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.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the chocolate cake
- 3 flax eggs: 3 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup oat flour (gluten free if desired)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large cooked and peeled beets (or 3 small beets)*
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain, almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
For the chocolate ganache frosting
- 3 (13.5 ounce) cans unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (chilled in advance if in a warm climate)
- 3 cups vegan chocolate chips, melted (measured 1.5 cups of melted chocolate) [I use Hu brand for refined sugar-free + vegan chocolate]
- Alternatively you can use my Vegan Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting
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