Naked Chocolate Cake
I absolutely love anything chocolate so here is one of my favourite one bowl chocolate cake recipes that you can whip up really quickly in the kitchen. What I love about this one is that it’s so simple that your kids can easily make it. If I’m really pressed for time, I just throw all the ingredients into my Vitamix for a few seconds to combine then pour the mix straight into the cake or cupcake tin. I vary the frosting on this cake which really depends on what I have on hand in the fridge. It’s lovely topped with a silky chocolate ganache or my healthy chocolate mousse. If I have any macadamia nut butter in the fridge, I also love to make my chocolate fudge frosting by mixing it with a little cacao, honey and water to get the right consistency. Other great toppings are thick natural yoghurt, cream cheese frosting, ricotta + honey or simply just melted milk chocolate drizzled over the top.
What’s good about it:
Well firstly I love it because it’s high in protein which fills you up and is great to help repair the body and for a healthy immune system. I used Macadamia nut oil to make this delicious cake which works really well with baking and this great anti-inflammatory fat is also kind to your arteries. (make sure to use either coconut oil, olive oil or butter if you want this cake to be nut free.) I’ve also used coconut flour in this recipe , mainly to make it gluten free and nut free so it’s kind to sensitive digestive systems and kids can take them to school – which are now nut free environments. Another great thing about cooking with coconut flour is that it doesn’t give you that high blood sugar / insulin spike that you can often get with refined white flours.
1/4 cup (30 g / 1 oz) cocoa or cacao powder
1/4 cup (35 g / 1 1/4 oz) coconut flour (see notes )
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
4 eggs
1/4 cup ( 3 tablespoons) honey or organic maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup (60 ml / 2 oz) macadamia nut oil or melted coconut oil or butter
Preheat oven to 160 C.
Combine the cocoa, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt.
Add the eggs, honey, vanilla and oil.
Mix well until smooth and combined.
Spoon into a small 15 - 20 cm baking tin lined with baking paper – the smaller the tin the higher the cake… or alternatively spoon into 8 lined cup cake tins.
Bake the cake for 40 minutes or until cooked through. Bake smaller cupcakes for about 20 – 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Enjoy alone or with your choice of frosting: (see below)
Serves 8
Nutrition per serve:
Protein: 5 g
Total fat: 10.4 g
Saturated: 2.6 g
Carbs: 14 g
Sugars: 13 g
Sodium: 54 mg
Kilojoules: 744
Calories: 177
NOTES:
You can get coconut flour from most health food stores or quality grocers.
Coconut flour is gluten free, high in fiber + protein.
Frosting ideas:
1 Thick Greek Style yoghurt, ricotta + honey or coconut yoghurt.
2 Chocolate ganache made from 1 part good quality chocolate to 1/2 coconut milk, thick greek style yoghurt or cream. So for 300 g chocolate you will need 150 ml coconut milk, yoghurt or cream.
3 For a chocolate cream frosting combine 2 ripe avocados, 1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder, 1/4 cup honey, a pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste. Blend in a Vitamix until smooth and creamy. Add a little splash of water for a smoother and fluffier consistency.
4 for a creamy cheesecake style frosting, combine 250 g (9oz) soft cream cheese such as quark with a little lemon zest, juice, vanilla and a little maple syrup or honey to taste. Beat well until combined and creamy.
5 To make the chocolate fudge sauce take 1 heaped tablespoon of macadamia nut butter and mix with 1 teaspoon of honey + 1 teaspoon cocoa powder and a little hot water (2 – 3 tbsp) enough to mix into a smooth chocolate fudgy syrup. Drizzle over the cake and enjoy.
EXTRA NOTES:
Now for those who have trouble getting coconut flour – You can replace with the following flour alternatives.
For gluten free alternatives use 1 1/2 cups almond or hazelnut meal to replace the 1/4 cup coconut flour.
