Easy Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake {Paleo + Real Food}

Published: Feb 12, 2017 · Modified: Aug 20, 2019 by Emily Criswell · I may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this article · 82 Comments

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There's nothing better than a perfect, super soft, Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake! This swoon-worthy, delicious cake is so easy to make and made with real food, Paleo-friendly ingredients.

Healthier chocolate cake is THE best!

We are big cake fans in my home. I love baking and learned at a very young age from my grandma how to make cakes {and cookies and pies, especially meringue pies}. My mom taught me a lot too, but my my grandma was my major baking influence.

Cake and chocolate go hand in hand, at least in my book they do. CHOCOLATE is my friend. A very loyal friend. And one I turn to when I need a little boost, something to sweeten the day, or simply need a little comfort. And I have no shame about that.

Easy and healthy grain free chocolate cake is meant to be celebrated and savored!

Delicious, delectable, chocolatey cake bliss should be something to live for. Life is too short not to enjoy a good piece of chocolate cake!

In my humble opinion, chocolate cake should be soft and tender in texture. Because really, who wants dry cake?

Last month my Tiny Love requested a chocolate cake for her birthday. She always has a specific thing in mind for her birthday, this year she wanted olive penguins {black olives made to look like penguins with a cream cheese tummy and carrot feet and nose} and chocolate cake with a rainbow {I ended up making a rainbow out of fresh fruit on top of the frosting}.

I have found that most grain free cakes turn out pretty dry, so I new I needed to add a little something extra special to help keep the cake super soft.

Medjool dates help make the best chocolate cake!

Fresh {or dried} Medjool dates are almost always my go-to and answer when it comes to making cakes the perfect, soft texture. They're the best! They really help add the much needed moisture content and they add a little natural sweetness too.

I prefer fresh dates because they's SO yummy but they're also extra soft. If you can't find them or if they're too pricey {because sometimes they can be expensive if you can't find them in bulk}, then dried Medjool dates work fine too ... they just need to be soaked first to soften them up a bit.

This chocolate cake is so easy to make in the blender!

All you have to do is heat up some water and your healthy fat of choice and pour it in a blender with your softened dates. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients followed by the dry ingredients and blend on a low speed just for a few seconds. Then pour the beautiful chocolate cake batter into your cake pan.

This cake is so versatile and bakes beautifully in a bundt cake pan, a regular cake pan and even in a square baking pan. You can even pour the cake batter into a cupcake baking pan if you wanted to.

This Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake is a must have for any special celebration, whether it's a birthday, Valentine's Day, or simply a just because cake.

Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake

Easy Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake {Paleo + Real Food}

Yield: 10-12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Inactive Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

There's nothing better than a perfect, moist, Healthy Grain Free Chocolate Cake! This swoon-worthy, delicious cake is so easy to make and made with real food, Paleo-friendly ingredients.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

7 fresh or dried Medjool dates, halved and pitted
½ cup grass-fed butter or ghee
½ cup filtered water
½ cup maple syrup or coconut nectar
¾ cups cassava flour (<-- this is the only cassava flour I use and recommend)
¼ cup cocoa powder (<-- this is the fair-trade cocoa I use)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon mineral-rich salt (<-- this is my favorite salt)
2 pastured or organic eggs

For the Chocolate Glaze:

¼ cup light colored honey
¼ cup grass-fed butter or ghee
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon mineral-rich salt
¼ teaspoon grass-fed gelatin (<-- this is the only grass-fed gelatin I use and recommend)

Instructions

To Make the Chocolate Cake:

If using dried dates, submerge and soak dates in 1 cup very hot filtered water for 20 minutes. When they're done soaking, discard soak water.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 7"-9" bundt cake pan, 8-9" round cake pan or an 8x8 square pan.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add healthy fat of choice and water and warm until the fat has melted. Remove from heat and pour into a high powered blender. Add the fresh or soaked dates and blend until dates are pureed. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Blend on low speed for a few seconds, then scrape down the sides and blend once more for a few seconds, just until combined. Do not over mix. Pour cake batter into greased cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out for no more than a few moist crumbs. Depending on oven temperatures and cake pan, test your cake at 20 minutes to gauge how much longer it will need to bake. My oven bakes this cake perfectly at 35 minutes.
Allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before topping with the chocolate glaze.

