Moist fluffy cake, the creamiest frosting, party-perfect dessert decadence on a fork – this Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake is NOT messing around!
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY VITAMIX.
Vegan Chocolate Cake from scratch!
Not from a box. Not from fruits and seeds and other not-typically-found-in-cake ingredients. Believe me, I love a good slice of funfetti just as much as I love a hippie raw hemp date cupcake with sweet potato frosting too. But we all need a solid, serve to anyone, healthier than it looks, homemade chocolate cake recipe in our back pocket. For birthdays and holidays and rainy saturdays and all the I-just-want-cake occasions.
This recipe is pretty damn close to classic. As close as vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and developed by me is going to get. Not too hard to make. Not too healthy. Birthday level impressive, but still one bowl + one blender approachable. The cake is moist, the crumb is light, the frosting is trying to steal the show with its creamydreamy richness. It’s decadent with a hint of wholesome. If baking balance was a perfect bite of frosted cake, it’d be this one.
I know, I know. Homemade cake, homemade frosting, homemade chocolate curls on top, not eating all the frosting with a spoon while the cake is cooling – this sounds like a lot of work. But we don’t need the all-purpose flour in the cake or the butter in the “buttercream” or two bowls and three whisks because we have something better than all of that combined. The Vitamix!
This amazing machine is our co-worker the entire way through the cake-making process. And just about everything else I do in the kitchen ever, but that’s another story of kitchen appliance obsession. For now CHOCOLATE CAKE…
This recipe starts out wholesome – everybody’s favorite breakfast food turned flour. Oats + the Vitamix + 30 seconds and DONE. Don’t be afraid to kick the blender up to high speed here, you want the oat flour extra fine for optimal light cakey texture.
Combine with the rest of the dry ingredients – cocoa or cacao powder, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If we were being on our best baker behavior we would sift. But laziness is real, I don’t own a sifter, and whisking them works almost as well.
Next comes the wet ingredients – almond butter, applesauce, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and coffee extract (optional but highly suggested for extra rich chocolatey flavor!). We could mix by hand, but why would we in a world where the Vitamix exists and can do that better and faster for us.
I am using the Vitamix A3500 in this recipe and video, btw!
Now the frosting – this is where the Vitamix really shines. You won’t get nearly as creamy a cashew-based frosting without it. Soaking the cashews overnight and using the tamper to keep it blending but not too thin are both key too. You can use almond milk to blend the frosting, but better yet is coconut oil so it will set like buttercream. Coconut milk or cream could work too.
This might be my favorite part. The decadence is REAL.
Frosting meet (cooled!) cake. This is a good moment…
Chocolate shavings meet frosting. This is an even better moment…
But the BEST moment is the first bite moment. As your fork finds it’s way around those fragments of dark chocolate, through that thick layer of cashew-y cocoa heaven (a.k.a. frosting) on top, and sinks into a couple fluffy inches of seriously GOOD chocolate cake.
You need to experience this moment for yourself.
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Description
Moist fluffy cake, the creamiest frosting, party-perfect dessert decadence on a fork – this Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake is NOT messing around!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups(240g) oat flour*
- 1 cup (80g) cacao powder
- 3/4 cup (90g) tapioca starch**
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup (360g) almond milk
- 1/2 cup (130g) almond butter
- 3/4 cup (105g) coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 cup (360g) applesauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coffee extract (optional)
Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup (180g) raw cashews soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (20g) cacao powder
- 1/4 cup(50g) coconut oil***
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Combine the oat flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift or whisk until no lumps remain.
- In a blender combine the almond butter, coconut sugar, applesauce, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and coffee extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Don’t over mix.
- Pour into a 9-inch cake pan (round or square).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Comine all the ingredients in a high speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth, using the tamper and/or stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Try not to add extra liquid, but you can add 1-2 tbsp nondairy milk if necessary.
- Refrigerate until firm and spreadable (at least 2 hours).
- Once the cake is cool, frost, top with chocolate shavings, and enjoy!
- It’s best fresh, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
*Store-bought or make your own by grinding oats (rolled, quick, or steel cut) in a high speed blender until fine.