For those who want to use wholemeal flours, use 1 cup (125 g) wholemeal spelt flour + extra 20 g oil or butter + 1/2 cup (125 ml) your choice of milk.
Ok this should do it ! xx
MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES:
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cup Cakes
Naked Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Really Good Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Brownies
Raw Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Mousse
Contact Teresa Cutter
Can’t wait to make this!
I made this cake this week. Tasted and looked as good as the photo. It was amazingly yummy !!!!!!!
Hi Teresa
Oh, this excites me …. a lot!! Thank you
I was thinking of using dried almond pulp as a coconut flour substitute as it is also super absorbent. Would that work in the same quantities of dry to wet?
Megan
Can this still be counted as nut free if using macadamia oil?
Use coconut oil, olive oil or butter for nut free Melissa.
I am always lured to your website by the photos of your recipes Teresa and then am sad to read they often have nuts in them. I have a nut allergy so I am super excited to see that as well as being a cake (and a chocolate one at that!) this one is nut free!!
Hi, this looks great – but what can I use instead of coconut flour? Would buckwheat flour work? Or ground almonds? Thanks!
Hi Ilana,
There are substitutes under the recipe, it just requires some reading!
Enjoy
Grest recipe! I will let you know how mine turns out. Does the recipe turn out exactly the same way if you were to use your blender or do you recommend mixing the dry ingredients then folding the wet if you are not pushed for time? Is it necessary to shift?
Just throw it all into a bowl and mix it up with a hand whisk – 1 minute – it’s that easy !
Thanks Theresa for this great recipe. Will try at the upcoming weekend – the shopping list is already written.
Have a great one, too!
OMG- how awesome a recipe is this!. Yep it’s gonna be happening in my kitchen this weekend.
I’ve never tried a fresh avo+cocao topping and if I get some ripe Avos will give that a whirl – oh la la.
Great recipe – thank you very much Teresa! Super easy.. whipped these up (8 x cupcakes) in no time this morning and they are a lovely & moist… & will make an adaptable base for perfect little healthy desserts. Thank you for giving those of us who are sensitive to nuts a a coconut flour alternative.. I love & use all of your paleo friendly recipes – thanks again
Teresa, a very HUGE thank you. With a 3yo daughter who is gluten & lactose free, finding yummy treat recipes that she won’t turn her nose up at is very difficult. This is sure to be a hit in our house. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes
hi theresa,
i’m a little confused..just adding this to my pepperplate app for all my to-do recipes and i cant work out the flour – it says 1/4 cup coconut flour then wholemeal flour substitute it says 1 cup?
jen
Jenny – 1/4 cup of coconut flour = 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour.
thanks teresa! i’ve never used coconut flour before. looking forward to trying this. thanks.
Thank you for this perfectly timed recipe. I have not used coconut flour before but it doesn’t seem like much is used in this recipe. Is 1/4 cup really enough for 8 people?
Coconut flour is very different from other flours so you need to use a lot less. It is a lot denser and absorbs a lot of liquid. If you look at any coconut flour recipe, the flour amount is usually very small
Thank you!! About to give it a go right now!!
Going to make this along with your crunchy muesli cookies and muesli muffins as my bake-for-the-rest-of-the-week day. But my biggest question: Who takes your photographs!? I’ve been trying to find out and I just can’t find it on your website! The food and recipes are immaculate, but the photographs really do take your website and recipes to another level of amazement. Can’t wait for your next recipe already!
My amazing husband Paul Cutter is the food photographer.
Hi Teresa out of interest what frosting did you actually use on this cake….xx
Hi Teresa what frosting did you end up using on this cake…xx
Hi terese,
We made this cake today was super easy and smells delish but it didn’t rise? Is it meant to? Looks like a glamorous pancake..
Yep sure is Deb. Did you add the baking powder?
Yeah sure did???
