Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe: this gluten free dairy free cake yields moist & rich chocolate cake covered in irresistible creamy chocolate frosting. My favorite vegan gluten free cake recipe!
My Favorite Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Join me as we take a dive back into the most popular Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe on the internet—my favorite two-year-old gluten free dairy free cake recipe. Today, I’m sharing new tips and tricks for the BEST vegan gluten free chocolate cake! Let’s do it!
Moist. Rich. Chocolatey. And just about EVERYTHING you’d want in the perfect vegan chocolate cake. Yeah, I said it. PERFECT. .
Do you have a favorite cake flavor? Without having to think too hard, you’d probably guess that my favorite cake of all time is vegan gluten free chocolate cake. I mean, you’d guess this so easily considering the majority of my recipes sound like Ultimate Fudgy Paleo Vegan Brownies, Gluten Free Vegan Dark Chocolate Muffins and Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes (this one seems too obvious).
There’s just something about having my cake and eating it too that makes life so much sweeter. Of course now I have to tangent into the age-old discussion of why you would have cake and not eat it??? What’s up with that saying? It’s always bothered me!!
So after many long-winded discussions (and absolutely no internet research because obviously it’s way more fun to speculate than to look stuff up), Erik and I agreed on the following:
- Having your cake = being in possession of it… meaning you have 1 cake to your name.
- Eating your cake = enjoying the cake… and soon-to-be not having any more cake to your name = you can’t have the cake because you’re eating/disappearing it.
Oh goodness, doesn’t “disappearing it” sound oddly brutal? Meanwhile, I’m all up for “disappearing” some of this vegan gluten free chocolate cake right now… . Either way, you can have this vegan gluten free chocolate cake and eat it too! Win win!
The Taste: Vegan Gluten Free Cake: Chocolate Edition
This vegan gluten free cake is one of the most popular on the internet for a reason. It’s GOOD. Like, hella good.
The Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake: is moist and fluffy with rich, deep chocolate flavor and the perfect crumb. It’s not too light and not too dense—landing somewhere perfectly in between.
The Vegan Chocolate Frosting: rich, creamy and delightfully chocolatey. While the cake portion of this vegan GF cake is lightly sweet, the 2 ingredient vegan chocolate frosting is on the sweeter, creamier side to balance out the dark chocolate flavors of the cake.
Together, these two components make for the best vegan gluten free cake recipe ever. Try if for yourself and see. 😉
How to Store this Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
To store after frosting: store your cake in an airtight container like this one for 1-3 days, in a cool environment. Keep out of direct sunlight and way from heat sources.
To store before frosting: you may freeze the cake and frost before serving (up to 3 days before). Wrap cake layers in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store in an airtight, freezer-friendly container. Do not make frosting until you are ready to whip and frost the vegan chocolate cake.
Tips for Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Here are a few tips to making your vegan gluten free chocolate cake a success!
Do not make substitutes.
I designed this recipe specifically around the ingredients and amounts listed. If you make any substitutes at all, the recipe is different and I can’t guarantee the results. Any small change, even if it’s swapping one flour for another, can cause terrible results. And definitely do not use almond flour, coconut flour or any other kind of flour expecting ideal results. All of those flours work very differently in this recipe. 🙂
If using homemade oat flour, remember to sift, sift, sift!
It is difficult to grind homemade oat flour to the degree that big companies with fancy equipment can. So, if you’re making your own, making sure to sift out coarse bits that can cause your chocolate cake to become crumbly, or overly moist. Then, after sifting, measure your oat flour and use.
To “Butter” Pans with Coconut Oil
Start with slightly softened coconut oil. Drop about 2 teaspoons onto a cake pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread coconut oil. The more you spread, the softer and easier the coconut oil will be to work with.
To “Flour” Pans with Cocoa Powder
- Use a sifter to evenly drop cocoa powder over pan (or else you’ll just get big clumps)
- Then, tap the pan around to get the cocoa powder to spread.
- For the sides, you have to aggressively tap and hold the pan on its side, getting the cocoa powder to fall down onto the opposite side. Rotate as you tap so the cocoa powder will fall and coat more and more of the side of the cake pan.
For a Visual Guide + Tips on Making Homemade Chocolate Frosting
- Check out this post: How to Make Homemade Chocolate Frosting.
Best Tools for the Best Gluten Free Dairy Free Cake
- Black Stoneware Plate & Black Cake Server – there’s just something about black stoneware & black utensils that scream “cool” and understated elegance. 😉 These two are the plate & server you see in all of the photos.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips – the key ingredient in my 2 ingredient vegan chocolate frosting.
- Cake Essentials: Frosting Spatula | Cake Stand | Cake Carrier
- The frosting spatula is actually secretly my go-to tool for doing everything in the kitchen. It precisely picks up everything like a champ, and, shocker, it’s awesome at spreading frosting! 😉
- The Cake Decorating Set + Stand make frosting the cake so, so easy. It grips the counter like a boss and allows you to spin the cake around smoothly so you can frost the cake like a pro.