**You can substitute with arrowroot or cornstarch.
***You can use non-dairy milk instead, but it won’t be as creamy or set the same way.
Looking for a fruit-sweetened chocolate cake? Try THIS recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (with frosting)
- Calories: 389
- Sugar: 20
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 9
Keywords: chocolate, birthday, cake, vegan, gluten-free, oil-free
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Oh my goodness this looks amazing, especially the frosting. I have your brownie cups in the freezer so I may have to make some later today!! Is this the blender you usually use? I’m wanting a vitamix but unsure of which one suits my needs the best. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Kendra! How did the brownie cups turn out? I love those, probably my favorite brownie recipe to date😋 But this frosting is DIVINE you gotta try it. Yes, this is the Vitamix I’ve been using most often but honestly I’ve worked with 3-4 of their models at this point and they are all wonderful. This one is a bit more pricey and has built in programs for blending certain things which is nice but not essential if you want to save some money. I would recommend one with the Smart Blend technology since you have more cup size options that way, so any of these would be great: https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop/smart-system-blenders Hope that helps!
I pretty much have your brownie cups in my freezer at all times. That’s how amazing they are. I undercook them a little so they are extra fudgey straight from the freezer. Thanks for the recommendation about the blender, especially keeping money in mind!!!. I will talk a look at them.
I really should do a whole post on them, but like I said to Kendra I’ve worked with 3-4 of their models at this point and they are all wonderful. This one is a bit more pricey and has built in programs for blending certain things (smoothie, soup, nut butter, etc.) which is nice but not essential if you want to save some money. I would recommend one with the Smart Blend technology since you have more cup size options that way, so any of these would be great: https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop/smart-system-blenders Hope that helps!
Your video says cocoa but the recipe says cacao, will either work? Thank you!
Either will work, yes!
YAY! Thank you! I will be trying to recipe tomorrow. Can’t wait!
Perfect, let me know how it goes🤗
Hi,
I like Kendra is in wants/needs for a blender so would love yo hear your valued opinion.
I love your blog and recipes
Thanks,
Robin M
Helloooo Monday! No better start to my Monday than with chocolate! Who are we kidding, everyday that is the best start, bahaha. Chocolate cake is so classic and one can never have enough OR too many chocolate cake options. Loving the creamy cashew swirls on top and of course the chocolate shavings on top! You know my love for those chocolate shaved swirls on top for cakes runs DEEP, haha. That’s always my favorite way to decorate cakes and the little extra bites of chocolate in each mouthful, mmmm. Thanks for starting Monday off with a bang Natalie!! I always love to drool this early in the week, bahaha. I love that overhead shot, gorgeous!
Ha any day/week/month–starting with chocolate sounds like a good plan to me. I agree, I love cake and cupcake recipes too, plus developing them for the blog gives me a reason to eat birthday level leftovers for a week for now reason🤗 I almost went sprinkles but the curls make me feel just a little fancier. Although I think a less dark chocolate would’ve worked better they turned into more shavings than curls. Ah well chocolate is chocolate😊
You’ve outdone yourself again, girl! I never enjoyed chocolate cake until I started making your recipes, and now I’ve made your date-sweetened chocolate cupcakes a couple dozen times. I am clearly going to LOVE this recipe just as much. And OMG yes to making everything in the Vitamix. It’s my answer to hating whisks and bowls and messes and clean up in general. Vitamix? is the first question I ask myself when I am deciding what dessert to make 😉 This recipe checks all my boxes, and more!
A couple dozen times–you are the best Ashley, that makes me so happy! Those have been my go-to for all cake occasions for a while now, but um this one kinda blows them away tbh🙊 I still love those for a healthy option, but for parties and sharing with non-vegan people this will probably be my new go to. Ugh THAT FROSTING🙌 Oh and everything in the vitamix, please and thank you😊
I ditched my sifter years ago when I discovered I could use my large strainer (not colander), just tapping the side until everything sifts through. One less gadget taking up valuable space in my cabinets. Sifts better than whisk.
Yes that’s what I usually use too, works great! But I actually left even that at my moms house, so for now whisking works😆
Hi! Can I just use normal oat flour? What is the tapioca flour for? Thanks btw! Lovely recipe!
The tapioca flour binds and makes the cake crumbly without using eggs or an egg replacer. You can sub cornstarch or arrowroot, but I don’t recommend skipping it. Hope that helps!
