Name: Paleo Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup almond flour; 2/3 cup cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 cup canned pumpkin; 4 eggs, whisked; 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted; 1 cup almond butter; 1 tsp vanilla; 3/4 cup chocolate chips

By: Erin2/18/20

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Paleo Chocolate Cake is made from simple, healthy ingredients. It’s gluten-free, packed with nutrients, and made with a delicious vegan frosting. It tastes so great that your friends and family will never guess that it’s healthy!

A delicious paleo dessert

I’ve always been the biggest chocolate lover that I know. I eat it all the time and pretty much always have a stash of chocolate goodies in my home. Sometimes it’s cookies, sometimes brownies, and sometimes even my favorite candies make their way into my pantry. For me, days without it are few and far between!

With that being said, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that this chocolate cake is one of my favorite paleo recipes that I’ve ever made. I mean, any cake that’s full of chocolate flavor but remains paleo-approved is a winner in my book!

Yep, it’s true. This double chocolate dessert is made with 100% paleo-approved ingredients. But, despite all ingredients being paleo, it’s not one of those cakes that tastes healthy. Ya know what mean? The truth is, once you taste it, you probably won’t believe that it’s diet-friendly!

If you love chocolate as much as I do, bake my Double Chocolate Mint Paleo Cookies next.

Ingredients for chocolate paleo cake

To make the best paleo chocolate cake on the planet, you’ll need a selection of ingredients. Here’s a complete list of everything used to make this deliciously moist and fluffy cake.

Almond flour
Cocoa powder
Salt
Baking soda
Pumpkin
Eggs
Maple syrup
Coconut oil
Almond butter
Vanilla
Chocolate chips

As for the icing, I’ll be using my favorite vegan frosting recipe. This icing is made using firm tofu, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, chocolate chips, and coconut oil.

Kitchen tools used to make this paleo dessert

To make this cake, you’ll only need 4-5 items! First, you’ll need cake pans (one or two depending on the size), two mixing bowls, and a mixing utensil. That’s it!

How to make paleo chocolate cake with vegan frosting

This paleo dessert is very easy to make and requires nothing more than a bit of mixing and baking. In total, you can expect prep time to require about 15 minutes. When all is said and done, you’ll have 12 delicious, chocolatey pieces of cake!

To make this paleo chocolate cake, begin by preheating the oven to 350F and greasing your cake pan(s). I used two 9 inch pans for this recipe.

Next, mix the almond flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl.

Then, in a larger bowl, whisk the pumpkin with the eggs until they’re very well combined and smooth.

Next, add in the syrup, oil, almond butter, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until fully combined.

Then, fold in the chocolate chips. Be sure to set some to the side to use later on top of the finished cake.

Next, pour the cake batter into a greased pan and bake for 23-28 minutes depending on the pan. If you’re using a loaf or an 8×8 pan, your cake may require more time. It’s done cooking when a toothpick comes out clean.

Once the cake has cooled, add the vegan frosting to the tops.

Finally, serve and enjoy!

What makes paleo cake healthier

I used a few select ingredients to achieve a delicious but healthier cake.

Almond flour: I typically use almond flour rather than all-purpose. It contains less carbs and provides a great amount of protein!
Maple syrup: Maple syrup is an all-natural sweetener that tastes great and eliminates the need for added sugar.
Pumpkin: Sneaking pumpkin into this recipe provides extra protein, fiber, potassium, and Vitamins K and C.
Almond butter: I prefer to use almond butter in place of peanut butter because it’s more nutrient-dense. Plus, it tastes great!

Through trial and error and carefully combining ingredients, I was able to achieve a mixture that’s not only nutritious, but tastes wonderful. Your friends and family will be shocked to learn that this cake is healthy!

Substitution options for paleo cake

I’m often asked about ingredient substitutions. Below are some easy swaps! Feel free to try any that you’d like, noting that there are a few that may change the taste a bit (such as using 1 cup of applesauce in place of four eggs).

Coconut oil: Coconut oil can be replaced with canola, almond, or vegetable oil, or any similar fat.
Almond butter: You can use any nut butter in this recipe.
Chocolate chips: Substitute chocolate chips with the mix-in of your choice. You could use white or caramel chips, chopped candies, or whatever you’d like!
Eggs: For a vegan chocolate cake, you’ll need to substitute the eggs. To replace all four eggs, you can use 1 cup of applesauce, or try using chia seeds. With the seeds, mix 3/4 cup of water with 1/4 cup of chia seeds. Let sit until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

How to make vegan frosting ahead of time

There’s one thing that you can do to make this double chocolate paleo cake a bit easier: make the frosting ahead of time! My vegan chocolate frosting requires some refrigerated chill time, so you can feel free to make it a day prior if easier.

Store in an airtight container to keep it nice and fresh.

Try these chocolate paleo recipes next!

If you liked this chocolate cake, you’re going to love my other paleo-friendly chocolate recipes! Here are some of my favorites. Which will you try out first?

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