- The Cake Carrier with Locking Lid is what I’ve used for years to transport my carefully made cake from one location to another. Also, it’s basically a big, perfectly shaped Tupperware for storing your vegan chocolate cake so you can enjoy it tomorrow! 😉
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer – one of the most quintessential baking favorites of bakers around the world. It’s sturdy, lasts decades and is the gold standard for bakers everywhere. 🙂
- KitchenAid Hand Mixer with Hand Mixer Whisk Attachment – let’s be honest, not all of us have the counter space in our kitchens for a stand mixer. That’s when this handy little guy comes in. I’ve lived in all of the small city apartments and this hand mixer was my go-to tool for whipping up the perfect vegan chocolate frosting. More importantly, you’ve got to get the hand mixer whisk attachment. Yep, I’ve tried using the attachment it comes with, and nope, it didn’t work! Boo…
- Where to Buy Ingredients: Vegan Chocolate Chips | Coconut Oil | Coconut Cream | Gluten Free Oat Flour | Maple Syrup | Coconut Sugar
Are you ready to get your vegan gluten free cake on? Let’s do it! I can’t wait to hear what you think of my recipe! Let me know if you try my recipe—I love hearing from you! Thank you so much for stopping by and joining in on the kitchen fun! ‘Til the next kitchen adventure…
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
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. Did you make this vegan gluten free cake recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #beamingbaker & tag @beamingbaker. I’d love to see it! .
Vegan Gluten Free Cake & Cupcake Recipes
- Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes (GF, Dairy-Free, Healthy, Refined Sugar-Free)
- Easy Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe (Dairy-Free, V, GF)
- Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes (Vegan, Gluten Free)
- Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe (Almond Flour, Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe (Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 24 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 9 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 slices 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe: this gluten free dairy free cake yields moist & rich chocolate cake covered in irresistible creamy chocolate frosting! My favorite vegan gluten free cake recipe! Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free.
Ingredients
FROSTING
- 2 batches Vegan Chocolate Frosting
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free oat flour – if using homemade, make sure it’s very finely ground (not coarse)*
- 1 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the frosting: The night before, begin preparing a double batch of this Vegan Chocolate Frosting. Do not whip the frosting until the cake is cooled and ready to be frosted.
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans as follows: coat with softened coconut oil, then dust completely with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: oat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Add water and milk to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 10-second increments until just warm. This will prevent the melted coconut oil from solidifying once mixed with these liquids.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients: water, milk, coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Whisk until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Tap the pans several times to even out the batter and release bubbles that have formed in the batter. Bake for 22-26 minutes. Mine took 24 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick—it should come out clean when done.
- Place pans on a cooling rack to cool for 25 minutes. Afterward, use a plastic knife to cut around the interior edges of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Shake the pan a few times until you hear the cake pop loose. Place a large plate or cooling rack upside down, on top of one cake pan. Grasping both the pan and the plate tightly, flip the cake onto the plate/rack. Repeat with second layer. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting (about 1 hour).
- Frost the cake: Whip the frosting as instructed. Frost the cake. Enjoy! Storing instructions below!
If you prefer cupcakes, try these Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes or these grain-free Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes!
Equipment
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Whisk Attachment for Hand Mixer
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Notes
- *If using homemade oat flour, make sure to sift the flour to remove coarse bits of oats that could create grainy, overly moist cake without fluffy texture.
- To carry your cake On-the-Go: I recommend storing your cake in this cake carrier with locking lid. Even when I’m not carrying the cake to an event, I like keeping it in this cake carrier because it’s like a giant tupperware for cake! 😉
- Where to Buy Ingredients: Vegan Chocolate Chips | Coconut Oil | Coconut Cream | Gluten Free Oat Flour | Maple Syrup | Coconut Sugar
- Storing Instructions: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Okay to keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, in a cool, dark environment.
- Freezing Instructions: Store pre-sliced cake in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw at room temperature for 15-40 minutes before enjoying.
- Recommended Tools: Frosting Spatula | Cake Stand | Cake Carrier | 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Black Stoneware Plate | KitchenAid Hand Mixer | KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Hand Mixer Whisk Attachment | Cooling Rack | Black Cake Server | Glass Mixing Bowls
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
© beamingbaker.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. Please do not use my images or recipe without my permission. Please do not republish this recipe, instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.
This post may contain affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission for my referral, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Beaming Baker.
May I know if this cake is dense or light and fluffy? Thanks
Hi there! This cake is moist and fluffy, with a wonderful crumb and deep chocolate flavor. Happy baking! 🙂
Hi Demeter, this is the third of your recipes I made in a week. Pretty good score huh? Thanks again for the wonderful cake, which I overbaked slightly and it does not look as perfect or as sweet as yours ( I used coconut sugar from Bali market that was not sweet at all) yet I had to help myself twice and my hubby 4 times haha. If that is not good publicity, dunno what is. Thank again and keep’em coming.
★★★★★
Hi Aleksandra, that’s a great score, indeed! 😉 Love that it was still too good to resist! Can’t wait to see what’s up for recipe #4! Sending you big hugs.
Demeter! . How did you know how badly I needed this right now? ..
Quarantine baking and running around my neighborhood breathing the fresh air and feeling the sunshine are two of the things keeping me going right now!
Do you think I could halve this recipe and bake it in a 8″ or 9″ square pan though? I just want a tiny cake! Not a whole big two-layer one. .
Hi Vicky! . Must be some kind of bakers connection. .. I’m so happy that baking can give you an outlet from all of this madness right now! Halving the recipe: Yes, that would work. The cake would be a bit thinner than is ideal in a same-size square pan, so definitely use the 8” square to offset it. Can’t wait to hear what you think! .
Hi. I baked this cake and loved it. What are the nutritional info on each serving/slice?
