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Hi Bold Bakers!
From Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes to Lemon and Blueberry Bundt Cakes, I’ve transformed some of my favorite classics into nutritious treats that are free of gluten, dairy, and sugar! My goal is always to create recipes that are inclusive to all bakers no matter what their lifestyle, diet, and level of experience with using alternative ingredients.
My latest is a Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake recipe that’s generously topped with sugar and dairy-free Chocolate Fudge Frosting. This recipe is so versatile as it can be made into a layer cake, loaf cake, or my favorite: a Texas Sheet Cake! Get ready to have to your cake and eat it too, no matter what the occasion!
What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use in My Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake?
The chocolate really is the star of the show, so it is important that in both the frosting and the cake you use high-quality cocoa powder. For both of these, I suggest using dutch processed cocoa powder as this has a softer flavor and yields a really rich brown color. If this is not available where you live use the best unsweetened cocoa powder you can find.
How Do I Make Sugar-Free Frosting for My Chocolate Cake?
After going to the trouble of making a sugar, gluten, and grain-free cake, I was not going to leave you hanging with the frosting! This frosting has a similar flavor to my 2 Ingredient Sugar-Free Chocolate Frosting that topped my Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes, but it has a different texture.
Made of whipped coconut cream, confectioners Swerve, and rich cocoa powder, this frosting really is just like buttercream, but without the butter! This frosting is thick enough to pipe, but for this recipe, I chose to slather it on for the classic Texas Sheet Cake look.
Can I Bake Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake in a Round Cake Tin?
Yes! While I really like this cake cut up into nice even square pieces, it can be baked into one very thick round cake or two thinner rounds. This cake is a great base recipe and can be used to make a layer cake or really any shape you like. To make a round cake I suggest a 9-inch cake tin.
How Do I Store Texas Sheet Cake?
This cake is sure to disappear fast but any leftovers can be covered and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This cake can also be made a few days in advance, then frosted before serving, making this the perfect healthier cake option for parties and entertaining!
Tips and Tricks to Making Gluten Free Chocolate Cake:
- If you don’t want to use almond meal you can use hazelnut meal
- If you do not have confectioners Swerve you can Lakanto monkfruit sugar
- If you cannot find coconut cream, chill 2 cans of coconut milk overnight. In the morning skim off the solid white cream leaving behind the clear water, this is the coconut cream
- If you want to use butter instead of coconut cream, use 1 cup of butter
- Add instant espresso powder to the cake batter to bring out the flavor of the chocolate
Try These Other Gluten-Free Recipes!
And don’t forget to follow Bigger Bolder Baking on Pinterest!
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (10oz/287g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (1 ⅓ oz/37g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (3oz/85g) confectioners Swerve, Lakanto/Swerve or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (6floz/170ml) almond milk, or any other non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup (2floz/57ml) melted coconut oil cooled
Sugar Free Fudge Frosting
- 1 ( 14oz) can coconut cream, cold
- 3/4 cup (3oz/85g) cocoa powder
- 1 cup (4oz/115g) confectioners swerve, or Lakanto confectioner's Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) then grease and line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, cocoa powder, Swerve, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, almond milk, and coconut oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until well combined into a thick batter. Then transfer the batter to the prepared tin.
- Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (Check the cake halfway through and cover with foil if you find the top is getting too brown).
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly before lifting out of the tin and transferring to rack to cool fully. Before serving to make the frosting.
To make the Sugar Free Fudge Frosting:
- Using a hand or stand mixer beat the coconut cream until very light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Once the cream is whipped add in the Swerve and beat to stiff peaks.
- Once the frosting has reached stiff peaks, gradually add the cocoa powder and continue to whip until a thick rich frosting forms.
Assemble the cake:
- Generously slather the frosting on top of the cake, using an offset spatula to swirl it across the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle the edges of the cake with regular or sugar-free sprinkles if desired. Slice the cake into 9 large squared and enjoy!
- Cover and store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
THIS IS SOOO GOOD!!!! This was super I used Powdered Monkfruit( I don’t really care for swerve) and used chocolate almond milk. For the frosting, I ended up using my tried and true Dairy-Free chocolate ganache recipe.( I didn’t have coconut cream on hand)
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 Tsb butter subsite
1 bag(9 ounces) chocolate chips(I used Lilys)
I just put the milk and butter to gather in the microwave for 2 1 minute intervals and added in chips and stirred.
Can we use oats flour instead of Almond flour ?
Hi,
I have been looking for a gf cake that does not contain xanthum gum and I came across this. Could I use King Arthur’s gf flour instead of almond flour, regular white sugar and melted butter instead of melted coconut oil in the cake mix? Thank you
Hi Gemma,
Tried this recipe and i am happy with the texture. I used brown sugar and i felt the sweetness is less. My question is if I had to use brown sugar, how much more can be added. Also can white sugar be added to increase sweetness.
1. Can we use any nut flour … Say cashew nut flour?
2. Can milk be used in place of almond milk
Sorry for asking multiple questions. I want to make this easier as there is moderation here.
Thanks in advance.
Best
Nithya
Do you have to use a sugar substitute or can regular sugar be used? Would there be a change to the measurement if regular sugar is used? I am allergic to most of the non-sugar products and just can’t stand the taste of the ones that don’t cause reactions.
can i use reduced fat coconut milk?
can this be made with reduced fat coconut milk?
Delicious and extremely easy! I love that this recipe can be measured, mixed, and thrown in the oven in 5 minutes. This is the best almond flour chocolate cake recipe I have tried so far. The cake is moist and has a lovely crumb texture. When I made the frosting I realized I did not have a can of coconut cream but I decided to try to whip a can of full fat coconut milk (Thai brand unsweetened), this resulted in a soft peak type whipped cream. This cake, and frosting, freeze and thaw well. I used regular granulated sugar… Read more »
Hi Gemma. Nerdy L here. Making this for my mom’s birthday. Is the coconut cream in this recipe a can of coconut MILK with the liquid drained, or a can of straight up coconut cream?
Hi. I would love to try this. But my son is allergic to nuts. Is there a substitute, coconut flour perhaps?