With a rich chocolate flavor and a tender crumb, this vegan gluten free chocolate cake is free of refined sugars and will impress all who get to enjoy it! Using wholegrain gluten free flours, this cake is simple to prepare and yields decadent results!
This has quickly become a favorite cake in our household.
Be it for a healthier after school snack, or slathered in some frosting for a birthday cake treat. In fact we did that recently for my son’s birthday, and all of the neighbors loved the cake….even if they were just ‘regular’ eaters.
The cake by itself is not overly sweet.
It is totally acceptable to add additional sugar to suit your needs….taste the batter and decide!
But with a sweet frosting, it seems a good balance.
How can I frost my vegan gluten free cake?
If you want to make this a special birthday treat, there are many frosting options!
- This super fudgey chocolate frosting cooks of the stove briefly and pours easily on top of cakes. It cools glossy and beautiful.
- This is recipe for a classic vegan buttercream frosting. It was I used in my son’s basketball cake above and pipes well! For layer cake, double the frosting ingredients.
- Here’s a raspberry frosting you could try (replace butter with a vegan version if necessary)
- Here’s a vegan chocolate buttercream you could try!
Can I make this a chocolate layer cake?
Yes!
You will have to double the batter ingredients and cook in two 8″ or 9″pans (square or circle as you prefer).
Wait for the cakes to fully cool before attempting to frost them.
A note on using quinoa flour in this gluten free cake and how to make it taste better!
I use toasted quinoa flour in this recipe.
Quinoa flour by itself is bitter and grassy, and personally I can not stand it! But it is transformed when you toast it, and is so nutritious, it is a great flour to be working with.
To toast quinoa flour:
- Pour up to 1 1/2 pounds flour into a cookie sheet. Go ahead a spread the flour out evenly, and be sure not to make it too thick.
- Bake in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will smell grassy for a bit then start to smell sweet and lovely as it is transformed.
- Store this prepared flour in an airtight container as you would any flour! It’s ready to use!
Make this for an after school snack or special birthday treat….you won’t be disappointed!
Additional gluten free birthday cake ideas:
- Vegan gluten free vanilla cupcakes have all the flavor you love, just not the allergens!
- How about a fall themed cake? This gluten free pumpkin cake with caramel frosting is addicting!
- This gluten free vegan ice cream cake would be a fun treat!
- What about a gluten free banana cake? Yum!
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe:
If you try this rich gluten free chocolate cake recipe, be sure to come back a leave a comment and rating below!
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil OR palm shortening
- 2/3 cup palm sugar I use part liquid stevia, may add more to taste
- 1/2 cup applesauce OR pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vegan yogurt I use So Delicious Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup toasted quinoa flour see notes on how to toast the flour above in post
- 1/3 cup teff flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon guar gum
Optional add-ins:
- chocolate chips cranberries, cherries, toasted nuts, etc
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease an 8 x 8 pan, or line with parchment.
- In a mixer, beat the coconut oil and sugar until creamy.
- Continue with the applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla,
- With the mixer on, sprinkle in the baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and guar gum.
- Continue with the flours.
- If you would like to add chocolate chips, now would be the time!
- Taste to make sure it is sweet enough for you and yours.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- If additional topping or frosting is desired, please see all the options in the post above!
Nutrition
I love the flours you used in this cake! And the applesauce, it makes the cake so soft and moist. Delicious!
Hi! I haven’t made the cake yet but it looks AMAZING! There is just one thing I am wondering about, could I substitute “Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose” flour mix in place of the two flours you use? I am making this as a birthday cake for my friend tomorrow so anyone who knows the answer is welcome to share. Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Michaux! Sorry I did not get back to you sooner! The mix should *work* fine, but it has bean flour, which I can not stand…has a very distinct taste to my taste buds. Hopefully it worked out and the flavor profile did not change too much and you guys enjoyed it!
i just discovered your blog, and whipped up this recipe for my dad’s birthday. he and i have dairy/wheat/egg/almond/cane sugar allergies, and it was a magical cake. actually, like a brownie cake, and that’s the highest praise i can give you! it was heavenly. i made it with chocolate coconut milk yoghurt, pumpkin & made my own quinoa flour :D. this is my first teff flour recipe. added lots of chocolate chips to supplement the 2/3 coconut palm sugar. i made chocolate ‘mousse’ with silken tofu and melted chocolate to put on top. delicious! can’t wait to share this recipe with my allergen free buddies. thank you thank you <3. haven't eaten a good brownie in like 7 years.
I don’t have teff flour. Any suggestion for substitute? I have at least 7 different other flours and we don’t have nut allergies in our family.
Thank you so much for the post!!! You made it seems possible 🙂
Lots of options for substitutions gf oat flour. brown rice, maybe almond.
Do you think that grinding quinoa flakes into flour would have the same taste result as toast the quinoa flour? I already have some of that but no quinoa flour.
not sure kelly…quinoa flakes are made by steam rolling the whole quinoa grain…which definitely reduces the bitter taste like toasting does. I think it is worth a shot, but use a coffee grinder to make a fine enough flour!
I love chocolate cake and seeing different varieties. Thanks for sharing on Tuesday Greens!
Chocolate is where it’s at!
Wow.. That looks so delicious..
This looks YUM! And thanks for the tidbit about toasting quinoa flour. I made muffins with quinoa flour once and they were horrible even though I follow the recipe to the tee! I guess toasting is the key!
Thanks, Tessa!!! I love how you have such great suggestions for kids of all dietary needs while letting them still have “regular” type birthday cakes! This post is much appreciated!!!
Yummy Chocolate Cake, looks so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
You have done it again my friend!!!!! My baking guru strikes again…haha.
Tessa, you’ve outdone yourself with this healthy version of chocolate cake. Your recipes are so helpful to the allergy-free community…or ANYONE for that matter. Watch out, Scott might hop in his car and drive north following this cake. 🙂
Have a great rest of your week.
–Amber