Thanks!
This cake looks really good. I love that it is good for almost anyone with food sensitivities. Thanks!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Krissy! 🙂
Thank you for such an awesome chocolate cake recipe. My daughter is 14 and has numerous allergies that this recipe addressed. We followed it step by step and now have a keeper. You definitely balanced the cake and icing together well. Thank you again.
★★★★★
This is one delicious cake! We loved it!
★★★★★
Woohoo! I’m so glad it was a hit!
This cake is so fluffy and delicious! I am obsessed!
★★★★★
Oh that’s so awesome to hear Anna!
This cake looks perfect! Can’t believe it is vegan. Looking forward to making this soon.
★★★★★
Thanks Caitlyn! I hope you love it as much as my family and I do. 🙂
This cake is perfect! Thank you for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks Kristen! I love that you loved it! 🙂
What a tasty looking cake! I love that it is vegan, gluten free and dairy free so everyone can enjoy it, no matter their dietary requirements!
★★★★★
Thanks, Bintu! 🙂 Exactly! I never want anyone to feel left out—especially when it comes to cake. 😉
I like that you use oat flour and not almond flour. the cake looks perfectly delicious.
★★★★★
Thanks Andrea! Oat flour is one of my favorite ingredients to use—nutrient-packed and delicious. Enjoy!
Perfect for this difficult time when we are locked down and some ingredients are hard to get!
★★★★★
I was hoping you had these ingredients already in your pantry! 😉 Happy baking!
I made this recipe because I was really craving something nice and chocolate-y, however because of the virus outbreak and crazy shoppers, there is no flour to be found in any store around me… Also, I ran out of butter and eggs and going to the store for something not too necessary is not optimal. I have NO CLUE how this cake turned out SO GOOD with basically none of the typical ingredients I would use. Absolutely delicious… I skipped the frosting (had no cream either) but made a simple cacao glaze and I used olive oil instead of coconut oil and it was still a great treat in some not so bright times. Hope everyone is staying safe at home and thank you for the recipe!
Hi Victoria, I am right there with you on everything in your comment. Now’s the time to start getting creative with the ingredients we actually have in our pantries. Lol. It really touched me that you said you were still able to have a “great treat in some not so bright times.” Sometimes good food is just the comfort we need to keep our spirits up. Stay safe, take care & happy baking!
Is there anything I would need to change to make cupcakes with this batter?
Hi Brooke! I’ve got instructions on how to make chocolate cupcakes here: Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Happy baking! .
Cake and frosting look amazing! Was just wondering if you have weights for the ingredients in your recipes?
Thank you! Looking forward to making this cake!
Hi Amy, thank you! 🙂 Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to compute the weights for this recipe. Hope you get to try it anyhow and absolutely love it. 🙂
Could I use a bigger pan size, like 10 inch one or 11 inch ? Would love to make a bigger cake, for more people
Hi Yuki! You could put all the batter into one 9×13” pan and bake it for about 40 min or so. Happy baking!
Hi,
I substituted some ingredients:
oat flour with Almond flour
Coconut sugar with Date paste
I used 100% cocoa powder
I used chopped walnuts for some crunch.
25 mins bake wasn’t enough for me I had to bake for 40mins. But the cake sunk a little bit.
Any suggestions to fix this? I can’t use any form of sugar.
Hi Manasa, unfortunately, my vegan chocolate cake recipe is developed to include oat flour and sugar. Just the swap of oat flour with almond flour dramatically changed the outcome of your cake–almond flour is not a direct substitute for oat flour. As I haven’t used date paste in this recipe, I can’t say how that would react either. Hopefully you can find a sugar-free, fruit sweetened cake elswhere. Good luck!
Hi Demeter, we love this recipe! I am just not sure if the consistency of my batter is right. Can you please let me know if it should be really thick? Mine isn’t runny at all?
Thanks
Henriette
Hi Henriette! I’m so happy to hear it. . As for the batter consistency: did you make any substitutes at all?
Hi Demeter,
Mine turned out the same way! More fudgy and thick. The only thing I did differently was use stevia instead because I forgot to buy coconut sugar and I also cut the the recipe in half! Let me know your thoughts. (Still pretty tasty though) :p
Charity
★★★★
Hi Charity, it might be the stevia. I haven’t tried it with this recipe before. However, I’ve tried diff sweetener subs in other recipes and the results were patchy at best. Next time try it with coconut sugar and let me know what you think! 🙂
This just came out of the oven and everyone did partake a significant slice of this moist chocolate cake! My children loved it and they are my best/worst critics when it comes to food rating, no filter just harsh truth, haha. They don’t usually like oatmeal for breakfast at least but this cake, no trace of any taste whatsoever, pure chocolatey goodness!
I truly appreciate your ingenuity. I think you’re heaven sent, because now we could all devour cake sans guilt! So keep up your great work…I am a total fan. : )
P.S.
Posting this for my friends and family to drool upon ha!
Oh I’m so truly happy to hear it Wander! As far as I’m concerned, the only thing better than cake is guilt-free cake! . And there’s really nothing like enjoying a healthy treat as a family!
I made this yesterday for my daughter’s birthday and everyone loved it! Thank you ❤️
★★★★★
That’s so wonderful to hear, Amber!! Please wish your daughter a great, big HAPPY BIRTHDAY for me! She’s very lucky to have a mom who’d baked a birthday cake from scratch for her! ❤️.❤️
Does anyone have the UK equivalent for measurements for this recipe please?