To Make the Chocolate Glaze:

While the cake bakes, make the chocolate glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add all ingredients except for the gelatin. Stir constantly until everything is melted and fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Once the chocolate is hot, smooth and shiny, sprinkle the gelatin over the top and quickly whisk in the gelatin. Stir constantly until the gelatin is fully incorporated and dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit at room temperature until the cake is ready. The glaze will thicken up as it sits.

Notes

Cassava flour is not tapioca flour. Cassava is 100% Yuca, a root vegetable. Tapioca is a bleached and extracted starch. Cassava flour is a whole food; the entire root, minus the peel. I only recommend cassava flour. It is the highest quality cassava flour available.I used this BPA free silicone bundt pan.
This cake is also delicious frosted with my Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting or my Low Carb Keto Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Frosting.

Adapted from - Paleo Chocolate Cake.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 270mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 2gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there. I have a board just for Gluten Free Treats too. Come follow along.

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About Emily Criswell

Emily Criswell is a chocolate- and sweet treat-loving, holistic-minded, work-at-home, single mom of 4. She's a 4-time cookbook author - The Art of Great Cooking with Your Instant Pot (ranked as an Amazon top 10 new release in gluten free recipes), The Big Book of Instant Pot Recipes (which has sold over 23,900 copies so far), Amazing Mexican Favorites with Your Instant Pot (ranked as an Amazon #1 New Release Best Seller), Low-Carb Cooking with Your Instant Pot , food photographer, homeschooler and the founder of Recipes to Nourish, a gluten-free blog focusing on real food and natural living. She works to empower her readers by showing them that there is a healthier way to eat and live. Her passion is to make healthy, natural living as uncomplicated and enjoyable as possible. Find Emily’s latest recipes and natural living tips at Recipes to Nourish. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X Twitter and YouTube plus grab her free eBook Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy. Read more >> About Emily.

Comments

Megan Stevens

February 13, 2017 at 9:24 am

Mmmm, love the dates in this recipe!! So pretty!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 13, 2017 at 9:54 am
  
  Thank you Megan! 🙂
  
  Reply
Renee Kohley

February 13, 2017 at 10:45 am

Ohhh I bet those dates work lovely to make the grain free cake moist! Great idea! Happy birthday to Tiny Love - she is looking so grown up! Gah!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 13, 2017 at 1:45 pm
  
  I love using dates in baked goodies, they really help with that moisture content. 🙂 Thank you Renee, she had a great day! And I know, right?! Way too fast. Your little one is next 🙂
  
  Reply
Rebecca Strength and Sunshine

February 13, 2017 at 11:09 am

A chocolate cake is always the way to go! Looks delicious!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 13, 2017 at 1:45 pm
  
  Can't go wrong with chocolate cake 🙂
  
  Reply
Chandice

February 13, 2017 at 1:31 pm

This looks delicious and beautiful!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 13, 2017 at 1:45 pm
  
  Thanks so much Chandice! 🙂
  
  Reply
Bethany via athletic avocado

February 13, 2017 at 2:23 pm

Who could turn down a big, moist, tasty piece of chocolate cake? Love that this version can be made in the blender!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:15 pm
  
  Thanks so much Bethany! 🙂
  
  Reply
Sarah

February 13, 2017 at 3:30 pm

such a beautiful cake!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:15 pm
  
  Thank you Sarah! 🙂
  
  Reply
Allison Wojtowecz

February 14, 2017 at 6:55 am

This is absolutely gorgeous!! My mouth is watering!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:15 pm
  
  Thank you so much Allison! 🙂
  
  Reply
Mira

February 14, 2017 at 8:17 am

I love that you can make it in a blender!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:15 pm
  
  I love blender batters too! 🙂 Thanks!
  
  Reply
Megan

February 14, 2017 at 8:36 am

This is stunning. Seriously a beautiful dessert!!!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:14 pm
  
  Thanks so much Megan! 🙂
  
  Reply
Meg | Meg is Well

February 14, 2017 at 9:03 am

Those swirls are absolutely beautiful! I think gluten free baking is the hardest and it is really hard to get moist cake! I don't think I've ever seen a fresh Medjool date before but I've used the dry a lot-just not in a glorious cake like this!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:14 pm
  
  Thanks so much Meg! There's an awesome date company called Ranchero De Lux, I'm not sure if they only sell in CA though? My local natural foods co-op carries them in bulk, they're so good! If you ever find some, give them a try 🙂
  
  Reply
Kristine

February 14, 2017 at 9:11 am

This chocolate cake is just gorgeous and it looks totally delicious! I'm a sucker for anything chocolate, but grain-free is even better! Yum!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm
  
