This rich and decadent Dairy Free Chocolate Cake recipe is the perfect birthday cake for any chocolate lover! Plus, it's made with healthier ingredients like almond flour, unsweetened applesauce, and cacao powder.

Chocolate cake with strawberries on top.

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Why you'll love this recipe!
🍴Ingredient Notes
🍴Step by Step Instructions
How to make Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache
Expert Tips
How to store leftovers
Recipe
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💬 Reviews

Why you'll love this recipe!

This is the perfect chocolate cake recipe to bring to any special occasion! I promise no one will notice it's gluten-free and dairy-free. (My friends and family love it!)

If you're not an everyday baker, you will love how simple and easy this recipe is. It's made with a handful of simple ingredients, and you do not need xanthum gum, avocado oil, or vegan butter.

After following a few easy steps, the end result will blow you away! It's a rich, decadent, and super moist chocolate cake.

🍴Ingredient Notes

Overhead shot of chocolate cake ingredients.

Eggs - I have not tried using an egg replacement for this recipe.
Unsweetened Applesauce - Any applesauce will work for this recipe. I like using unsweetened to cut down on added sugar.
Vanilla Extract - Just a splash to balance out the chocolate flavor!
Golden Monkfruit - You can sub with coconut sugar or any granulated sugar.
Apple Cider Vinegar - The acidity helps to activate the baking soda. You can also swap for lemon juice.
Almond Flour - My favorite gluten-free flour! I would not recommend subbing almond flour for any other flour. My favorite almond flour brands are Bob’s Red Mill, and Blue Diamond. Both have a finely ground blend that doesn’t come out clumpy!
Cacao Powder - You can use traditional cocoa powder, but I like cacao powder because it’s less processed and more NUTRIENT DENSE. TerraSoul is one of my favorite brands – great quality and great price!
Baking Soda & Baking Powder - You'll need both to create the perfect texture.

🍴Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Mixing Dry Ingredients

Start by adding almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a whisk or fork. (Make sure to break up any flour clumps.)

Step 2: Mixing Wet Ingredients

In a separate mixing bowl add eggs, applesauce, monkfruit, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Stir together with a whisk.

Step 3: Preparing to Bake

Next, pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir together until smooth and creamy. Pour the cake batter into an 8" round pan. (Grease with coconut oil or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.)

Step 4: Baking

Bake the cake at 350° for 30 minutes - or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Step 5: Frosting the Chocolate Cake

Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing. Serve as is or with dairy-free frosting or chocolate ganache and strawberry slices.

Chocolate cake on parchment apper with strawberries.

How to make Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate ganache is very easy to make! It's a super thick dairy free and vegan chocolate frosting option!

Just melt about a ½ cup of chocolate until it's smooth and silky.

Add coconut milk or any dairy-free milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency. (Mix with a fork or whisk.)

Expert Tips

Do not pack the almond flour into the cup. Use a spoon to scoop it into the measuring cup and scrape off the excess with a knife.
If you store the cake with chocolate ganache in the refrigerator, it will harden. I recommend frosting right before serving.
Top the chocolate cake with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or cherries! It adds color and balances out the chocolate flavor.
For a second layer, you can double the recipe or use two smaller 6" cake pans.
Use the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate ganache on top.
If you want to use pre-made frosting, I recommend Simple Mills or Miss Jones.

Slice of chocolate cake on a white plate.

How to store leftovers

The cake with or without frosting stores best in the refrigerator.

After about 5 days I would transfer any leftovers into an airtight glass container in the freezer. To defrost, just place the frozen cake in the refrigerator the night before.

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After you make this Dairy Free Chocolate Cake, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe!

Recipe

Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

Name: Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 Eggs; 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 1/2 Cup Golden Monkfruit (You can sub with coconut sugar.); 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar; 1+1/2 Cups Almond Flour; 1/2 Cup Cacao Powder; 2 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda; 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 480 kcal

Equipment

8" Round Cake Pan
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

3 Eggs
½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Cup Golden Monkfruit You can sub with coconut sugar.
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Dry Ingredients

1+½ Cups Almond Flour
½ Cup Cacao Powder
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Start by adding almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir together with a whisk or fork. (Make sure to break up any flour clumps.)
In a separate mixing bowl add eggs, applesauce, monkfruit, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Stir together with a whisk.
Next, pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir together until smooth and creamy.
Pour the cake batter into an 8" round cake pan. (Grease with coconut oil or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Bake the cake at 350° for 30 minutes - or until a toothpick comes out clean!
Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing. Serve as is or with dairy-free frosting or chocolate ganache and strawberry slices.

Notes

How to make chocolate ganache
Chocolate ganache is very easy to make! Just melt about a ½ cup of chocolate until it's smooth and silky. Add coconut milk or any dairy-free milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency. (Mix with a fork or whisk.)

Helpful Tips

Do not pack the almond flour into the cup. Use a spoon to scoop it into the measuring cup and scrape off the excess with a knife.
If you store the cake with chocolate ganache in the refrigerator, it will harden. I recommend frosting right before serving.
Top the chocolate cake with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or cherries! It adds color and balances out the chocolate flavor.
To make a layer cake, you can double the recipe or use two smaller 6" cake pans.
Use the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate ganache on top.
If you want to use pre-made frosting, I recommend Simple Mills or Miss Jones.

How to store leftovers

The cake with or without frosting stores best in the refrigerator. After about 5 days I would transfer any leftovers into an airtight glass container in the freezer. To defrost, just place the frozen cake in the refrigerator the night before.

** See full post for more information and step by step photos!

Nutrition

Serving: 1SliceCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 19gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 10gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 94IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 237mgIron: 4mg

Keywords almond flour chocolate cake, dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, low carb chocolate cake

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