Are you ready for the best, richest, moist, grain-free chocolate cake you will ever try?! This recipe is perfection! I couldn’t believe my taste buds when I took my first bite of this chocolate cake. It has the perfect moist texture, a nice crumb, and the absolute best rich chocolate flavor. Everything you would expect from a chocolate cake is present in this recipe, without the grains and refined sugar. A cake that’s actually ‘healthy’? Just maybe… you’ll have to see for yourself!
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
I will admit, this grain-free moist chocolate cake is probably a modern pioneer recipe. Albeit, they did make cakes back in the pioneer days, just not quite like this moist chocolate cake. Sugar and flour were staples in the chuckwagon, but they weren’t used too often for making cakes. And I don’t think that cocoa powder was a common ingredient in the early homestead pantry either.
As modern pioneers though, we get to enjoy the novelty of a moist chocolate cake…. still made with simple ingredients that are at least healthier than refined ingredients. I might not go so far as to call this cake healthy in the terms of providing essential nutrition. However, I did choose to use certain ingredients based on their diet-friendliness
Coconut sugar is a low glycemic sugar, meaning it is less likely to cause blood sugar spikes. It is also not a refined sugar, so it retains most of its original nutrients.
Cassava flour is the grain-free flour of choice in this cake recipe because it acts the most like a traditional all-purpose flour. It is anti-inflammatory and naturally gluten-free!
Avocado oil is one of the oils that you can use to make this cake dairy-free. Avocado oil can withstand being baked at higher temperatures better than other oils. It retains most of its original nutrients and can be a beneficial addition to the diet.
In addition to being made with wholesome ingredients, this chocolate cake is also allergy-friendly! You can enjoy a slice of this rich cake despite having dietary restrictions, which I think calls for a party! This chocolate cake is….
- grain-free
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- tree nut free
- egg free
- corn free
- refined sugar free
My ‘Happy Hobby’
To some it comes naturally… others, not so much. For me, decorating cakes and cupcakes is what I consider my ‘happy hobby’. I like to put a lot of thought and planning into decorating a cake or cupcakes, but I also thoroughly enjoy all the time I have invested into creating a beautiful cake (or cupcakes). For me, cake decorating is fun, relaxing, and a simple way for me to forget about other stresses and just focus on stretching my creativity and enjoying myself.
Even if cake decorating doesn’t come naturally to you, you can still make this cake look pretty. And I’m positive that no matter how you decorate the cake, it will still have the perfect texture and amazing taste! Here are some of my cake decorating tips that might give your creativity a boost!
How to Start Decorating a Cake:
- Frosting– Start by choosing whether you want a chocolate frosting or a vanilla frosting (white or brown).
- Decide on a Theme– Do you want a woodland themed cake? A flower cake? Is the cake for a specific occasion, like a birthday, anniversary, or holiday?
- Pick Related Decorations– Try and come up with fun, edible decorations that go with your theme. In the past I have used a variety of herbs, flowers, cookies, cinnamon sticks, chocolate shavings, powdered sugar, berries, cake crumbs, homemade chocolate trees, and an assortment of other homemade goodies to decorate my cakes with.
- Let Creativity be the Guide– I often start decorating a cake with a plan, but then just let my creativity be the guide as I work with the supplies I have available and the theme I have picked out.
For this woodland themed chocolate cake, I used both Simple Mills dairy-free chocolate and vanilla frosting to achieve a dirt/camouflage color scheme. Then I decorated the cake with dried sage for the greenery, bundles of cinnamon sticks tied together, all-natural sprinkles, powdered sugar for snow, small pinecones, and two Schleich deer (I’m a Schleich model animal collector).
Of course, you don’t just have to limit yourself to this chocolate cake! I also enjoy decorating cakes such as this grain-free vanilla cake or this grain-free carrot cake! And don’t forget the cupcakes! These grain-free chocolate cupcakes are just as fun as this chocolate cake, or maybe you want to give these grain-free vanilla cupcakes a try instead!
Serving & Storing
You can’t go wrong when serving this grain-free moist chocolate cake! Whether you make it a fancy double-layered cake or a single layer sheet cake, this chocolate cake is sure to please. I dare say the cake would even be delicious served plain, without any toppings or frosting!
If you do want some serving suggestions, I would recommend getting creative with the frosting or serving this cake with ice cream. In my opinion, you can serve ice cream with anything, even if it is more dessert! For some creative frosting ideas, try buttercream frosting, meringue frosting, cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting or maple frosting.
This chocolate cake also tastes great served with dairy-free vanilla ice cream or dairy-free mint chip ice cream!
Storing traditional cakes can sometimes get tricky because cakes dry out so fast. However, I found that this grain-free chocolate cake had some storage flexibility. The cakes can be stored, unfrosted, in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the un-frosted cakes in airtight containers. They will dry out a little bit after they are unthawed, but the taste and texture will still be amazing!
Once frosted, the cake can be kept at room temperature or in the fridge. For the best crumb texture, keep the cake at room temperature. It can be left uncovered for up to 6 hours without a significant change in moistness. To retain moistness, keep the decorated cake or any leftovers stored in an airtight container in which it will stay good for 4-5 days.
Recipe Questions
Do I have to weigh the cassava flour? How do I weigh flour?
