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.
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 cake 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
NOTE:
You can mix and match the above ingredients depending on what you have, but double cream (or whipping cream) is essential. Double cream usually has around 50% fat, while whipping cream has around 39% fat and it is an essential ingredient in your frosting to keep it creamy.
I know that in some countries, you can’t get such a high level of fat double or whipping cream. In that case, you can add a 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar to stabilize your frosting.
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla drops
- Sukrin syrup (or use icing sugar if you don’t mind extra calories and carbs)
- Strawberries
NOTE:
You can use any other fruit for decoration. However, it is best to add easily sliced fruit, such as bananas, peaches, and apricots, between the layers.
However, you can use some strong jam to enhance the chocolate flavour. My favourite jam is red and black currant jam.
How to make almond flour chocolate cake
I like using the hand blender with the whisk attachment, but you can make this cake with a whisker or 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 chocolate sponge:
1/ Preheat the oven to 150 ℃, 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 min or until the toothstick 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 in a large bowl.
2/ Whisk until combined.
3/ Add vanilla, sukrin syrup (or iced sugar) and cocoa powder and whisk until firm.
If your ratio of ingredients is slightly different from the recipe’s, you don’t have to worry; it will still work. If you want extra frosting, for example, to use for the pancakes, increase the amount of cheese or sour cream.
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.
- When slicing the cake, use wooden toothpicks as a guide. See the pictures below.
- Measure the desired height of the cake layer with a ruler, insert toothpicks all the way around then cut the cake sponge with a sharp knife exactly above the inserted toothpicks. Repeat for a three-layer cake.
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 chocolate cake
1/ Slice the strawberries into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) slices. Do the same if you use bananas or other dense fruit. you can also use jam or omit this step.
2/ Place the sliced strawberries on the cake layer and gently spread the frosting. The frosting should be 1 cm thick (just under 1/2 inch).
3/ Cover with another layer and repeat step 2/ until no layers are left.
4/ Once all layers are done, let the cake cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours; it is better overnight.
5/ Decorate with strawberries (I halved mine) or any other fruit you choose. Sprinkle with chocolate vermicelli or chocolate shavings.
If you like this Easy almond flour chocolate cake with strawberries, you may want to try my other cake recipes.
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EASY ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE (STRAWBERRIES)
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