Can I use normal oat flour instead of gluten free oat flour? Will it affect the texture? Thank you!
Yep, absolutely! Won’t affect the texture at all 🙂
Thank you so much! Will give it a try❤
HI!! I have a quick question, can i use almond flour instead of oat flour?
Not for this recipe unfortunately. It’s SO much more moist it would turn out very mushy if you do. I will work on a grain-free cake recipe soon though! Or if you want to make my favorite almond flour muffins and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder you could try that too: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/easy-chocolate-chip-muffins/
This chocolate cake looks and sounds ah-mazing!!Thanks for sharing!
It’s SO GOOD. I just finished the last piece of leftovers last night and I’m already missing it😆 Thanks Emily!
The cake is so delicious. I made it today! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Woohoo I am thrilled to hear that you liked it too!! I just finished my last piece yesterday and missing it already❤️ Enjoy the rest!
I just guessed that the milk was part of the wet ingredients – it wasn’t mentioned in the method? Mixture is very wet and filled 2 cake tins which is great because I got two layers of frosting filled cakes!
Very rich and dense not light and fluffy and because the mixture is so wet took about 40 mins to cook but delighted with the end result- thanks!!!
★★★★
Oops my mistake–fixing that now! But yes, you guessed correctly. I am so happy you liked it Pam, thanks for the feedback😊
Pam, thanks for your comment. I was right in the middle of making this cake when I realized the milk was not mentionned in the method! You made my day! 🙂
Fixed! So sorry, I don’t know how I missed that🙈
OMG 😱😍 for the love of CHOCOLATE!!!! This looks incredible!! Bahahahaha!!!!! Don’t get me wrong, I too enjoy a “hippie raw hemp date cupcake” 😂 but I’ve learned to stick as close to a classic when it comes to needing a crowd pleaser dessert. And THIS cake definitely looks like a classic…especially with that frosting 😍😍😍 I am a sucker for a good coconut oil frosting – something about that melt in your mouth, creamy texture – you can’t beat it! Reading your description of the first bite just about killed me. Holy. Josh’s birthday is coming up in June and I think this needs to happen. I love those dreamy swirls of frosting and chocolate curls! Just beautiful!!! I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend, Natalie!! So sorry for falling behind on reading your lovely posts ❤️
Ha yes I mean “hippie” in the most loving way of course. I think that’s what I love about having been vegan/raw vegan for a while is that funky dehydrator squash flatbread or hemp date carrot cakes don’t weird me out. I love those things as much as real cake, just different 🙂 Oooh it would be b-day perfect! And maybe just maybe you will be able to eat oats by then🤞 I am so with you on coconut oil/cashew frostings, as close to buttercream as I need. Noooooooo worries! I am equally as behind on email replies, but I promise that’s coming too <3 Enjoy the rest of your weekend ❤️ xo
Thank you! Natalie! I made this cake yesterday for my sister’s Birthday dinner and it was a hit!
Trina!! I am so so happy everyone loved it and I hope you and your family had a wonderful celebration🤗 Thanks for the feedback!
I just tried making the frosting in my Vitamix, and it’s very separated. The coconut oil did not blend with the cashew/chocolate. I don’t know what went wrong! Did I blend it for too long?
Hmmm….were all your ingredients at room temp or warmer? If some were still cold that can cause the coconut oil to start to solidify and turn into chunks, but usually if you blend long enough it works itself out and turns smooth. That’s the only thing I can think of. Over blending shouldn’t cause it to separate.
hi… can you replace the apple sauce with someting else?
Sure, canned pumpkin or non-dairy yogurt would work as well!
Hi, can I replace apple sauce with something else? Thank you
★★★★★
sorry I just read the previous comment and had the answer, thank you again 🙂
Canned pumkin puree, mashed banana, or nondairy yogurt would all be okay. It may change the texture a bit, but will still work!
Do you think the frosting would be good for piping, like normal buttercream? I have been searching EVERYWHERE for a good pipeable frosting. This looks amazing, BTW! I am so bummed out that I found this website, like, a month after my birthday because the cupcakes I made just didn’t cut it.
