This incredibly decadent and moist gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Cake is topped with a dreamy ganache frosting and has a hidden veggie: beets! It's perfect for holidays, birthday parties, or chocolate cravings.

I am not exaggerating when I say I have been GIDDY to share this recipe with you! Chocolate is my total food love language and I totally nerd out over a hidden veggie, so this treat just makes me happier than you can imagine. It's a Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Beet Cake, and it's topped with the most decadent (and easy!) Chocolate Ganache Frosting you can imagine. I can't wait to make this for upcoming birthday parties, special events, or just a weekday that calls for some chocolate!

Ingredients in Vegan Chocolate Cake

There are a couple of cool hacks in this recipe that make the ingredient list really fun! We're cooking with the perfect blend of gluten-free flours, flax eggs, and a hidden veggie.

Flax eggs - It's actually SO easy to make flax eggs! Stir three tablespoons ground flax seed and a half cup of water together in a small bowl, let it sit for a minute or two, and you'll see how it thickens!
Maple sugar - Maple is an absolute must-have in my kitchen. Maple sugar is made from pure maple that's been boiled down, then mixed with a paddle until it forms fine granules. It looks and acts like sugar, but it's made from one ingredient: pure sap from maple trees.
Cocoa powder - Use unsweetened cocoa powder for the perfect dark chocolatey taste.
Gluten-free flours - I used a blend of oat flour, almond flour, and tapioca flour. You would never guess that this is a gluten-free blend!
Baking essentials - Baking soda, salt and vanilla are the classic baking essentials you'll need to grab from the pantry.
Beets - Use two large or three small cooked and peeled beets. They add an earthy sweetness that makes the chocolate flavor feel rich and complex. No one will detect them in this recipe. Trust me on this one!
Almond milk - Any non-dairy milk will work in this Vegan Chocolate Cake. I usually use almond since I have it on hand, but you can use oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk...grab your favorite!
Coconut oil - Use coconut oil that's completely in liquid form. This is going to help it mix evenly into the batter!
White distilled vinegar - This recipe only uses two teaspoons of vinegar, but it actually creates a cool chemical reaction! Remember making volcanoes in science class with baking soda and vinegar? The same principle applies here! The two will combine and produce a bit of carbon dioxide that lifts and fluffs the cake as it cooks. Science rules!

All About Beets

Let's talk about BEETS! Beets are low in calories and an excellent source of folate and a good source of potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber. Look for round, firm and smooth beets with non-wilted leaves and vibrant red color. Beets will last a long time when stored properly. Remove all of the leaves, trim the stem down to one inch, and store in a bag in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Wash your beets well before using; they’re grown underground, so they need a good scrubbing! Beets take a while to cook, so I make them in the Instant Pot. Leave the skins on (remove the leafy greens from the top) and use the steamer basket with 2 cups of water on manual high pressure for 18 minutes. Release the steam, let the beets cool, and the skins will slide off easily.

More Beet Recipes

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

This cake uses three kinds of flour for a totally gluten-free base! I can always find these flours at my grocery store, but you can also order them online if you're unsure.

Almond flour - Almond flour is the thickest and most absorbent of this blend! It adds satisfying weight and substance to the finished cake.
Oat flour - Making your own oat flour is super simple and inexpensive! Measure certified gluten-free oats into your high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until they have the consistency of flour. That's it! Oats are awesome in vegan baking because they also help to bind the cake and add some stability.
Tapioca flour - This flour is sweeter and adds a silky thickness that makes this cake mildly addicting.

Almond Flour

Tapioca Flour

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

I created this quick and easy dairy-free chocolate ganache frosting from just two ingredients: unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk and melted vegan chocolate. My favorite brand of refined sugar- and dairy-free chocolate is Hu and I use it in so many recipes! If you live somewhere warm, I suggest popping your canned coconut milk in the refrigerator so it thickens into a luscious, thick cream texture. This cake would also be incredible topped with my Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting...and you'd be adding another hidden veggie!

Click Here & Use Code ELAINE for 10% Off Vegan Chocolate

My Favorite Coconut Milk

This Vegan Chocolate Beet Cake is totally free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and even refined sugar. I can barely believe it myself! I am genuinely so excited for you to try it and let me know what you think. Please tag me on Instagram so I can see your delicious cakes and the occasions you bake them for (even if it's just a weekday that's calling for chocolate!), and don't forget to drop a review below!

More Vegan Chocolate Desserts

Click Here: Over 70 Vegan Chocolate Recipes!

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Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Beet Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

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Author: Elaine Gordon
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8-10 large slices 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

This incredibly decadent and moist gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Cake is topped with a dreamy ganache frosting and has a hidden veggie: beets! It's perfect for holidays, birthday parties, or chocolate cravings.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease two circle baking pans with avocado oil spray. Add a circle cut out of parchment paper to the bottom of each pan and spray again with avocado oil spray.
Prepare your flax eggs. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup whisk together the ground flaxseed with warm water. Allow to sit for at least five minutes while you prepare the rest of the cake batter. You will add this at the end just before baking.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients until no clumps remain (maple sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, oat flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda and salt). Set aside.
In a high speed blender, add the cooked beets, non-dairy milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and vinegar. Blend on the highest speed until completely smooth. Pour into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well. Add the flax eggs at this time and stir well to fully incorporate. You can use a hand mixer if desired to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated and no clumps/lumps remain.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the two cake pans. Place both cake pans on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. To test for doneness, a toothpick or sharp knife should come out clean from the center of the cakes. Allow the cakes to fully cool to room temperature before frosting or the frosting will melt. To speed up the process you can place the cake pans in the refrigerator or even your freezer. Once the cake is fully cooled, run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake pan to release the cake from the pan. Carefully invert the pan to remove the cakes from the pan.
To make the chocolate ganache frosting, use a hand mixer to combine the melted chocolate with just the coconut cream from 3 cans of full fat coconut milk. If you are in a warmer climate you will need to chill the cans in advance so the solid white coconut cream rises to the top of the can above the coconut water. You can discard the coconut water that is below the coconut cream or freeze it in an ice cube tray for smoothies.
Once the chocolate and coconut cream is fully combined place in the refrigerator to allow it to firm up (about 30 minutes). Remove the mixing bowl from the refrigerator and use a hand mixer to beat the frosting again until it is fluffy. If it is not firm enough allow more time in the refrigerator to harden. If it is too firm you can microwave it for 10 seconds to soften. Do not microwave for too long or it will liquify too much. Once it is your desired consistency and once your cake is fully cool you can frost your cake. Place one cake on a cake stand and top with the frosting. Place the other cake overtop and top with more frosting. Spread the remaining frosting around the sides. If there is extra frosting you can place in a piping bag and decorate your cake with it.
Slice and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. After that store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Allow the cake to return to room temperature before serving.
Garnish with chocolate shavings, dye-free chocolate sprinkles or mini vegan chocolate chips.

Notes

Find out more about the chocolate ganache frosting recipe in the full blog post here.

*To cook my beets I typically do a couple at a time in my Instant Pot. Place the beets with the leaves removed and the skin on in the steamer basket with 2 cups water. Then cook on manual high pressure for 18 minutes (on sealed not venting). When it is finished cooking, press Off and manually release the pressure. Check that the beets are fork tender. If you have a large beet you might need to cook an additional five minutes. Once they are fork tender, allow the beets to cool before handling, then peel the skin off. Once the skin is off and the beet is at room temperature it is ready to use in this recipe.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 30
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven

This recipe was inspired and adapted from this recipe.