Hey, this looks great and i am planning on making this weekend for my sons birthday but just to check, it says 1 plus 1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder, that seems a lot, have i got that right? I was plannig on using raw, unsweetned cacoa. Thanks
Yep, that’s correct! 🙂 Wishing your son a wonderful birthday! .
We used this recipe and made a couple of tweaks as we didnt have all the ingredients listed (eg oat flour, maple syrup, coconut sugar) and it still turned out DELICIOUS!! My kids have decided that this will now be our new go to chocolate cake! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Oh that’s so wonderful to hear! . Nothing like enjoying chocolate cake with your kiddos, right?
Is there a vanilla version that is available? My mom can’t eat chocolate and I want to make this for her birthday bc I love this recipe!!
Hi Jo! Unfortunately no… 🙁 I have future, future plans to work on a vanilla cake… if I could just figure out a healthy & easy vanilla frosting! For future reference, would you/she prefer a coconut-based frosting or…? Hope y’all enjoy celebrating her birthday! .
I made a vanilla frosting on coconut cream for my daughter’s 1st birdsy cake! Was absolutely amazing! I also topped the cupcakes with it and even put some food coloring, wish to know if there’s a more natural blue color than food coloring!
I’m so happy to hear this! Your daughter’s birthday cake must’ve been beautiful. 🙂 Natural blue color: hmm… maybe try mashing a few blueberries and stirring their juice (drained first) into your frosting?
Hey what did you replace the maple syrup with?
Hello. I have a large family with different diet needs, so gluten free & vegan baking has become the best/easiest way for everyone to enjoy, and I mean you can never be sad about eating something tasty with healthier ingredients right?!
My question is, will this recipe work well as cupcakes too? I’m not sure if that question has already been answered and maybe I overlooked it. We have five August birthdays and always do one big birthday celebration with cupcakes decorated according to each person of celebration’s interest.
Thank you, and I look very forward to making and eating (lol) this.
Hi Britt! I absolutely agree that you can never be sad when eating a tasty treat made with healthy ingredients! 🙂 Here is my recipe for Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes. Hope you enjoy and Happy Early Birthday to those five (!!) August birthdays! Can’t wait to hear what you and your loved ones think!
Thank you so much for recipe link and the birthday wishes. I will definitely come back to let you know how they turned out.
You’re so welcome Britt! . Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
I also forgot to ask, do you think i can make the cakes the night before and ice in the AM? what do you suggest for storage before icing it, fridge?
Yes! Make them the night before and store outside of the fridge, at room temp, covered. Whip & frost the day of. Good luck!
I made this recipe a few months back and it was really good. I didn’t have a sifter so we used a fine colander which I think was the reason it somewhat fell apart. It also took awhile to get all the bubbles out once I poured it in the pan. Any tips for these issues?
Also, I am planning to make this for my daughter’s baptism and wanted to run through one more time before the actual baptism. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Laura! The issue sounds like overmixing. If you overmix the batter, you’ll incorporate too much air, which equals bubbles. The more bubbles there are, the less sturdy the structure (it’s waaay more fluffy than it should be). Try whisking only until flour patches are not visible (aka as little as possible while still incorporating the ingredients). This should fix things. Let me know if you have any further issues, I want your daughter’s baptism cake to be perfect!
Our family does not have a dairy issue, but have almond and soy allergies. Am I able to use 2% milk instead of non-dairy?
Hi Lin! Yes, that should be fine. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Demeter, I have a question regarding the texture of the cake. I followed your recipe pretty closely with no substitutions, except that I made it as a 9×13 sheet pan cake. The cake tastes wonderful but is really dense and really fudgy. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but yours looks much fluffier. Was yours more cakey or more fudgy? What do you think the issue is?
Hi Rachel. Hm, it should definitely be fluffy and not fudgy. Did you make sure your oat flour is very finely ground and not coarse? Also, what kind of cocoa powder did you use? And how long did you bake it for?
This cake looks great. Do you have a recipe for gluten free carrot cake ? Thanks !
Hi Sherry! I don’t have one currently, but it’s definitely something I’ve wanted to do for a while. I just want to make sure it’s perfect before I share it. 🙂
Seems like a great recipe. Could I replace the maple syrup with honey?
Hi Jaya! I haven’t tried it myself, but it might work. Let me know how it turns out!
If i double the ingredients what size should have the cake pans?
Hi Laura, if you double the ingredients, you’ll be able to make a 4 layer cake using four 9-inch round cake pans. Or, you can make a two layer rectangular sheet cake using two 9×13 inch pans. Enjoy!
I don’t have gluten intolerance. Can I replace oatmeal with ordinary low-gluten flour?
If no coconut powder can be replaced with matcha powder?
Hi Annice! Hm, I haven’t tried this recipe regular flour, but I know readers have used GF AP blends with good results. As for the matcha, I don’t think that will work because of the way the cocoa reacts in this recipe. Hope this helps!
Is there a different gluten free flour I could try with this recipe? Daughter has an oat allergy also. Thanks 🙂
Hi Gretchen! I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve had some readers use a GF all purpose blend with good results. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Can i find sonewhere the ingredients in metric size?