Sorry i used wards gluten free baking powder….still tastes good just looks like a pancake
Hi guys,
My cake did rise too. I even tried a blender. Teresa Should I just double the quantity because it still tastes great. Just needed less time in my temperamental oven.
Sandra
Sorry guys that should have read – my cake did not rise.
Hi deb and Teresa,
Tonight I doubled the recipe and added an extra teaspoon on baking powder. I also reduced the cooking time as you suggested Teresa and the cake rose well. A lovely high cake.
Teresa would you please let me know the brand of baking powder you use.
Thank you.
From a big fan !!!!
Ps can you design a simple butter/vanilla using your usual honey and macadamia oil.
Looks delicious though, I can’t wait to try it! (:
Hi Teresa I have a problem with eggs what can I substitute it for ? Thanks
Oh, thank you SO MUCH! finally I can use the coconut flour in my cupboard. I’ve tried a few recipes that I’ve found on various sites and haven’t been impressed with the results. I’ve had great results with your recipes so I’m definitely making this one today. Kids home on school holidays and rain outside = chocolate cake baking afternoon.
Thanks Teresa for another one of your fantastic recipes. I have all the ingredients in the pantry so will make this one this afternoon. I enjoy reading the comments too as usually my questioned is asked and answered in amongst them, which makes me feel not so silly after all. ps love the photos too. I print them all out xxo
SO excited to make this!! I have all these ingredients lurking in my pantry!! looks absolutely beautiful!!
Just made this for my kids – we loved it! Hard to stop at one slice though…
I’ve been curious about coconut flour for some time and bought some earlier this week. Have been scouring the web looking for ideas but none have really grabbed me. So this recipe is like an answer to prayer! (And doesn’t use 10 eggs!) Can’t wait to try it out. Have tried out quite a few of your recipes since discovering your website only a few week ago – the chocolate truffles (which I now also add fresh coconut chunks to) are my all-time favourites.
Thanks!
Made this arvo, really lovely flavour. They rose well, I used a generous teaspoon of baking powder. Made 8 average sized cupcakes, not sure there would be enough batter to get a decent sized cake in 20 cm tin. Yummy without any icing – next time I will put on a cream/dark choc ganache
thanks for great recipe Teresa.
Hey Kylie did you bake for same time for cup cakes as I made cake and didn’t rise might have to up the baking powder I used level teaspoon
Much shorter time deb. I forgot about mine so were a little dry but still fab. Just keep checking on them – light press on top or insert skewer. I used coconut flour and coconut oil, had lovely coconut flavour.
Deb, I just made cupcakes then using this recipie and they did rise but only say a third- perfect though..maybe something wrong with your baking powder?? Try again perhaps and make sure to mix thoroughly
Just made this batter in cupcakes and used the avocado/coca mix on top. The kids had no idea they were good for them LOL xx
Hi Theresa, can you please clarify the cake tin size? I made the cake, with the baking powder, and also ended up with a flat and somewhat dry result. Definitely nothing like your beautiful high, moist one in the picture- had to throw it out! Used a 20×20 square tin. I’d love to have a healthy choc cake for my family, but didn’t do so well with this one!
Leah – I used a 20 cm baking tin to make this cake, but the mixture will also fit into a 15 cm round cake tin if you have one at home. You need to keep an eye on it when it bakes….take it out of the oven when it’s just cooked and maybe still a little moist on the top…overcooking will dry out any cake. I always just under bake my cakes slightly as they still keep cooking for 5 or so minutes after removing from the oven. If you still find it too dry, add 1 cup of frozen cherries before you bake…as this will add moisture to the final result if you need it.
Smaller tin, shorter cooking, a bit more baking powder, cherries and success! Thanks Theresa!
Made this and took to work, people loved it as it was so moist and the choc coconut flavour was so yum! Did not even ice it, but will try one of your suggestions next time. great recipe!!
Thanks for the recipe if I ice the cake with either option 2 or 3 listed how long would it last in the fridge?
