Prep: 20 Honestly, what’s better than chocolate cake? I love this recipe because it’s truly perfect for any occasion and season. Spring, summer, fall, winter – this healthy chocolate cake can be dressed up or down and is always a classic tasty treat. It’s like the little black dress of desserts. And with this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake w/ Tahini Chocolate Icing recipe, your dessert game will surely be a stunner!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake With Tahini Chocolate Icing Recipe
This healthy chocolate cake is a favorite gluten-free dessert that tastes as if it could be from your favorite bakery. With three layers of moist chocolate cake and tahini chocolate icing, this cake will look beautiful poised on your countertop, though surely will be eaten up quickly because it’ll be everyone’s favorite treat.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”892hzIDg” upload-date=”2023-05-17T08:00:00.000Z” name=”Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake w/ Tahini Chocolate Cake” description=”This Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake recipe is truly perfect for any occasion and season. Spring, summer, fall, winter – this healthy chocolate cake can be dressed up or down and is always a classic tasty treat. And with this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake w/ Tahini Chocolate Icing recipe, your dessert game will surely be a stunner!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]I love making this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake recipe for birthdays, get-togethers, or just as a delicious treat. It can be made into an indulgent layer cake, or made as gluten-free chocolate cupcakes instead! Easily make it dairy-free by substituting the butter for vegan butter and milk for plant-based milk. Every bite of this delicious cake is SO good!
RELATED: 25+ Healthy Chocolate Recipes
What You’ll Need To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cake
- Eggs
- Oil – Any type of cooking oil works great! Avocado oil, canola, or coconut oil (melted) are some of my favorites.
- Coconut sugar (opens in a new tab) – A natural sugar that blends well and gives the cake a nice flavor.
- Maple syrup – The maple syrup helps sweeten the recipe and makes the cake oh-so yummy!
- Full-fat coconut milk (opens in a new tab) – A creamy, sweet plant-based milk that’s perfect for making chocolate cake.
- Vanilla
- Almond flour – The almond flour adds the bulk of the flour blend to this gluten-free chocolate cake (and nutrition too!)
- Tapioca starch – Tapioca starch (opens in a new tab) helps gluten-free cakes be moist and spongy.
- Coconut flour – A fine texture and creamy flavor, coconut flour adds smoothness to the cake
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
Healthy Chocolate Frosting
- Butter – Feel free to substitute with vegan butter! (opens in a new tab)
- Tahini – Tahini (opens in a new tab) makes the frosting smooth and nutritious.
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Milk as needed to thin – Plant-based milk works great, too!
How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake With Tahini Chocolate Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Either shake up the can of coconut milk so the thick white and more liquidy parts are well combined or blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together all wet ingredients.
- Sift the flour right into the mixing bowl along with all dry ingredients. Cocoa and almond flour are the most important to sift as these tend to be lumpy.
- Whisk until you get a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling each evenly. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pans for about 15-20 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Cream the butter and tahini for 2-3 minutes to make the frosting. Beat in the cocoa and salt for an additional 30 seconds.
- Slowly mix the powdered sugar (sifted if lumpy) until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the vanilla and milk as needed to thin. If it’s too thick, add more milk or powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, frost it with about 1 cup of frosting between each layer, then use the rest around the cake and decorate as desired.
- Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
This cake can be stored at room temperature for about 2-3 days, then moved into the refrigerator to be kept for another 2-3 days. Use a round cake storage container for the best storage. You can also freeze this cake! Place the sliced cake in an airtight container (opens in a new tab) or cut individual slices and store in plastic bags (make sure to remove all air), then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator and enjoy!
More Healthy Chocolate Treats You’ll Love
- Superfood Chocolate Bites
- Dark Chocolate Breakfast Protein Oats
- Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons! (opens in a new tab)
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake w/ Tahini-Chocolate Icing
Ingredients
Healthy Chocolate Cake
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (opens in a new tab)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 3/4 cup coconut sugar (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups almond flour (opens in a new tab)
- 1 cup tapioca starch (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Tahini Chocolate Icing
- 1 1/2 cups butter or vegan butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup tahini (opens in a new tab)
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- milk as needed (to thin)
Instructions
Bake Healthy Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Either shake up the can of coconut milk so the milk is well combined, or blend until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, eggs, oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Sift the flours right into the mixing bowl along with all dry ingredients. The cocoa and almond flour are most important to sift as these tend to be lumpy.
- Whisk until you get a smooth batter.
- Transfer to the prepared pans, filling each evenly.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pans for about 15-20 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Make Tahini Chocolate Icing
- To make the icing, cream together the butter and tahini for 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the cocoa powder and salt for an additional 30 seconds.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar (sifted if lumpy) and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the vanilla and milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) as needed to thin. If it’s too thick, just add more milk, or more powdered sugar to thicken.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, frost with about 1 cup of frosting in between each layer, then use the rest around the cake and decorate as desired.
- Enjoy!
Watch Me Make This
Nutrition
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Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
So rich and fudgy—you’d never guess it’s gluten-free! The tahini icing takes it to another level.
Oh my goodness, this chocolate cake looks so delicious. I will use tahini when baking this.
This chocolate cake was a showstopper. I never used Tahini in the icing before. It tasted amazing.
This spoke to me as soon as I saw the recipe (tahini lover, here!), but it was even better than I expected. Love the icing so much!
Tried this cake and it was super good—moist, rich, and the tahini frosting was surprisingly awesome.