★★★★★
This frosting will not be as easy to pipe as buttercream, but yes I do think it will work. The tricky part will be getting it at just the right temp to where its not too firm to pipe smoothly but still cold enough to stay put. And after piping you will need to pop them in the fridge immediately for it to set. Aww bummer on the bday cupcakes. But hey, I think that qualifies as a reason to celebrate with more cake now🤗🤗
This looks so damn soft and mellow, so yummy 🙂
Mmmm I love that description😋 One of my favorites, I hope you try it!
Hi Natalie,
Is this recipe suitable for a multi-cooker?
Thank you
A multi cooker? I’m not sure I know what you mean, like a pressure cooker?
It is also called instant pot. Like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=sxts_k2p-hero-vn-pb_bs_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8477664412492203526&pd_rd_wg=3M94T&pf_rd_r=0S2XZCHTV74T2G41Y3HD&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00FLYWNYQ&pd_rd_w=tSdQI&pf_rd_i=multi-cooker&pd_rd_r=d2129736-570c-4fc4-b4fa-6e3067b22b7f&ie=UTF8&qid=1528265750&sr=1
Yep that’s what I thought you might be referring to 🙂 I don’t have an instant pot nor have I ever use one so I can’t really say (sadly, REALLY need to get one!). You will have to experiment with it for yourself.
Hi Natalie haha, could I use dates instead of the sugar? And if so, how much? Thanks! You’re the best!
This recipe won’t work with dates, but for a date-sweetened chocolate cake try this recipe: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/the-best-healthy-chocolate-cupcakes/
Hi Natalie! I see you use nut butters in some of your recipes, but where I live they’re difficult to find and nuts and seeds are quite expensive. Could I replace it with something healthy but different from seed butters? Thanks a lot and congratulations for your blog and delicious recipes 🙂
So I usually use nut butters to add some fat/moisture to a recipe without having to use oil. In some cases you could sub with vegan butter or coconut oil, but the amount will be different and it may change the texture so I can’t guarantee that will always work in any recipe unfortunately. Here for instance I would recommend 1/4 cup coconut oil (or other kinds of oils would work too). Sorry, there really is no perfect sub. My best advice would be to make your own nut butters, although I know nuts are expensive😬
This looks so amazing !! Do you think this recipe would work for cupcakes?? Thank you.
Yep, works great as cupcakes too! Maybe bake for 5 minutes less though🙂
Hi Natalie! Can I use whole wheat flour instead of the oat flour?
I haven’t tested it, but it should work! Just omit the tapioca starch and use whole wheat flour in place of both 🙂 Good luck!
Hi Natalie,
I have a question, Can I cut down the recipe in half? I have a 8″ round shape mold. I think it is too much dough for that size. What do you think?
Thanks,
Laura
★★★★★
The pan I used is only 9″ so I think halving it for an 8″ won’t be enough batter. You could try 1.5x the recipe or just make the full batch size and then bake the extra as a couple of cupcakes or something like that 🙂
Thanks so much, that’s a great idea.
★★★★★
I just tasted it for the first time.
I’m not one who likes sweets ans sugar but still I think next time I’ll use a little bit more sugar and vanilla.
I ate it with vanilla ice cream (non-vegan) and this made a perfect balance concerning the sweetness.
I also sprinkled cinnamon and cardamom on thop of my peace of cake and it tasted sooo delicious!
My cake did turn out very dense and not very thick but I baked it around 10 minutes more than instructed and it came out not too moist like many other gluten free cake recipies turn out.
So 5 stars it it from me for this recipe. Thanks for creating it and sharing it!
Oh I forgot! I didn’t do the frosting, which is why I ate it with ice cream.
★★★★★
Woohoo!! I am so so happy you liked it🤗 I love the sound of the ice cream for frosting swap, almost like a brownie/cake sundae🍫🍨 And those spices sprinkled on sounds delish too. The thickness usually just has to do with pan size, although if it was a bit dense perhaps it didn’t rise properly which can sometimes happen if your baking powder/soda is old. Anyways, I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed it and thank you for the feedback, Isabelle!
🙂 Hello Natahlie, Thanks for the informations.
My baking powder was bought last month but in bulk, who knows how ‘old’ it is!?!