Hmmmm, this recipe looks yummy! I have recently discovered your website and LOVE it! So wonderful to be able to offer my 5 year old sweet treats that are actually good for her, taste yummy, and are not full of the processed rubbish that store bought treats often have in them. Thank you! My question – what is the difference between cocoa and cocao powder? From what I’ve read it seems cocao powder has some wonderful benefits – do you think it’s worth spending the extra money on?
Thanks!
Hey Kerry – There are 3 main types of cocoa.
1 Dutch processed
2 Natural
3 Raw
Cocoa is what the beans are called once they have been cleaned, roasted and ground – Dutch processed neutralises the acidity and gives a darker look and rich smooth flavour – Natural cocoa is just roasted then ground into a powder and is lighter in colour.
Raw Cacao is the same bean but still in the raw state, uncooked and unprocessed.
They all have their purpose in cooking Kerry, just depends on what flavour and look you want to achieve and the final result.
OMG I made this cake. It was so good and I topped it with your Really Good Chocolate Mousse with the avocados. Next time I’m going to make the cupcakes. And the mousse is to die for!!!
OMG – I make paleo cakes all the time, but they are never really any good. This is the first one recipe is the BEST. It was easy and tasty!! I can’t wait to try more items from your web site.
I made them this morning all in my food processor and they turned out absolutely divine. I got 16 mini cupcakes with a mini muffin tray. The end result is light, moist and the flavour more complex then your usual standard cupcake loaded with sugar. Teresa is a genius.
my goodness… thank you
Teresa are your oven temps for reg oven or fan forced? In general if FF not mentioned do we assume that’s conventional oven temps? Thanks, Chris
Oven temps are based on fan forced Chris.
Made this last night, absolutely delicious! I have no need to ever use another source for any recipe Teresa u have it all! I’m about to make a batch of your health crunch cookies, they are amazing! I’ve tried various cookie muffin cake recipe and yours are the best and also the easiest!
Stumbled across this recipe while looking for gluten free chocolate cake that didnt use melted chocolate or sugar. This recipe is wonderful, thank you! Tried it out yesterday. It was so good that I ended up making a second one that same afternoon. I did add a 1/3 cup of almond meal, which was delicious. Looking forward to exploring more of your website now and trying more of your recipes. Thank you again for this great recourse.
I made this recipe in cupcakes the other day and was disappointed.
I tried again today using the coconut flour and oil combination but I also added a cup of dried prunes that I had softened in hot water. I added them to the wet ingredients and put them through the food processor before adding the dry. The result was incredible. Sweet and moist. Highly recommended!
Twice i have attempted this cake and both times ended up with a pancake!! Help. i dont know what i am doing wrong. Followed the receipe exactly, for the second cake i went and brought another batch of baking powder in case mine was off and added more of it to the mix just in case but got the same result. I am using a 20cm square tin. Maybe i need a smaller tin or should i double the mixture?
Ok Candice…try this:
don’t double the recipe until you have the original sussed.
Use a smaller tin.
Use 1/2 teaspoon ( BICARB SODA) in place of the baking powder…+ 1 tablespoon lemon juice to activate the bicarb.
Let me know how this goes.
in future to make your own baking powder mix 1 teaspoon bicarb soda + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar…= 3 teaspoons baking powder for future reference.
let me know how you go.
I like this cake even better than the chocolate cupcakes (which I have done to death!). Very strong chocolate flavour which is perfect for me as a dark chocolate lover. Just made one to take to my sister-perfect
Hi Teresa
My 2.5 yr old son helped make this cake last Friday for a dinner party we hosted last weekend. It was a a huge success. The adults and children alike couldn’t get enough. We’ve made this cake twice in one week! Thank you so much for helping me provide nutritious snacks and treats for my two beautiful boys. This one is definitely on the list for the cake stall at our school Carnivale.
Cheers
Pamela
This works really well as cupcakes too which would be great for the cake stall.