I made this cake using a gluten-free paleo flour mix instead (almond flour, arrowroot starch, tapioca flour), and substituted part of the maple syrup for honey because we ran out. We also didn’t have the correct pan sizes, so I baked it in one 9×5 rectangular pan. It came out dense and delicious! It was probably dense because of all the substitutions, but everyone loved it anyway. I used a different healthy vegan frosting than the one listed here, and they made the perfect combination. I have linked the frosting below 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe! I’ll definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Hi Lola! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the cake, especially with the subs. 🙂
Hi there,
Looking forward to trying this but will have to use Gluten free flour. As I’ve just learnt that oats labelled as Gluten free are still harmful to Coeliac’s due to something called Avenin in them that gives the same effect as Gluten. I nearly slipped up and made Anzac Biscuits on Anzac Day.
So much to learn when your Coeliac xx
Thanks Jacqui, let me know how the cake turns out! 🙂
My granddaughter has fpies and my daughter is still nursing . Rice is one of the trigger foods so can’t use the normal gluten free flour. They also need to avoid eggs and dairy, so this was a perfect recipe for them. I was impressed with the cake like texture and taste. It was a little bitter even with all the sugar and maple syrup but the frosting helped that. Thank you.
★★★★★
Hi there! I haven’t made this yet but I was wondering if I could sub the oat flour for a blend of coconut + tapioca + almond flour?
Hi Sihle! That might work—if you’re willing to experiment quite a bit. 😉 I’m currently working on a paleo chocolate cupcake recipe that contains some of those ingredients. Thanks for your patience! Xo
Hello Demeter,
Love your recipes, can I use coconut flour instead of oat flour.
Hi Gracie! Thanks for the kind words. . Unfortunately, this recipe will not work swapping the oat flour for coconut flour, as the two act and absorb liquid very differently. You could try swapping for a GF all purpose flour blend. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
This looks amazing. I’d love to make it for Easter. I’m a little confused on the milk portion. What do you mean by dairy-free? Is that a powder, or coconut milk, or almond milk, or any of those? Seems like these would all do different things in the recipe, so just wanted to know what type of non-dairy milk you used. Thanks!
Hi Marie! This would be like soy milk or almond milk, just like what you’d find next to the dairy milk in the grocery store. 🙂 Coconut milk will work, but it has to be the drinking kind (usually called coconut beverage, and it comes in a carton just like the soy milk). The cans of coconut milk will not work here. Hope this helps!
Hello Demeter,
Thanks for your recipes, have saved me while trying to give my daughter (multiple allergies) a taste of baking without harming her, meanwhile we have changed our culinary lifestyle as well. I am just making this cake, not sure how the final product will be, since I feel the batter is very heavy, not smooth like other cake recipes. Is that ok? I will update this comment with my results thou. Thanks once again!
Hi Deyra! I’m so happy to hear that you and your daughter are enjoying my recipes. 🙂 How did the cake turn out?
Hi ! Thank you for the recipe! I did not taste it yet but it smells very good in my kitchen! Although i was wondering… Is it really baking soda ?? No baking powder? I followed the exact recipe and it seems that my cakes are really thin and dense… Is it normal? They were almost not touching the side of my 9 inches pans.
I hope that it will be ok..!
Thanks ! Doing the icing this afternoon! 🙂
Hi Marieve! Yep, just baking soda in this recipe. 🙂 Hm, it shouldn’t be so thin that it doesn’t fill the pan. Did you make any subs/changes to the recipe?
I made this cake yesterday and it’s so delicious! Added a couple TBSP of cane sugar to sweeten just a tad more, and needed an extra 1/2 cup or so of oat flour, but it’s a perfect cake for a birthday! Added chocolate chips to the batter, too! Frosted with a traditional American (vegan) buttercream. Thanks for this recipe!
★★★★★
So glad to hear you enjoyed the cake Amanda!
This looks delish! Would I be able to sub oat flour for almond flour?
Hi Janine! I would not recommend it, as almond flour acts very differently than oat flour. I hadn’t tried it, but some readers have used a GF all purpose flour blend with good results. Hope this helps!
Hi do you have to use oat flour? & coconut oil & sugar?
Hi Te! Try gluten free all purpose flour instead of oat flour. Coconut oil: try melted vegan butter or a flavorless cooking oil. Sugar: organic brown sugar would work too!
OMG! I made this recipe and it was a HUGE success. I was so glad I could satisfy my cravings, being on a diet. Btw, I switched out the oil for silken tofu + banana and it still turned out amazing (you can’t even taste the banana + tofu in it!).
Love this recipe, thank you so much <3
★★★★★
Wooohooooo!!! That’s so wonderful to hear, Leona. 🙂 Oooh… you’ve got me intrigued about trying this with banana and tofu. Thank *you* for taking time out of your day to comment! Hugs. 🙂
How many calories are in this cake
Hi,
bad news: your recipe has been tampered with!
Good news: the result was AMAZING!
Here is what I did:
– 2 +3/4 cups oat flour, one quarter and a bit more added at the end (because, texture!) of whole buckwheat flour
– only 1 cup of cocoa powder because it was all I had left (was REALLY good like that, but more chocolate is always better in my opinion!)
-only one cup water because…
– I replaced all of the oil with unsweetened apple sauce! (we have a no-oil-in-heated-food rule. Was tough at the beginning, but we are doing fine)
– full-fat coconut milk as milk
– 3/4 maple syrup (in order to make up for the coconut sugar. I would have used this but again, nothing left!)