  Thank you! I'm a sucker for chocolate too 🙂
  
  Reply
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish

February 14, 2017 at 9:20 am

Absolutely gorgeous!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm
  
  Thank you Suzy! 🙂
  
  Reply
Luci's Morsels

February 14, 2017 at 9:31 am

This looks amazing! I love that it is grain free as well!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm
  
  Thank you so much! 🙂
  
  Reply
Jehan Hale

February 14, 2017 at 10:21 am

Such a beautiful cake!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:11 pm
  
  Thank you Jehan! 🙂
  
  Reply
Cristina Curp

February 14, 2017 at 10:28 am

That cake pan is to die for! What a stunning cake! I love Otto's too! Great recipe.

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:11 pm
  
  Thanks so much Cristina! Isn't Otto's the best?! It's such an awesome bundt pan, I love it! 🙂
  
  Reply
Susie

February 14, 2017 at 10:33 am

So pretty! I love using dates for moisture and sweetness.

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:10 pm
  
  Thanks so much Susie! xo They're the best for moisture content right?! 🙂
  
  Reply
linda spiker

February 14, 2017 at 10:40 am

I love the look and shape of this cake. Otto's a great flour!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:10 pm
  
  Thank you Linda! Otto's really is fabulous 🙂
  
  Reply
Raia

February 14, 2017 at 11:37 am

Looks gorgeous, Emily! Happy birthday to your adorable little one!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm
  
  Thank you Raia! She had a fun one 🙂
  
  Reply
ChihYu

February 14, 2017 at 12:59 pm

This cake looks simply gorgeous. Thank you for this lovely recipe !

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm
  
  Thanks so much ChihYu! 🙂
  
  Reply
Dena Norton

February 14, 2017 at 1:41 pm

Dates are a such a great way to add moisture and natural sweetness - love this recipe!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm
  
  Thanks! I love that about dates too, they really do help add that moisture content. 🙂
  
  Reply
Kelsey

February 14, 2017 at 2:36 pm

This looks heavenly! And your little girl is just too cute for words! This would make a fantastic birthday cake...and I love the shape!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:08 pm
  
  Thanks so much Kelsey! I can't get enough of her 🙂 It really is an awesome bundt pan!
  
  Reply
Jessica DeMay

February 14, 2017 at 5:58 pm

This cake is so pretty and I love that you dates to help keep it moist! And that glaze on top?? Yum!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:07 pm
  
  Thanks so much Jessica! 🙂 That glaze pretty much makes me swoon every time lol
  
  Reply
Erin Carter

February 15, 2017 at 7:33 am

What a perfect Valentine's Day treat!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:04 pm
  
  Thank you Erin! 🙂
  
  Reply
Dina-Marie

February 15, 2017 at 1:40 pm

This is absolutely beautiful and looks delicious!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:04 pm
  
  Thanks so much Dina-Marie! 🙂
  
  Reply
Michele Spring

February 15, 2017 at 2:08 pm

Your daughter is so cute! And this is exciting that you got a cake to come out of a cake pan like that - I've found a lot of grain-free cakes tend to stick to the pan, so this is awesome!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:03 pm
  
  Aww thanks Michele, I think so too 🙂 xo Right?! I've heard that too. This bundt pan works every single time, even with gf coffee cakes! I love it!
  
  Reply
Katja

February 15, 2017 at 8:11 pm

So pretty! This looks like the perfect chocolate cake!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:02 pm
  
  Thanks so much Katja! 🙂
  
  Reply
Stacey Crawford

February 16, 2017 at 10:31 am

I have eyeing and drooling over this gorgeous cake for the last few days! I think it just has to happen!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:01 pm
  
  You're so sweet, thank you Stacey! 🙂
  
  Reply
Mark

February 16, 2017 at 1:31 pm

That came out amazing, I love the swirls, great job! I bet the dates taste amazing in this cake, I think they add a really nice caramel-ish flavour to things. Great recipe :)!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  I love their flavor too! Thanks Mark! 🙂
  
  Reply
Melissa - My Darla Clementine

February 17, 2017 at 10:34 am

This recipe sounds so good with the dates in it! I pinned and shared it too. Now to go make it.... 🙂

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 1:59 pm
  
  Thanks so much Melissa! I appreciate all of the love xo Hope you get to make some!
  