THANK YOU sooooo much for making a nut free recipe! I’ve looked at lots of your recipes and often get sad that I can’t make them as 2 of my kids are allergic to nuts, but this one is sure to be a winner, off to the kitchen now to bake!
Hi Teresa,
what do you think about sesame flour? Can be replace the almond meal with sesame flour? thanks
Long time lurker, first time poster here…just wanted to say huge thanks Teresa! I’ve tried a few of your recipes in the past week and they’ve all been fantastic (green burgers, pumpkin lasagna and choc protein balls). This chocolate cake recipe is another winner! I followed the recipe to the letter (macadamia oil and honey used, and a tiny smidge more baking powder having read the previous comments) and it made 10 lovely cupcakes. All thoroughly enjoyed and quickly devoured by my work colleagues. Thanks, can’t wait to try out everything else!
Hi Teresa
If I’m using natvia (brand of stevia) instead of honey, how much should I use?
Thanks Lou
Hi Teresa,
I made this cake last night, so yummy, thankyou! I had mine topped with mixed berries, so delicious!!
Hi, I was wondering if the maple syrup could be replaced with applesauce or fruit puree? thanks!
Hi Teresa,
Can I use rice malt syrup instead of honey or maple syrup for this recipe?
Yes you can..:) x
I made this yesterday and it turned out perfectly! I doubled the recipe due to other reviewers saying that the cake was fairly flat and it ended up being the perfect size. I also substituted half of the honey for coconut nectar and added about 3/4 tbs extra baking powder.
The texture is amazing, Teresa. It really is hard to find the perfect combination when it comes to coconut flour but this is it! This also gives me lots of ideas to mixing up the flavours! I think the cherries that you mentioned above would be delicious!
Thanks Teresa. Can always trust your recipes to be amazing : ).
To Melissa (Nov 11/2012)
Was that 3/4 tbs extra of baking powder or 3/4 tsp extra used? And did you use a 20cm tin when you had doubled the cake?
Thanks Jane
Finally made these today with my 3 year old grandson, who helped whisk and licked the bowl clean. The mixture made seven cupcakes and it was a success
Just made this delectable cake! I used almond meal instead of coconut flour, and it tastes great! This recipe is certainly a keeper!
Becca xx.
Delish! Thanks
I used almond butter instead, spot on
Hi Teresa, this is a lovely recipe. I have cooked many of your recipes and they all turn out very nicely. Last night I cooked this one for the third time – I was running low on eggs (only had 2). I found that you can add almond milk in lieu of 2 eggs and it still turns out nicely – perhaps not quite as springy and glossy but still good. Best to use almond milk once you have made this recipe before – that way you will know roughly what the consistency should be like and therefore how much almond milk to add. I also added some raisins. Thanks – love your recipes, making a healthy difference to my life:-)
Hi teresa,
To make a tall cake in a 20cm square tin, how many times would I need to multiply the recipe, and how long should I bake it for?
Hey Angela – double the recipe – whip the eggs first in a mixing bowl with the honey to add more volume…add the oil and dry ingredients. Bake for an extra 10 minutes or so…just test with a skewer or feel the top of the cake to see if it’s cooked all the way through.
x
Would LSA work instead of the almond or hazelnut meal as an alternative to coconut flour?
Hey teresa!
Firstly thanks for sharing your delicious and healthy recipes with us!!! I am an absolute fan of them!
Secondly, pretty pretty please with a cherry on top could you do a rum ball recipe?
I tried making this cake today, I beat the eggs with the mixer for aeration and used 3/4 teaspoon baking powder and my cake came out quite flat, think height of frisbee, that’s what it reminds me of. I did read that coconut flour is very absorbent, and wondered if perhaps some applesauce, milk or even water added to the recipe may help to make the cake rise by giving the coconut flour more liquid to soak up. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hey Tan – that’s very strange…Ok here’s what you can do – Use 1 full – lightly heaped teaspoon baking powder – don’t add any more liquid. Aeration of the mix needs to be until creamy – thick and light in colour – your tin size also matters…maybe use a smaller tin.