And I used measuring cups. Next time I’ll go by weight. This can make a difference for sure.
I cut the cake in bite size squares and froze a few as a test.
…..ok…now I have to go eat one!. lollll
Have a nice day.
By “old” I just meant that as baking powder/soda is open and hanging in the pantry for a while it loses potency and won’t cause as much rise. And yes, baking by weight is always most accurate so I highly recommend it! Mmm I bet it will be delish frozen–great idea🤗 Happy weekend!
🙂 Can’t wait to try it again!
Have a nice week-end too.
Hi natalie i was wondering if i could replace the almond butter for the cake with peanut butter, also i was wondering if i could replace the cashews for the frosting with peanut butter and i was wondering what i could use instead of apple cider vinegar for the cake.
Yes peanut butter will work in the cake, but not for the frosting. You could probably find a different peanut butter frosting recipe though and pair it with this cake. And for the apple cider vinegar you could use lemon juice instead, you just need an aside. Hope that helps!
Thank you and also what is an aside?
Oh and I was also wondering if i could replace the cashews for the frosting with cashew butter, and if i can how much do i use?
Haha my bad, I meant acid. And yes, you can use cashew butter for the frosting–try about 1 cup 🙂
How much lemon juice should I use?
Same amount, one tablespoon!
Hi natalie I was wondering if I could replace the coconut sugar with brown sugar?
Yes, that will work!
I was so hopeful. It came out dense, heavy, and chewy. Not at all moist and fluffy. The best part of this is the frosting. Whatever we made is great to top with ice cream but in my book, it doesn’t stand on its own. It tastes “too healthy.”
★★
Hi, can I freeze it?
You can, but since it’s oil-free it may be a bit dry after defrosting 🙂
OMG this cake look so yummy! Is there a way to make it into a vanilla cake? My birthday is coming up and I’d like to try my hand at a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.
I still need this chocolate cake in my life.
I have tried many times to make this vanilla and it’s tricky. But this is my vanilla version of this recipe, although it does have a few tweaks: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/vegan-vanilla-cupcakes/ And it does work as a cake instead of cupcakes, just bake it for 30-35 in a 9″ pan. Hope that helps!
You’re wonderful. Thank you!
Hi Natalie,
Can you use cashew butter instead of almond butter for the cake? Would the amount be the same? Thanks!
Absolutely! It will be delicious with cashew butter, and yes same amount 🙂
This is the first time a vegan and gluten free recipe has worked for me. Instead of applesauce I used two cooked beets and replaced the oat and tapioca with red Bob’s glutenfree mix and almond meal. The nut butter was replaced with oil.It was soft fudgy and quite divine. Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
Woohoo!! That is amazing to hear Mary, I am so happy it was a success🤗🤗 Thanks for sharing your swaps too, I love the beet idea!
Natalie, this recipe is beautiful and came together easily. It’s baking and my house smells delicious!! I cut back a little on the applesauce and almond milk because it seemed like a lot of liquid to me. Pretty sure my oven temp is correct and I used a 9” springform pan – but already 15 mins extra time and still needs longer. That said, it is big and beautiful!! Wondering if you have any thoughts??
Hi Valerie! Is it still seeming to soft/liquidy in the middle, is that why you added more liquid? But it rose okay? And you didn’t make any tweaks to the dry ingredients at all? How thick/runny was the batter? Sorry for all the Qs, trying to figure out why it might be taking so long without being there…!
It took almost 50 minutes
I actually measured under on the liquid ingredients. No other substitutions. It was medium-thick, like a regular cake batter.
It rose beautifully and looks great! The crumbs on the toothpick testers were a tasty tease!
I’m going to work on the frosting and will let you know how it all turns out.
Interesting. Well I have no idea why it took so long, but I am glad you stuck it out. I hope the frosting and finished product are delicious and perfect😍 Can’t wait to hear…
hello,
this looks insanely good and i’m already soaking the cashews, getting ready to make this cake tomorrow! just one thing: any safe replacements for tapioca/arrowroot/cornstarch, as the first two aren’t easy to get where i live, and this seems like quite a lot of cornstarch. can i replace it with flour?