-1/4 cup stevia
– no salt because I always leave it out
– baking powder instead of baking soda
– pure vanilla extract
We ate it as naked cake, without anything! But I am considering adding cashew cream and raspberries next time!
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Wow, so many interesting substitutions! 🙂 So glad to hear everyone enjoyed them Audrey!
I’m unable to have cocoa powder. Is there a way to make this recipe plain/ vanilla? Could I sub the coco powder for a bit more oat flour and add some vanilla extract? Thank you! 🙂
You could use carob powder
Such a yummy cake well done. Measurement work each time moist and delicious
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Excellent! So happy to hear it Tarj! .
I’ve made this cake twice now—the first time identical to the recipe, the second time in a 9×13 pan and with brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. So far as my taste buds remember, they were identical (identically delicious!). I LOVE this cake. Soft and pillowy, then dense and fudgy. I love how the cake itself is not super sweet (cos that’s the frosting’s job!). Tbh the only chocolate cake recipe I’ll ever need.
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Woohoo! . I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the cake so much Claire! Exactly—the frosting comes through to balance the cake out. . Thank you so much for the kind words! .
Wow, this recipe is amazing! Made it for a vegan and GF friend and the cake was moist and rich. My favorite part is that it doesn’t have that “GF” “is that coconut sugar?” taste. It’s very close to tasting like a typical chocolate cake. Thank you for the recipe!
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Woohoo! So happy to hear that you and your friend enjoyed it. . I know, the flavor of this cake is seriously one of my fave things ever! .
What substitute ingredients could I use for coconut oil and coconut sugar? I would like to make this cake for a party on Saturday for two different children who have allergies to any kind of nut. Thanks!
Hi Karen! I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve had other readers use avocado oil or canola oil in place of the coconut oil, and brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar. It’s likely going to affect the final taste/texture though. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi! This looks delicious. What are your thoughts on subbing coconut or rice syrup for the maple syrup?
Hi Jen! I’ve had other readers use brown rice syrup in different recipes with good results, though I haven’t tried it with this recipe. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I don’t have 2 round pans can I use a bundt pan instead? or what about a glass square pan?
Hi Mina! Glass bakeware works differently than metal, requiring a lower bake temperature and a shorter bake time. I haven’t tried it in a bundt pan either. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Could you chill the cream and then make it like a butter cream icing with using powder sugar?
Perhaps… it’s an idea I’ve been toying with trying the past few months. Let me know if you try it & how it turns out!
I have just made this cake, it’s out of the oven cooling and smells divine.
I made it using measuring cups, but I also weighed in grams as I am in the UK and made a note of the weight so here goes…
430g oat flour
160g cocoa powder ( I used cacao powder)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp fine sea salt
290ml water
235ml non dairy milk
70g melted coconut oil
80g coconut sugar
170ml maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
Oven temp 180 C gas 4
For the frosting I am going to use a non dairy coconut yogurt whipped with cacao powder and maple syrup. As I can’t get thee chocolate chips recommended here without ordering online
Hope this is useful
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Hi Lynda! Thank you SO much for adding in your measurements in grams. I’m sure many people will find this super helpful. Enjoy!!
Yes they will, perhaps you should try??
Looks amazingly moist
I made this today for my sons birthday and it was really delicious! We aren’t vegan, but I just discovered your site and love the healthy recipes using simple, frugal ingredients! I’ve made your peanut butter banana breakfast cookies, ultimate vegan brownies, and this cake so far in the last week. . Thanks for the great recipes; you are now my go-to for gf dessert recipes!
My only comment on this cake (besides how delicious it is!) is that they stuck to the pans and were hard to get out. Next time I’ll cut a circle of parchment to put in the bottom of the pans.
Hi Joanna! Happy belated Birthday to your son. 🙂 I’m so happy to hear that I’m your go to for gf recipes. Woohoo!! Sticking: did you allow it to cool completely before releasing? Also, I like to really coat it with cocoa powder to ensure it doesn’t stick. Hugs!!
So your delicious cake is in my oven right now, trying to make a bundt cake with your recipe.
One question though: is it normal for the dough to be VERY sticky and heavy?
I almost didn´t get it out of my bowl in to the cake pan.
Followed all the directions, didnt change anything, sifted carefully.
Thanky you for the wonderful recipe
Hi Stephanie! How did the cake turn out?
Is the consistency Stephanie described normal? I’d like to try this cake and that would be good to know. Also, how long would I bake a 9×13? I don’t have round pans. Thanks! .
Hi Rose, no, the consistency that Stephanie mentioned is not normal. The cake batter should be runny and only slightly thick, like regular cake batter. Hmm… for the 9×13, it should bake for about 40 mins, give or take. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂 Happy baking! .
I need this for a Saturday, how many days ahead can I make it for it to be good for then, I would love to make 4-5 days ahead, but how would it impact on the quality? And where is best for storage?
Hi Tracey! I’ve included storage notes below the recipe. 🙂 Perhaps the freezing instructions would be best for you. Enjoy!
My cake cracked into pieces after it cooled! Did I do something wrong? The only substitute I did was vegan butter for the coconut oil!
