This easy and airy almond flour chocolate cake has a gorgeous dark brown colour that suggests a rich chocolate flavour. As you take a bite, the sponge feels incredibly soft and delicate, almost melting in your mouth. The texture is incredibly light and airy, with tiny air pockets scattered throughout the cake, producing a wonderfully tender crumb.
This chocolate sponge is so light and airy, it’s hard to believe it’s made with almond flour. When you cut into the cake, you’ll notice how moist and tender it is, with a slight springiness to the touch. Each bite is a delightful experience, as the chocolate sponge practically dissolves on your tongue, leaving you craving more.
One of the best things about this cake is mixing all the sponge ingredients in one bowl and all the frosting ingredients in another. The entire cake can be ready in just one hour.
What do you need for the easy almond flour chocolate cake
Ingredients:
For chocolate sponge:
- Almond flour
- Eggs
- Monk fruit blend or erythritol (or caster sugar if you don’t follow a low-carb diet)
- Vanilla extract or drops
- Xanthan gum or coconut flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cocoa powder
NOTE:
Almond flour is a healthy gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. It is made from ground almonds and is high in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. You can use it, for example, to make cookies, cakes, bread, and pancakes. Learn more here.
For chocolate frosting:
- Double cream or whipping cream
- Mascarpone
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla drops
- Sukrin syrup (or use icing sugar if you don’t mind extra calories and carbs)
- Strawberries
You can use any fruit for decoration, but it’s best to add easily sliced fruits between the layers, such as bananas, peaches, and apricots. Additionally, you can use a strong jam to enhance the chocolate flavour. My favourite jams are red and black currant jams.
Want to boost the chocolate flavour? Try adding a bold jam between the layers. I love using red or blackcurrant jam for an extra rich, tangy kick.
NOTE:
You can mix and match the above ingredients depending on what you have, but double cream (or whipping cream) is essential. Double cream typically contains around 50% fat, while whipping cream has approximately 39% fat. It is an essential ingredient in your frosting, helping to keep it creamy.
I know that in some countries, you can’t get such high-fat double or whipping cream. In that case, you can add a 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar to stabilise your frosting.
How to make almond flour chocolate cake
I prefer using the hand blender with the whisk attachment, but you can also make this cake with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon.
For a three-layer cake, use either a 20 cm (8-inch) cake pan or a springform pan. You can also use a bigger pan for a two-layer cake.
NOTE:
Don’t have a cake pan? Nothing will stop you from making a square cake. Bake the chocolate sponge on the oven tray and, when ready, cut it into three rectangles or four squares.
Making the Chocolate Sponge for Almond Flour Cake
1./ Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan setting. Line the bottom of the cake tin with parchment paper.
REMEMBER! Never grease parchment paper for this cake, as it will add weight.
2./ Break the whole eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a whisk, hand mixer, or standing mixer with the whisk attachment, gradually adding the erythritol (or sweetener/sugar of your choice) until fluffy.
3./ Add vanilla extract and cocoa powder and beat again until smooth.
4./ Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and coconut flour until fully incorporated.
5./ Pour the batter into the cake tin (or oven pan) and smooth the top with a spatula.
6./ Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Making chocolate frosting:
While the cake is in the oven, I make the frosting.
1./ Pour double cream (whipping cream), mascarpone, sour cream and cream cheese into a large bowl.
2./ Whisk until combined.
3./ Add vanilla, sukrin syrup (or iced sugar) and cocoa powder and whisk until firm.
NOTE:
Don’t stress if your ingredient amounts differ slightly; this recipe is forgiving.
Want extra frosting (maybe for pancakes later)? Just add a bit more cream cheese, double cream or sour cream!
Stay in touch
If you like the content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter for updates about new articles.
I promise – no spam, no inbox flooding.
My tips and tricks for this almond flour chocolate cake
Let the cake sponge cool down before peeling off the parchment paper.
- Place the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake tin. However, don’t use oil for the cake tin.
- Let the cake cool down thoroughly before cutting it.
- Gently remove the cake from the tin, then turn it upside down and remove the parchment paper.
✅ BONUS TIP:
To slice your cake layers evenly:
- Measure the desired layer height with a ruler.
- Insert wooden toothpicks around the cake at that height.
- Use the toothpicks to guide and slice with a sharp knife just above them.
If you baked your cake in a square oven tray, follow the instructions in EASY VARIATION OF HONEY CAKE on how to remove the parchment paper and cut the square cake.
