Vegan Gluten Free Cake

Chocolate on chocolate is the best way to enjoy cake! This vegan gluten free chocolate cake is perfectly sweet and has a soft, tender crumb. The cake is incredibly easy to make from scratch and I highly recommend adding the velvety vegan ganache, which is simply irresistible!

This dessert works for a romantic date night, girls’ night, or any other celebration. It’s completely optional, but I love serving the cake with fresh strawberries, sliced and made into a pretty pattern for a pop of color.

Key ingredients needed:

Here’s the lineup of simple, nutritious ingredients you’ll need to make this gluten free vegan cake:

• Flax eggs. To keep this cake vegan, you’ll need to make 2 flax eggs.
• Pecan flour. If you’ve never tried pecan flour, you’re in for a real treat. It gives this cake incredible flavor and texture. However, you can easily swap it 1:1 for almond flour with great success.
• Potato starch. Provides structure, tenderness and binding power in gluten-free baking. Feel free to use tapioca starch instead.
• Sweeteners. To make this cake perfectly sweet, we’re using regular granulated sugar, along with maple syrup and applesauce (which also adds moisture to the cake).
• Cocoa powder. For the delicious chocolate flavor, you’ll need 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
• Baking essentials. We’re using baking soda and salt to ensure this pecan flour recipe bakes up with the perfect rise and texture. A touch of vanilla is added for flavor.
• Optional for topping. Feel free to top your cake with whatever you’d like or leave it plain and serve it with a scoop of ice cream. We love ours topped with ganache and fresh berries – still delicious with a scoop of ice cream!

The above list is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to make a gluten free vegan cake

For the full, printable recipe, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Prep. Preheat the oven and grease a round 9-inch pan (or 2 6-inch pans) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Make the flax egg. Combine 5 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the pecan flour, potato starch, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.
5. Combine mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and stir until just combined. Bake for 25-30 minutes and until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Serve. Let the cakes cool completely before icing, decorating and slicing to serve. ENJOY!

Tips for recipe success

A few notes for the perfect vegan gluten free cake!

• Follow the recipe. For best results, I highly recommend following the recipe and using the exact ingredients (or substitutions) I’ve listed.
• Prevent sticking. It is important to add both nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper to your cake pan(s) to prevent sticking. Simply cut the parchment paper into a circle to place at the bottom of the pan(s).
• Frosting the cake. If you’re planning to add ganache or another type of frosting, make sure to let the cake cool completely before adding, so that the frosting doesn’t soak into the cake.
• Toppings. Adding fruit or any other toppings is optional, and honestly this cake is pretty amazing on its own! But I’ve never been one to pass up a scoop of ice cream! Aside from the ganache and strawberries, you could pair this cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does pecan flour taste?

It has a warm, nutty flavor that works so well in baked goods, but also works great in savory recipes too.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Feel free to bake the cake 1-2 days ahead of time and keep it wrapped in the fridge or freezer. Frost just before serving and it will still be delicious!

Can you freeze this cake?

Yes! Once the cake has completely cooled, remove it from the pan and securely wrap it in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and place the cake in a zip-top freezer bag. Store on a flat surface in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temperature and frosting.

Storing Tips

This gluten free chocolate cake will stay good at room temp for a day or so, then it should be placed in the fridge. It will stay good for 5-7 days in the fridge, and should be covered to ensure freshness.