You would likely be fine using the cornstarch, it’s there to make the texture fluffy and not too crumbly. Can you eat gluten? If you use all purpose or wheat flour you wouldn’t need the starch, but with just oat flour it will be quite dense/gummy without the starch.
hey, i love gluten. :)) but i will use the cornstarch then, it just seemed like a lot because i’ve never used more than 1 tsp of starch at a time and now i’m basically subbing flour with it. 😀
will report how the cake turns out, definitely looks amazing!
I made this for my son’s nursery school charity bake sale and this FLEW off the table! Seriously, it was so popular! There were no set prices for the cake slices, only voluntary donations, but one lady paid £6 (what is that, approx $8?) for the last slice IT WAS THAT GOOD! And that frosting! 🤤 HEAVENLY! I think I subconsciously under-frost cakes just so that I can be all like “Oh dear. We have excess frosting and the dishwasher surely won’t be able to cope so I must eat it all myself now”. I know you’ve had lots of positive feedback about this cake but it’s all true and I felt that I had to voice my agreement! I didn’t think that this cake would rival your chocolate cupcakes but man I would have a hella tough time choosing between the two if I was only allowed one at a party!
★★★★★
Hahaha that is amazing!! It’s great to get feedback from a group like that, I am so happy it was a hit🤗🤗 Lol I think I actually do that same thing with frosting…weird😉 Ugh chocolate frosting is so good, a dessert all it’s own really. I always appreciate more input, so thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback. And don’t tell the cupcakes, but I prefer this one!
I think you have a typo in the recipe! Under cake ingredients, it lists ‘cacao powder’ but in your video it says ‘cocoa powder’. Cake still turned out nice but it certainly doesn’t taste like chocolate. Oh well!
★★★★
Either works! They are almost always interchangeable 🙂 Doesn’t taste like chocolate, what do you mean??
Just wanted to comment on the frosting. I made it using cacao powder for some cupcakes and it ended up having a sour, acidic aftertaste. I would recommend using cocoa powder or even Dutch cocoa. I haven’t had an issue using cacao for date or sweet potato based frostings it was just this one for some reason. Not your fault as I know cacaos can be different from each other! Otherwise it was very rich and creamy.
Hmm that’s so odd, what brand of cacao powder were you using? Sounds like that may be the issue, I’ve never had that issue here (or ever when using cacao powder). I typically use the Healthworks or Navitas Naturals brands personally😊
This looks amazing! I want to try this weekend. I cant fund applesauce where I live. What else can I use, bananas? How many or same quantity? Thank you!
I would recommend nondairy yogurt in place of the applesauce. But if you can’t find that then banana will work okay too, may make the texture slightly less light/fluffy though. It will be about 4 large bananas mashed!
Dear Natalie. I have another question, regarding the cacao. Can one use like a quarter cup instead of full cub? And also, what is a suitable subatitute for someone very sensitive to caffeine?
Many thanks
Ceferino
I don’t recommend it, the chocolate flavor won’t be strong enough. But if you want to try it, increase the flour to make up for the dry ingredient difference. Or you could try carob powder for a caffeine free alternative 🙂
Hi Natalie
Thank you for this great recipe. So I finally managed to get all the ingredients together and gave it a go. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out so good, and I would like to understand why so I can give it another go.
Basically, the cake collapsed/fell flat soon after taking out of oven. My thinking/suspicious is this: I used too small a bake dish, causing the cake to be too high. Reason I think this is because I had it in the oven for 1 hours (twice as long as you say) and still when inserting toothpick it was wet at the bottom but I had to remove to avoid it burning at the top. Then as soon as I took it out, it fell/collapsed. What are your thoughts on this? And also, could you please give me the dimensions of the baking dish you used/to use – measurements of both sides please 🙂 It still tasted very good though, although very “dense/thick” Thanks so much!
I think you are correct on your suspicions, using a smaller pan will make the batter too thick/dense to get the center to cook through completely before the edges are overdone. My baking dish is 9×9″ and I really don’t recommend going smaller than that. Or you can make it as cupcakes if you don’t have a pan that size. Hope that helps, and the next batch turns out much better!
Wonderful thank you!
★★★★
Would this cake work well for the base of an ice cream cake? Looking for a vegan base for a mint chip cake, daughter’s request!
Looks delicious!
