Paleo Chocolate Cake with Cashew Butter Frosting

Jun 11, 2020 | Desserts

This rich, one-bowl Paleo Chocolate Cake is topped off with a creamy dairy-free Cashew Butter Frosting for the best gluten-free, grain-free dessert!

This rich, one-bowl Paleo Chocolate Cake is topped off with a creamy dairy-free Cashew Buttercream for the best gluten-free, grain-free dessert!

Paleo Chocolate Cake with Cashew Butter Frosting

This allergy-friendly chocolate dessert is one for the history books, friends. This is the moistest paleo chocolate cake I’ve had to date (secret ingredient: sweet potato!) and the rich cashew butter frosting is the perfect compliment! I also love that I can make it in only one bowl because as a food photographer I have already washed enough dishes for a lifetime.

You know how the house smells amazing when you’ve got a chocolate cake cooking and you start drooling? Yeah, it’s a real mood. That’s what makes this cashew frosting even better–it gives you something to sneak bites of while you wait patiently for the cake to be done. (also, does anyone else think molten lava cakes were born because someone didn’t want to wait for the cake to finish cooking?)

This Paleo Chocolate Cake is really very simple, which makes it the perfect easy dessert while the temps are warming up. You whisk the ingredients together and bake for about 45 minutes. You then want to let it cool completely before topping it off with a cashew butter frosting and enjoying.  It keeps covered in the fridge for a couple of days, but I would suggest slicing and freezing the cake if you’re not planning on devouring it in three days or so. Gluten-free baked goods get a little dry after a few days. This one lasts a bit longer since it has the sweet potato to help things along, though. If you do have leftovers, heating the cake up just slightly before eating helps restore a bit of it’s day-1 glory.

Cashew Butter Frosting

Let’s talk about Cashew Buttercream:

Omg guys…this vegan buttercream is unreal! Rich, creamy cashew butter swirled into a fluffy frosting…I mean does it get better than that? I tested this a few times and the leftovers kept finding their way out of my fridge and onto whatever I was eating. You can make this buttercream with another nut butter if you’d like, but the cashew one is so good!

Here’s what you need to make the cashew frosting:

  • Coconut oil, softened (or butter if you can tolerate it)
  • Cashew butter: I use Georgia Grinders nut butter, but any cashew butter or nut butter will do!
  • Vanilla extract
  • Grain-free powdered sugar: I use Trader Joes which is corn-free! Most organic brands are good to go, just check the label
  • Coconut milk or milk of choice: this helps thin the frosting just a tad to make it nice and creamy

Ingredients for Paleo Chocolate Cake:

  • Eggs: Adding eggs to the cake helps to bind and improve the texture. You can sub flax eggs for a vegan cake or gelatin eggs for an AIP cake, but know that I have not personally tested these versions.
  • Cassava flour: I love cassava flour for my grain-free baking! It gives an almost gluten-lik texture (with none of the gluten, of course)
  • Tapioca starch: a great grain-free flour that adds a subtle “chew” to gluten free baking
  • Coconut flour: this is a great flour to help absorb moisture in gluten free baking
  • Coconut sugar: a healthier option than cane sugar that adds sweetness to the batter
  • Cooked, mashed, cooled sweet potato: the hidden “health” ingredient that makes everything taste that much more moist and delicious!
  • Baking soda: to help with the fluff factor
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: for the chocolate of course!
  • Coconut oil: If you don’t want to use coconut oil, you can always use melted butter or avocado oil, but I haven’t tested those options.
  • Vanilla extract:  an essential in baking.

 

How to make the best Paleo Chocolate Cake with Cashew Butter Frosting:

  • Make sure your sweet potato is very smooth–toss it in the food processor if it’s stringy. You want it to be like canned pumpkin.
  • Line your baking pan with parchment and grease it well.
  • You really want to let this cake cool before you frost it or even eat it. It will firm up a lot while it cools!

 

Other chocolate paleo desserts:

 

Paleo Chocolate Cake with Cashew Butter Frosting

This rich, one-bowl Paleo Chocolate Cake is topped off with a creamy dairy-free Cashew Butter Frosting for the best gluten-free, grain-free dessert!

COURSE Dessert
Cuisine American
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 45 minutes
SERVINGS 10

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
  • 1/3 cup coconut or almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup cassava flour

To make frosting:

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil or ghee
  • 1/3 cup creamy cashew butter
  • 1 - 1 1/2 cups grain free powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and coconut oil.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until well combined and the sugar has begun to dissolve. Add coconut oil, vanilla, and salt, and beat again for a minute.
  3. If sweet potato isn't well mashed, place it in the food processor or blender with coconut milk until super smooth (like canned pumpkin).
  4. Add the sweet potato mixture to the rest of the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
  5. Add baking soda, cocoa powder, cassava flour, and coconut flour to the wet ingredients and fold until well combined. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes to absorb, then place in the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes or until risen and a knife comes out clean.
  7. Once out the oven, cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:

  1. Add coconut oil and cashew butter to a bowl and beat on medium speed until well combined.
  2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium/high speed until well combined and fluffy. Add almond milk and beat for another 2 minutes, or until smooth.

 

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Hey! I’m Moriah– a commercial and editorial food photographer and creative entrepreneur who is perpetually drinking coffee and covered in dog hair. I write this blog from New York City where I run my creative agency, The B Edit. I write this blog in the hopes that you can one day have your creative dream job, too!   

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