Hi Bethany! I’m so sorry to hear that. There are a couple reasons why this might happen, including oven temp, moisture levels in the cake, etc. Was the cake fully cooled before you lifted it out of the pan? (Was it completely cool to the touch?) Did it crack during baking or when you lifted it out of the pan? If it happened during baking, then there might be too many dry ingredients (sometimes flour or cocoa powder can become tightly packed in their containers, which is why they need to be sifted and carefully scooped). If it cracked when you lifted it out, it could an issue with the former, but also: was the pan well coated in some kind of butter or oil to help ease the cake out? Was it completely cooled? And did you use a plastic knife to loosen the edges, then cover with a plate or cooling rack to help flip it out? Good luck & hope this helps! Xo
I also had the same result with substituting vegan butter for the coconut oil (accommodating an allergy). The cake was cooled, came out of the pan fairly easily, but cracked in a few places. I “glued” it back together with the frosting – I did a peanut butter frosting (which was so good on this cake. After the cracking, I looked back at the recipe – would it hold together better with a vegan egg? The cake did taste very good, and was not dry.
Came out great! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I subbed the coconut oil for applesauce and made sure not to bake longer than 24 minutes so it did not dry out.
★★★★★
Wonderful! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know, Linda. 🙂 So happy the applesauce worked out. Hugs!
Linda, how much applesauce?
Thanks for sharing! The cake came out AMAZING! I’m definitely making this again ..
★★★★★
Woohooo!!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Ismael. 🙂 Happy Baking!
Hiya! Thanks so much for this recipe, I had a great time baking this cake. Unfortunately though mine didn’t turn out like yours. It was extremely dry and dense, too cocoa-y and my icing was probably too rich too (or just not enough of it to combat the dryness) so when I had a slice I had to have a lot of coconut cream on it. It was yummy then!
I don’t know what went wrong – I used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar, and standard gluten free flour rather than oat flour, so that could be the problem. My cake also only took 15 minutes, though I left it in a little longer to make sure it was ready. That could be why it was so dry, haha. I shall have to try again one day.
★★★★★
Hi Erin, I’m so sorry to hear that! Maybe with was the swaps? Also, I do know that every gluten free flour blend works differently in the exact same recipe (since they all have diff ingredients). Maybe one day you can try it with gf oat flour. Good luck!!
has anyone made this in a 9×13 pan? if so what is the cooking time?
Hi you Girls ! this cake looks amazing. I want to make it for my mom’s b-day and surprise her at 12 tonight, however I live on the other side of the world and I am not sure how to convert those cups into grams. I tried an online converter and it says 670 grams of oats. Does that sound about right?
could someone enlighten me, please 🙂
This was incredible!! I halved the recipe and it still came out perfect. We also pureed some frozen strawberries and drizzled the sauce over the top. So decedent! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Woohoo! ☺️ Oh I’m loving the sound of that strawberry drizzle! So glad you enjoyed it Ami!
Made this cake and was NOT disappointed. Honestly, I’d have to say it’s one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had. I topped it with this avocado chocolate frosting, and it perfect.
Even my husband and his grandparents who have no dietary restrictions and aren’t too strict about what they eat loved this and had no idea it was “healthy” until I told them! I’m for sure making this again.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe:)
★★★★★
Woohoo!!! I’m so happy to hear it, Mikaela!! Isn’t it the best when folks without dietary restrictions love it? 🙂 Thank you for taking time to let me know! Happy baking!
if i want to use only honey what should i change?just reduce milk by 1/4cup and use abit of soda more?because i try not to use sugar and use our own honey…thank youuu
I did not use the icing but made this cake into a Black Forest Cake for my Dad’s 90th Birthday.
I followed the directions and it was easy to make and turned out totally awesome. Everyone raves on how moist it was and tasty. I have pinned it and will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Woohoo!!! I’m so happy to hear it, Jill! 🙂 Please wish your dad a Happy 90th Birthday for me. Thank you for letting me know how it turned out. Enjoy!
Looks delicious! Do you know if I could substitute applesauce for the coconut oil to make the recipe oil free?
★★★★★
Thanks Carly! I haven’t tried that yet, but it might work. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Looks amazing! Can I use Dutch process cocoa or does it have to be natural? Thanks!
Hi Sarah! Tris recipe needs natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process) because of the way it reacts with the baking soda. Hope this helps!
Does anyone know the calorie counts on any of the recipes listed here? Are the nutritional values listed anywhere? My husband and I very much enjoy the recipes on this site but where wondering about this?
Hi Heather! I’m (very) slowly, but surely making my way through adding nutrition facts across the site. Thank you so much for your patience. 🙂
can i substitute maple syrup with coconut sugar or date paste?
Hi Bell, I think using all coconut sugar should work just fine. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I made this twice, once as cupcakes then as a single layer cake. Both times it came out dry and crumbly – still delicious! Do you have any suggestions on what I might add in to moisten it? Applesauce?
Hi Amanda, try cutting down on the bake time a bit so they stay a bit more moist. Also, a few tablespoons of applesauce might work!
Chocolate is definitely one of my favorite cakes and this recipe is so easy. I loved your pumpkin bread one so much that I made it 3 times and there’s no doubt this one will be just as great. Since I’m planning on making this for my graduation party, do you have any tips or ideas for different colored frostings or decorations?
Hi Diana! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes. ☺️ Congrats on your graduation! I know you’re gonna have a ton of fun. I haven’t tried any other color options with this frosting, but you could definitely pick up some decorations to put on top. Let me know how the cake turns out!
