This one bowl almond flour chocolate cake has a moist and rich texture and is topped with a silky smooth chocolate ganache.
Almond flour chocolate cake is a delicious and gluten-free alternative to traditional chocolate cake.
Made with almond flour, this cake is not only moist and rich in flavor, but also provides a nutty undertone that complements the chocolate perfectly.
It is a great option for those with dietary restrictions or those looking for a healthier dessert option.
Whether you're following a specific diet or simply love the taste of almonds, almond flour chocolate cake is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
For more almond flour recipes, check out my almond flour banana muffins, healthy almond flour banana bread, almond flour chocolate chip cookies, and torta caprese.
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Why this recipe works
- Naturally gluten free- this chocolate cake is naturally gluten free and is perfect if you are on gluten free diet!
- Chocolate flavor- this cake is loaded with rich chocolate flavor from the dutch cocoa powder in the cake to the silky smooth chocolate ganache on top.
- Texture- although this cake doesn’t have flour in it, it is super moist and have a melt in your mouth texture.
- One bowl- this chocolate cake comes together in just one bowl! There are minimal dishes to wash and minimal mess in the kitchen.
- Chocolate ganache topping- this cake is topped with an easy two ingredient chocolate ganache that is silky and rich in chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Almond flour- We used almond flour in this recipe, but you can use oat flour or coconut flour. We used store-bought almond flour. The package should say “almond flour” or “fine almond meal”.
Dutch cocoa powder– we like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for our chocolate cake because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Baking soda – to allow the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking soda is not expired.
Honey or maple syrup- use either honey or maple syrup for this, both will work great.
Eggs- To give the cake a good structure. Make sure you’re using room-temperature eggs.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake. You can use vanilla bean extract or pure vanilla extract for better flavor.
Salt- We used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cake a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Espresso powder- use ground espresso powder for this recipe. The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor, you can’t taste the coffee.
For the chocolate ganache
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this recipe.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. the heavy cream makes this french hot chocolate extra creamy and silky.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add the almond flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and kosher salt, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, honey, or maple syrup, and mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake the cake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature for at least an hour to prevent the frosting from sliding off the cake.
Make the chocolate ganache
Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for about 70 seconds.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Pour the chocolate ganache on the cooled cake, and smooth it out using a spatula or a spoon.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake, you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Faq's
Almond flour is a popular alternative to traditional wheat flour for those looking for gluten-free or low-carb options in baking.
It is made from finely ground almonds and offers a unique nutty flavor and moist texture to cakes.
Overall, almond flour can be a great option for baking cakes that are both delicious and suitable for specific dietary needs.
If your almond flour cake turns out dry, there could be a few possible reasons.
The baking time and temperature can also affect the moisture level of the cake so make sure you follow the instructions correctly and don’t overbake your cake.
Also, to make sure that your oven temperature is correct, use an oven thermometer.
Make sure that you don't overbake the cake, and storing the cake in an airtight container at room temperature can help retain moisture and prevent it from drying out.
Almond flour is a gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat flour, made from finely ground almonds.
It is rich in nutrients such as protein, healthy fats, and fiber. It adds a subtly sweet and nutty flavor to recipes and can be used in various dishes like cakes, cookies, and breads.
Storing
This cake will last up to 4 days at room temperature. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. This cake tastes amazing for 4 days!
Freezing
You can freeze this cake after it cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
You can freeze the whole cake or slice it into slices and then freeze it.
If you are freezing individual slices of the cake, I would recommend storing them in a ziplock bag and then transferring them to an airtight freezer-friendly container.
Make it ahead of time
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layer ahead of time. Wrap the cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to frost the cake, make the chocolate ganache and frost the cake.
Substitutions
Dairy free- to make this recipe dairy free, make a vegan chocolate ganache. You can swap the heavy cream with vegan heavy cream.
Egg-free- to make this cake egg-free, replace the eggs with ⅔ cup of applesauce.
Variations
Zest- lots of people like the orange and chocolate combinations. If you do, add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to this cake to add a zesty orange flavor.
Frosting- instead of topping this cake with chocolate ganache, use your favorite chocolate frosting like dark chocolate frosting, chocolate whipped cream frosting, stabilized chocolate whipped cream frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, etc.
Two-layer cake- if you want to make this cake a two-layer cake, double the recipe in the recipe card below and allow the chocolate ganache to cool completely in the fridge to make it spreadable.
Serving tips
Berries- top this cake with sliced berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries for a fresh and delicious flavor.
Whipped cream- top each slice of cake with a dollop of whipped cream.
Vanilla ice cream- add a large scoop of ice cream next to a slice of this chocolate cake.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Rubber spatula
- 8-inch cake pan
More chocolate cake recipes
Chocolate Ganache Cake- This chocolate ganache cake is made with moist and rich chocolate cake, filled with chocolate ganache, frosted with whipped chocolate ganache, and topped with a chocolate drip.
Chocolate Brooklyn Blackout Cake- This Brooklyn blackout cake is a rich chocolate cake that is filled with luxurious chocolate pudding and frosted with chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Coffee Cake- This incredibly moist chocolate coffee cake is made with chocolate cake layers infused with coffee, and frosted with chocolate and coffee frosting.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups Almond flour
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
- 4 Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Honey or maple syrup
For the chocolate ganache
- 3.5 oz Dark chocolate
- 3.5 oz Heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the almond flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and kosher salt, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, honey, or maple syrup, and mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake the cake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature for at least an hour to prevent the frosting from sliding off the cake.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for about 70 seconds.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Pour the chocolate ganache on the cooled cake, and smooth it out using a spatula or a spoon.
Notes
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake, you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Tammy says
Wow. This recipe is awesome. I will confess that I was short 1/2 c almond flour so added coconut flour (and a splash of milk) to make the 2 cups of “flour”. I also had some Andy’s mints that I melted and used for the frosting.
K says
Can you make this recipe with granulated sweetener (like monk fruit) instead of honey?
RichandDelish says
Hi! I never tried it but let me know if you try it and how it turned out!
Marsha Royder says
Soo delish! My co worker made it for a party and se the almond flour and vegan heavy cream. Will definitely be making this for the holidays!
AMY says
This cake is AMAZING. I chose maple syrup for the denser flavor. Doubled recipe and cut syrup to 1/2 cup. I also added 1 tablespoon of Molasses once. Absolutely amazing flavor and texture. It's the only cake I make now. And soooo easy.