Yes, and no. Ideally, weighing the flour will give you the most accurate measurement for following the recipe exactly. I refrain from weighing out too many of the flours in my recipes because I know that not everyone has a reliable kitchen scale, and weighing the flour does require a little additional prep time.
However, for this cake, I wanted it to be perfect. Sifting and weighing the flour helps achieve the perfect batter consistency and light texture.
To weigh cassava flour, you will need your mixing bowl, a reliable kitchen scale set to grams, and a strainer. Set the bowl on the scale and tare the scale so that you aren’t weighing the bowl as well. Then scoop some cassava flour into the strainer and let the flour sift through the strainer into the bowl. Continue sifting more flour until the scale reads 360 grams.
What if I don’t have a kitchen scale?
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can still make this cake! You will just have to pay little more attention to the batter consistency and allow for some differences in case the flour measurement wasn’t exact.
If you don’t weigh your flour, you will need approximately 3 1/4 cups of un-sifted cassava flour for this recipe. After you have measured out the flour, I still recommend sifting the 3 1/4 cups of flour to aid in achieving a light, moist cake texture.
Once you have stirred in all the other ingredients, note whether the batter has a cake batter consistency. It will be a little thicker than normal, but it shouldn’t hold its shape too much when stirred. The batter should also not be runny or too soupy.
Can I use a substitute for coconut sugar?
Coconut sugar is a very sweet, natural sugar that also absorbs some moisture in a recipe. I have not tried making this cake with any other sugar substitutes. Using sugars such as maple sugar or cane sugar may affect the consistency of the batter. You may have to add more flour if using a different sugar other than coconut sugar.
Should I use cacao powder or cocoa powder?
You can use either cacao powder or cocoa powder. Cacao powder is the raw version of cocoa powder and has a stronger taste. If you like rich chocolate, use cacao powder! It is also less refined and more natural than cocoa powder.
Can I use a substitute for avocado oil?
You can use coconut oil or olive oil instead of avocado oil. You can also use melted butter, however, I have found that cakes made with oil have a lighter texture and are less likely to be dense.
Can I make this recipe into a sheet cake or in 9×9″ glass baking dishes?
Yes! This grain-free chocolate cake can be made into a sheet cake using a 9×13″ pan or baked in 9×9″ glass baking dishes. I made mine in 8″ cake pan rounds because I wanted a layered cake.
When making a sheet cake, you will have to bake the cake for less time, start off with 20 minutes and add more time as needed.
You can also use two 9×9″ glass baking dishes or 1 9×9″ glass baking dish and 1, 8″ or 9″ round pan. The bake time will be similar as for the 8″ round pans. If using 9″ glass baking dishes or 9″ round pans, the cake will be thinner and will need to bake for less time.
This grain-free moist chocolate cake is the perfect celebratory dessert for any occasion! Find out for yourself how moist, rich, and flavorful a grain-free chocolate cake can be!
Grain-free Moist Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 360 grams Otto's Naturals cassava flour, sifted before weighing (approx. 3 1/4 cups flour un-sifted)
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 T. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups + 2 T. cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 8" round cake pans with coconut oil. Cut two circles of parchment paper that fit in the bottoms of pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, coconut sugar, sea salt, baking soda, and cacao powder.
- Add the avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and cold water. Stir to combine. The batter should be like traditional cake batter but slightly thicker. It should hold its shape for a second or two when stirred but should easily spread out when you gently shake the bowl.
- Notes: If you did not sift and weigh your flour, consider these notes. If the batter seems too moist, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until correct consistency is achieved. If the batter seems too thick, add more cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the correct consistency is achieved.
- Divide the batter up between the two 8" cake pans. Lightly tap the pans on the counter and gently shake them to spread the batter evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The cakes should bounce back when pressed gently.
- Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Don't forget to peel off the parchment paper circles on the bottom of each cake!
- Cool completely before frosting and decorating!
Notes
- two 8″ round cake pans: 30-35 minutes
- two 9″ round cake pans: 25-30 minutes
- two 9×9″ glass baking dishes: 25-30 minutes
- 9×13″ glass baking pan: 20-30 minutes
Where to Find the Ingredients
- Otto’s Naturals cassava flour
- Nutiva coconut sugar
- Redmond sea salt
- Navitas cacao powder
- Chosen Foods avocado oil
- Bragg apple cider vinegar
- Simply Organic vanilla extract
- Simple Mills dairy-free frosting
- Supplies: 8″ round cake pans, unbleached parchment paper, rustic cake stand, butter knife (I like to use a butter knife for spreading frosting), kitchen scale
This grain-free moist chocolate cake is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that are allergy-friendly! It is the perfect modern pioneer cake recipe! I am absolutely obsessed with the moist texture and perfect cake crumb. And the rich, chocolate flavor combined with smooth, dairy-free frosting is enough to make you believe this cake can’t possibly be healthy! My whole family loved this grain-free cake (even my dad who isn’t on an anti-inflammatory, allergy-friendly diet) and it sure to be perfect for any modern pioneer chocolate lovers!
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by Alexa
Jrue
March 9, 2022 1:21 pmTried this – weighed flour and was super meticulous about all measurements. Way off! Not enough liquid by a long shot – probably had to double the water. Please check recipe to ensure ratios.
ThePioneerChicks
March 11, 2022 6:48 pmHello! Thank you for letting us know! We will definitely check this out! Just for reference, what brand of cassava flour did you use? – Alexa