Yes I think so! Or this one might be even better, it’s more brownie like: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/brownie-mousse-cake/
Made this for my son’s 5th birthday last night. Loved it! Reminded me more of a brownie texture vs. A cake texture, but who doesn’t love brownies?!? So fudgy! Yum!
★★★★★
I am so happy it was delicious, Nina!! Hope you guys had a fun night celebrating, and thanks for the cake feedback🤗
While this is a great recipe- super moist lovely cake with natural ingredients, it took me OVER an hour to bake at 350. Very time consuming when I went into it thinking I could bake it and go about my day but it took quite a while for the toothpick to come out clean.
★★★★
Hmm so odd, what size pan did you use?
a 9 inch circle cake pan. The batter fit perfect but it was definitely very liquid which I think is why it took so long to bake.
I love this recipe, but could I use eggs instead of the arrowroot? How many would I need? Thanks!
I haven’t tested it, but should be fine! I’d try 3 and reduce the almond milk to 1 cup to make up for the liquid/dry difference 🙂
Hey,
This looks amazing and would love to try it.
Could you please tell me if a 10.12 x 10.12 x 1.5 in round pan work?
That pan is quite a little bigger than mine so it will make the slightly thinner/flatter. But still work, yes!
Sure, will the baking time still be the same?
It will bake a little faster, probably around 25-30 minutes!
Hi!
Can I replace the almond butter ?
And which other flour would work instead of oat flour. Almond meal maybe?
Thanks!
You could use another nut or seed butter instead of almond, sure! And almond won’t work in place of the oat but buckwheat or quinoa could. Are you trying to make it grain free?
Hi!
No it is just I am searching to use the almond meal I would have left from making almond milk.
I am searching a nut butter/seed butter free version but I guess it would be hard to make….
Could I theoretically make the monkey bread as a cake? Do you think it would work as an alternative?
It does not have to be grain free, I can also use oats or even spelt flour 🙂
Thank you for your time!
You could try the monkey bread as a cake! I haven’t tried that personally. I also have a few bundt cakes on here made with yogurt and no nut butter of you have that, like this one: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/raspberry-chocolate-chip-cake/ And spelt flour or oat would work!
This was a big hit. Thank you so much for the whole package. My cake turned a bit dry and dense prolly cos the oat flour was a bit coarse. But the frosting stole the show—-‘twas was so yum. I made it with organic liquid jaggery instead of maple. Im baking this again for the little one’s birthday – wanted to check with you if I can bake it as a Bundt cake? Thanks!
★★★★★
I am so happy you enjoyed it Vini! Yes finely ground oat flour is definitely best here, and what size bundt pan are you thinking of using? Should be fine but the baking time may be a little longer!
9” – any advice?
Thanks already.
That should work, I’d recommend baking for 40-45 minutes!
Question-
Can I use another type of milk? Oat? Hemp?
Sure absolutely, any of those will work here!
The cake turned out chewy instead of fluffly. I used 8 inch round pan. Also, used date sugar instead of coconut sugar. Any idea what may have gone wrong? PS, frosting was amazing 🙂
Aw bummer. The smaller pan may have made it a bit more dense since the batter would be thicker, but the sugar swap should be fine. Did you make any other changes and did you measure by weight of volume?
I would have to say volume because I measured using measuring cups and spoons. Also I did not have oat flour so I used gluten free rolled oats blended into flour using a mixer. When I mixed wet and dry ingredients, my mixture was a lot thicker than what it looks like in your video. It was not runny like in your video. I would really like to try this again but not sure what to change. Thanks in advance for your help 🙂
★★
Ah okay this helps! So depending on how finely ground your flour was that could be part of the issue, did you use a food processor or a high speed blender? And if you measured the rolled oats vs the ground flour the amount used would be different and could make the batter too dry/thick like you mentioned. If you are going to retry I’d recommend buying pre-ground flour unless you have like a Vitamix to grind your won super fine, and then if the batter is looking too thick again add 1/4-1/2 cup more milk. Also if your almond butter is more thick than runny that could be part of the issue too! Hope that helps Kaira 🙂
Can I use cashew butter instead of almond butter for the cake? And can I use dairy milk instead of almond milk as well?
