bring out all the flavors
• avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray, for the cake pans

For the frosting:

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate – I like to use100% unsweetened chocolate (which is almost always dairy-free), like Ghiradelli or Guittard
• 3/4 cup palm shortening – this is one of my favorite dairy-free substitutes for baking as it’s very similar in taste and texture to butter; if you’re hesitant to use it out of concerns for your health or the environment, please watch my quick video about it, or see substitution ideas below
• 3/4 cup coconut oil (not melted)
• 3/4 cup honey (preferably light-colored)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Equipment for the cake:

• 2 8″ round cake pans
• parchment paper
• a large mixing bowl
• a fine-mesh sieve (for sifting the almond flour if it’s clumpy)
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• a measuring glass
• a whisk
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a cooling rack
• a plate or cake stand, for serving

Equipment for the frosting:

• a food processor, stand mixer with paddle attachment or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife
• a small, microwave-safe bowl
• a spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping) or small offset spatula, for spreading the frosting

How to make Paleo Chocolate Cake with Paleo Chocolate Frosting

For the cake:

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°.

Step 2

Line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the sides of the pans with the avocado or coconut oil spray.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, honey and vanilla extract until blended.

Step 4

Add the almond flour (measure it out using the “scoop and level” technique, which means gently scoop up the almond flour and use the back of a knife to level it), sifting it through a sieve if it’s clumpy. Add the cocoa powder, arrowroot, coconut flour, cream of tartar, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until completely blended. The batter will be very thick.

Step 5

Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans and smooth to an even layer. If it’s difficult, get your fingers slightly damp and use them to spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only some crumbs attached (but no wet batter).

Step 6

Let cool completely in the pans on a cooling rack.

For the frosting:

Step 1

Finely chop the chocolate and add to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds, stopping to stir every 30 seconds. After 90 seconds, it might not look fully melted but keep stirring until it becomes completely smooth. Set aside.

Step 2

Using a food processor, a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, add the palm shortening, coconut oil, honey, vanilla and salt. Blend until mostly combined.

Step 3

Add the melted chocolate and blend again until completely combined. Keep blending until light, fluffy and lighter in color, about 2-3 minutes.

If using a food processor, the frosting will be too thin to frost the cake. Place in the fridge for 10-30 minutes to firm up somewhat. Otherwise, leave the frosting out at room temperature while you wait for the cakes to cool. You should have about 3 cups of frosting.

To assemble the cake:

Step 1

Run a thin knife or off-set spatula to between the side of the cakes and the cake pans. Spread your hand out on the surface of the cake, carefully flip the cake pan over and let the cake fall onto your hand. Carefully flip it back over again and place right-side up in the middle of a plate or cake stand.

Step 2

Using about 1/3 of the frosting (approx. a scant 1 cup), dollop it onto the middle of the cake and use a spatula or off-set spatula to spread it to an even layer. Leave about 1/4″ space around the edge of the cake.

Step 3

Repeat the same process as step 1 to remove the second cake and carefully place it on the first cake layer, making sure it’s centered. Use another 1/3 of the frosting (another approx. scant 1 cup) and spread it around as you did in step 2.

Step 4

You can either use the rest of the frosting to coat the sides of the cake or you can create a “crumb layer.” This adds an extra step but makes sure you don’t get any crumbs stuck in the frosting, resulting in a prettier cake.

To make a crumb layer, use about 1/2 of the remaining frosting (so about a scant 1/2 cup) to coat the sides of the cake. It will be a very thin layer – you’ll be able to see the cake through it.

Refrigerate the cake until the frosting has firmed up, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

Use the rest of the frosting to cover up the crumb layer and connect the frosting on the sides with the frosting on the top.

And voila! Your gorgeous Paleo chocolate cake is ready to be devoured!

FAQ

Other recipes you might like:

1. Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake (gluten-free, Paleo)
2. Paleo Carrot Cake
3. Fudgy Gluten-Free Skillet Cake (Paleo, gluten-free, vegan)
4. Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies
5. Paleo Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

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