Let me know how you go. 
Thanks so much Teresa, I will give it a try in the next few days and let you know how it goes
I make this cake all the time now, I love it thanks! I love allyour recipes, thank you so much.
I have a very fussy 5 year old and I make this cake once a week, my family love it. I douvle the revipe to make a larger cake
Ok going to attempt this cake later today but don’t have coconut flour just hoping to use regular whole meal self raising with less baking powder…. Will this work?? Using a fairy tale castle shaped mould for my daughters 3rd birthday!!!!
Made this cake recipe into the cupcake option last night for my family on valentines day! Used the avocado frosting, with fresh strawberries on top! Was delicious, everyone loved them! I even had one for breakfast this morning
Thanks for the great recipe, and options using coconut flour!
I’m really shocked this gluten free recipe turned out as well as it did. Not chewy at all like SO many gluten free recipes, quite fluffy and moist and it rose in the oven! However I did add 1/4 cup coconut beverage milk (not cream) similar in consistency to soy milk because of the absorbancy of coconut flour and it was truly amazing. It did stick quite a bit to the cup cake liners like some of the readers here mentioned so I baked half a batch in a metal steamer (the kind you find in Asian markets) in silicone cups and it turned almost brownie-fudgey like, more moist and didn’t stick much at all and was ready in about 10 minutes. Can’t wait to try the other recipes on this website.
Oh my goodness, talk about wicked! These are incredible!
Super easy to make… Mine is in the oven now
Super recipe
Yum…made this recipe into cupcakes for a school treat, had to guard them with my life until they were cool enough to wrap & freeze
Followed the recipe to the letter and used macadamia oil/honey as I already had both in the pantry. Coconut flour is fabulous, first time I’ve cooked with it. Thanks for sharing all these delicious recipes Teresa.
Just tried this recipe and it is fabulous, it even gets better and moister the next day…. Amazing dairy, gluten, nut free treat, thank you!
Just made this one today with the avocado topping.Beautiful !!!
I made a frosting of coconut butter with 1 Tbsp honey. Its creamy but not overly sweet. We were invited to Easter dinner at a friends and just in case there is desert I figured I’d here make something my son could eat.
I made these as little cupcakes for my trainer for his birthday, with the avocado icing! He loved them, as did I! I have happily passed this recipe/website on to all my training friends! Thank you Teresa! Keep them coming
Absolutely perfect.. made them into muffins, filled them quite high, they did rise a touch. But the taste is so clean and yummy! I used macadamia nut oil and raw cacao.. yum!
Bloody delicious!!! I doubled the mixture for my boyfriends birthday cake and added a cup of chopped, frozen cherries. Next time might add 2 cups for a doubled batter?
I had no problems with the cake not rising. I use proper, plastic measuring spoons. Normal teaspoons seem smaller so maybe that’s where people were going wrong?
Icing – 250g cream cheese, about 30 grams of melted 85% chocolate and 2 tablespoons (?) of rice malt sirup. Whizzed it in blender. Topped with shavings of dark chocolate.
Cake was divine. Fructose free and very happily received by all. Thanks Teresa.
Truly amazing Teresa! I recently have tried improving the healthiness of having a child with wheat allergy & fructose intolerance, so made these gluten, fructose and nut free (school nut free policy). I used a blend of GF flours (brown rice & tapioca) & LSA to the weight you suggested under “extra notes” as I don’t yet have any coconut flour… will be sourcing this week to make them truly healthy! They rose beautifully, are so light and have the best taste! Really appreciate all the recipes, just made the carrot cake too (not for school!) thanks
Hi there, this looks really lovely however I have an allergy to eggs. Are you able to please advise a substitute for eggs in this recipe?
Many thanks, Jackie