Assembling the Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
1️⃣ Slice the strawberries into ½ cm (¼ inch) slices.
You can do the same with bananas or any other soft, dense fruit.
👉 Tip: You can also use a layer of jam to enhance the chocolate flavour. Red or blackcurrant jam works beautifully.
2️⃣ Add the first cake layer to your serving plate or board.
3️⃣ Spread the frosting evenly over the layer. Aim for a thickness of about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
4️⃣ Add your fruit.
You can decorate the top of the cake with any fruit you like—whatever’s in season or sitting in your fruit bowl.
However, when it comes to layering, it’s best to choose soft, easily sliced fruits that won’t overpower the sponge.
✅ Bananas, peaches, and apricots work beautifully as they’re easy to cut and stay in place between layers.
5️⃣ Repeat the process for the next layer(s) until no layers are left.
6️⃣ Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours—ideally overnight—to let it firm up.
7️⃣ Decorate the top with halved strawberries (or your chosen fruit) and sprinkle with chocolate shavings or vermicelli.
Final Thoughts
Whether baking for a special occasion or just treating yourself on a quiet weekend, this almond flour chocolate cake is a fantastic choice. It’s light, rich, and adaptable—perfect for low-carb eaters and chocolate lovers alike. Try it with different fruits, add a layer of jam, or keep it simple and classic. However you serve it, don’t be surprised if there are no leftovers!
Looking for your next baking adventure?
Check out my other dessert recipes—from creamy frostings to fruity treats and easy cakes, there’s something delicious waiting for you.
🍴 Made This Recipe?
✍️ Leave a comment below and tell me how your almond flour chocolate cake turned out! Did you decorate it with strawberries, or try something new?
⭐️ Don’t forget to rate the recipe, it helps more food lovers find it!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE | EASY GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE
Cooking Tools
- Hand blender
- Round cake tin 8 inch (20cm)
- Icing Spatula
Ingredients
CAKE
- 6 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Monk fruit blend - or erythritol or caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cup Almond flour
- 1 tsp Xantan gum - or coconut flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
FROSTING
- 1 cup Cream cheese
- 1 cup Mascarpone
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 1 cup Double cream
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 15 drops Stevia drops – Vanilla
- 3-4 tbsp Sukrin syrup - or icing sugar
- 2 cup Strawberries - optional
Instructions
CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 150 ℃, fan setting. Line the bottom of the cake tin with parchment paper.
- Break the whole eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a whisk, hand mixer, or standing mixer with the whisk attachment until fluffy. Gradually add the erythritol (or sweetener/sugar of your choice).6 large Eggs, 1/2 cup Monk fruit blend
- Add vanilla extract and cocoa powder and beat again until smooth.1 tbsp Vanilla extract, 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and Xanthan gum until all the flour is incorporated.2 cup Almond flour, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Xantan gum
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 20 min or until the top is lightly golden and the toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool down completely.
FROSTING
- Whisk double cream (whipping cream), mascarpone, sour cream and cream cheese in a large bowl until combined.1 cup Cream cheese, 1 cup Mascarpone, 1 cup Sour cream, 1 cup Double cream
- Add vanilla, sukrin syrup (or iced sugar), and cocoa powder and whisk until firm.2 tbsp Cocoa powder, 15 drops Stevia drops – Vanilla , 3-4 tbsp Sukrin syrup
ASSEMBLY
- Take the cake out of the tin and gently remove the parchment paper.
- Slice the cake to make 3 layers, using wooden toothpicks as a guide.
- Cover each layer of cake with sliced strawberries.
- Spread frosting over the strawberries, then all over the top. Spread on the sides if you desire.
- Leave to chill in the fridge for at least an hour but best overnight.
- Decorate with halved strawberries or any other fruit, chocolate or/and chopped nuts.2 cup Strawberries
Nutrition
Nutritional facts in this recipe are only informative. The calculation might slightly vary, depending on the exact ingredients you use. For accuracy, enter your specific ingredients into a nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal or Calorieking.
To calculate net carb use this method:
Carbohydrates – Fiber – Sugar alcohols = Net carb
Beyond the Recipe…
There’s more than recipes here: personal stories, favourite spots, and a few food myths I’ve challenged.
My family loved this!
Very light sponge cake. I followed the recipe to the dot. It was great success
I’m glad you liked it.