Yes and yes! Both will work just as well 🙂
Hi! Saw this recipe from the dates-sweetened one and it seems to have a much less sugar content.
– If I want to make this into cupcakes, how many standard size ones will this recipe yield? I’m looking to make only 6 cupcakes so trying to see how I should make any adjustments.
– Also, presumably, I can reduce the amount of coconut sugar without affecting the texture?
– I don’t need this to be dairy free. Can I replace 1:1 applesauce with greek yogurt?
Thank you so much!
One batch will make about 10 cupcakes, so you could half the batch and probably stretch it to 6 but they might be a little small. You can use less coconut sugar yes, they may be a little drier but shouldn’t be too bad. And yes greek yogurt should work just fine! Best of luck to you Isabelle 🙂
Thank you so much! Am looking forward to making this!
Hi Natalie, I made this cake for my husband’s birthday today and followed the directions using exactly the ingredients you had listed. I have a Vitamix and used that to blend the wet ingredients as stated in the recipe. I didn’t think I overmixed the batter as there were still some dry bits of flour and cocoa when I put in the pan. I baked for about 35-36 minutes and the cake came out very rubbery. It was not fluffy at all and after frosting and sitting for awhile, it was very fudgey. It tasted good, but I’m not sure what could have gone wrong. I did use an 8×8 square pan and it rose beautifully and my tester came out clean.
★★★
I’m sorry the texture didn’t come out great Becky! It’s hard for me to say for sure since I wasn’t there and mine was quite fluffy, but it sounds like you did everything right. You could try less tapioca starch next time since that is quite a sticky ingredient, and/or swapping some of the applesauce (I’d try 1/2 cup) for oil since a little extra fat typically helps with the texture of oat flour baked goods. Hope that helps!
Hey Nat,
My mother birthday coming soon and she loves Chocolate so I plan to.please her with a Chocolate Cakes party!
I already have the Brownie Mousse Cake on top of my list of course, but I also discovered so many good recipes from.you and this Chocolate Cake looks awesome as everything you!
#FOOD PROCESSOR
As I only have a Nutribullet Im scared not enough powerful almost for the Batter so can I use Food Processor?
#PAN
I have a 9inch Springform pan or a 8×8 square pan with removable base so both are good for thid recipe? Baking time is different with a 8×8? Cake may be too dense with an 8×8…?
You use a 9×9 square in the video?
#FROSTING
So I can substitute Coconut oil with Almond Milk or Coconut Milk (but full fat from a Can and only thick part or well mixed?)
Please let me know!
Many thanks
Henri 😉
★★★★★
A food processor will be fine for the batter, but I don’t recommend that for the frosting. It’s not powerful enough for the cashews you will end up with a lumpy frosting. Either pan will work, I’d go with the 9”. As stated in the notes, yes milk will work in place or the oil for the frosting.
Hey Nat,
Pleasure to read you as usual!
I understand for the Food Processor and Blender different capacities…
Im hurry to have a Vitamix I wont have so much troubles to grind or mix finely to success in all your recipes!
For the 9inch Pan.do you mean the classic round pan or the rounf Springform pan?
Which would be easier to remove?
I guess I have to grease well or line like for the Brownie Mousse Cake?
And for the Coconut Oil substitute Coconut Milk would be the best choice for creamy texture or even Almond Milk will do the job?
Thanks again Nat!
Henri 😉
★★★★★
Either pan will work, and yes grease it. Any kind of milk will do, coconut is fine!
Hey Nat thanks,
So if I use my Springform pan, maybe can I let the Cake inside, then pour frosting on top and freeze until day before?
(Remove from Springform pan and let defrost overnight)?
Of course fresh in the fridge is the best, but I had success with freezing your Blondies and Fudge Brownies! Perfect!
Henri 😉
★★★★★
I’d recommend just freezing the cake and adding the frosting after defrosting just before serving
Hey Nath,
Thanks again for your answers on other recipes!
Unlike the Brownie Mousse this Cake can be frozen with Frosting on it?
Otherwise if I would like to have a Vanilla Frosting just have to remove Cacao Powder or some quantities change?
Please let me know..
Many thanks
Henri 🙂
★★★★★
Frosting is never going to freeze very well, you are always better off freezing the cake without it and then frosting after!