Hi I am gonna make this cake for my friend but please tell me if I can replace the coconut oil with any other oil? Also, since I don’t get dairy free chocolate here, how can I make the frosting? Thanku
Hi Sumita! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think a few readers have tried a few different oils before with some success. Just remember that the type of oil will affect the flavor/texture. You definitely need chocolate to make the frosting, but if you and your friend can have dairy I’m pretty sure any kind of chocolate will work. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi! Can I cut down the sugar to 1/4 each? And then use monk fruit instead of coconut sugar and sugar-free maple syrup instead of regular maple syrup?
Hi Denise! I’d definitely recommend substituting that 1/4 cup with something else, maybe applesauce or something similar. I haven’t tried using sugar free maple syrup or monk fruit in this recipe, so I’m not sure how that will turn out. Generally speaking, the more changes you make to the recipe, the less likely you’ll get the intended result. .Good luck & let me know how it turns out! .
*buy*
What kind of milk did you use? We usually but almond milk or soy milk. Can I use those?
★★★★★
Hi Ana! I used almond milk in this recipe, but any kind of drinking non-dairy milk should work fine. Happy baking! 🙂
Could you sub the coconut sugar for an extra 1/4 c maple syrup?
Hi Ang! That might work. I haven’t tried it myself, so let me know how it turns out!
Hi! I made the recipie and it came out super dry, donyou think I should use less oats? Or maybe substitute with almond flour? I have sent this question before and never got an answer.
Hi Juanita. Hm, you could try decreasing the bake time. Also the cake can get a bit dry if it’s left out to cool for too long. Hope this helps!
Looks great. Is it possible to substitute the coconut sugar for regular or brown sugar?
Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Jill! Yes, I think brown sugar would work very nicely. You could probably use both. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Demeter – you are a genius to create this recipe! This cake is so good and so easy to make. No one would know it is made from oat flour and low in sugar and fat. It is really moist. Thank you for all your great recipes!!
★★★★★
Aww you’re too sweet Karen! ☺️ I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake, it’s definitely one of my favorite recipes of all time. . Thank you for your kind words–they inspire me to keep making better and better recipes! .
I was super excited when you mentioned a cake recipe on the way, and you have not disappointed! Whoa Demeter, this cake looks AMAZING, and that frosting is to die for – I bet I could eat it by the spoonful! Need to try this cake ASAP.
Hope you’re having an awesome week! 🙂
★★★★★
Well, Vegan or not Vegan, who could hate a chocolate cake which is super moist, rich and decadently chocolatey .
I know! ☺️ Nothing beats a good slice of chocolate cake!
This is one gorgeous cake. From the looks of it, I’d never guess it was vegan and gluten-free. It’s gorgeous and oh so tempting looking!!
★★★★★
I love this idea! So simple and pretty!
★★★★★
This is my kind of cake! I will definitely add this to my must-make list!
★★★★★
This cake looks and sounds aaahhhmaazing!! LOVE it!!
★★★★★
This looks incredible. Do you know if it can be made in a 9″x13″ pan instead of two 9″ rounds? Thank you.
I made it in a 9×13 pan and then spread the frosting on top after it cooled in the pan.
Bring on the chocolate cake! This looks so tasty!
★★★★★
Wow, this looks to die for! I love anything chocolate!
Oh yeah, chocolate all day everyday! .
Oh my gosh this is calling my name!
★★★★★
Haha it’s time to answer the call Krista! .
Wow, a chocolate cake from oat flour! I am always trying to find ways to use oat flour more, since oats are so healthy – this looks so delicious and I love that I could serve it to a crowd and everyone would be able to eat it. Brilliant!
★★★★★
Oh yes, baking with oat flour is so wonderful! 🙂 And this cake is most definitely a crowd pleaser! 😉
Hey Demeter! Am wondering if possible to use it with a different flour? I can’t get oat flour where I am and really want to make this cake, looks so delicious!
Hi Agnese! Have you tried making homemade oat flour from rolled oats? Here’s a recipe: https://beamingbaker.com/how-to-make-homemade-oat-flour-gluten-free-vegan/
Otherwise, try a gluten free all purpose flour. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Can i substitute for gf plain or self raising flour?
Thanks
Hi Nay! GF all purpose flour should work just fine. Just keep in mind that GF all purpose flours vary by brand, so results will vary. Enjoy!
Vegan or not — that looks like one incredible cake! My husband’s birthday is this weekend and I know he’d appreciate a slice or two. Gorgeous!
★★★★★
Thanks Lisa! I know this would make the perfect birthday cake for your husband. Wishing him an early happy birthday! ..
This cake looks sooooo good! So rich, chocolatey and super moist I would never have guessed it vegan! Definitely a must try recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Natalie! ☺️ It’s must try indeed!
Chocolate is the best way to start a Monday! This one looks so rich! It’s only morning but I can totally go for a huge chunk of this right now 🙂
★★★★★
Oh yes it is!!! .. My cake is fudgy, rich and all the delicious things! Hehe. Happy baking!
This cake looks amazing! I have to admit my favorite cake is lemon, but chocolate holds a close second. My boyfriend, however, prefers chocolate over anything in life.
★★★★★
Thanks Danielle! Oh gosh, lemon is sooo good too! Who says we can’t have both? 😉
haha! I once had “tarte au citron” with a chocolate crust. Delicious! (I love going back to france to try out things like this)
★★★★★