  Reply
Kari Peters

February 17, 2017 at 7:45 pm

This is so incredibly beautiful, and I love that it's made in the blender and with dates!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 1:59 pm
  
  Thanks so much Kari, that's so kind of you. 🙂
  
  Reply
Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk)

February 18, 2017 at 8:26 am

This is so beautiful! Love the glaze and the simple fruit topper. I need one of these pans!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 18, 2017 at 1:58 pm
  
  Thank you so much Becky! I'm in love with this bundt pan, cakes and even coffee cake come out perfect every time. I hope you get to get one 🙂
  
  Reply
Carrie Forrest

February 19, 2017 at 8:21 am

Your daughter is so adorable!

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 20, 2017 at 4:23 pm
  
  Thanks so much! 🙂
  
  Reply
Hannah Healy

February 19, 2017 at 8:24 am

Never did I think healthy could look so delicious! 🙂

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 20, 2017 at 4:22 pm
  
  Thanks Hannah! 🙂
  
  Reply
Georgina Young

February 19, 2017 at 8:51 am

What a pretty cake this is 🙂 I need to buy one of those moulds! That chocolate glaze looks to die for too !

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 20, 2017 at 4:22 pm
  
  Thanks so much Georgina! I love the bundt pan too 🙂 I hope you're able to get one, they're so fun to have on hand.
  
  Reply
Amy

February 20, 2017 at 11:13 am

You're right, nothing better than chocolate cake! I love that you added dates 🙂

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 20, 2017 at 4:20 pm
  
  Thanks Amy! It's so yummy 🙂
  
  Reply
Shauna | Linden & Lavender

February 23, 2017 at 4:27 pm

Thank you for introducing me to cassava flour. I have not seen it on the shelves here in Canada but will be on the lookout for it. Does it have a strong taste? What other baked goods would you use it in?

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 24, 2017 at 9:25 am
  
  Hi Shauna, I'm not sure if they sell it in Canada, I have to buy it online and I only buy it from the company I listed 🙂 It's my favorite! It doesn't have a strong taste, very mild. I use it in pretty much all of my baked goods now. If you'd like some ideas, check out some of my other cassava flour recipes here ... I make cookies, cobblers, galettes, muffins, coffee cake, banana bread, cakes, waffles, etc. and I have lots of them on my blog. 🙂
  
  Reply
Elizabeth

May 24, 2017 at 1:37 pm

This is a long shot, but has anyone ever made this with chia or flax egg substitute?

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  May 28, 2017 at 8:50 am
  
  Hi Elizabeth, I wish I had an answer for you. I haven't tried it that way but have used chia "eggs" before in other gluten free baked goods. You've peaked my interest though so I might try making a recipe using this flour with chia eggs to see if it works.
  
  Reply
Kristin

November 15, 2017 at 5:24 am

Do you know if this recipe would work at 350 degrees? I have child who needs egg baked at 350 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes due to a raw egg allergy. Thanks for this recipe. Due to the extent of his allergies, he’s never had a chocolate cake before and he has an upcoming birthday soon that I’ll try this for.

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  November 15, 2017 at 5:50 pm
  
  Hi Kristin, I'm sure that would be fine 🙂 You'll want to keep an eye on it because it will probably cook faster. Maybe check it at 20 minutes? Happy Birthday to him! Also, I've never tried making this cake with a chia egg instead, but I bet that would work too. Can he have chia seeds? I used chia seed "egg" replacer in this cake. You can see the amounts I use in that recipe, but what I do now instead is I grind the seeds first in a small blender I have and then add the water to the blender. This grinds the chia seeds and I prefer that texture compared to the whole seeds. I hope that helps!
  
  Reply
Sydney

February 01, 2019 at 11:58 am

Hi! Do you think blanched almond meal would work instead of the otto’s?

Reply
- Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri
  
  February 01, 2019 at 5:40 pm
  
  Hi Sydney, no it won't work for this recipe. Almond flour is usually not something that can be swapped easily. Cassava flour is closer in texture to an "all purpose flour" and almond flour isn't, so unfortunately it wouldn't work for this recipe.
  
  Reply
Meagan

July 22, 2021 at 11:07 am

Hi Emily. This looks delicious. I plan to make it for my son's upcoming birthday. Just wondering though, can I make the cake ahead of time?
Wondering how long it will keep in the fridge, frosted or unfrosted.
Thanks so much, looking forward to trying it 🙂

Reply
- Emily Vidaurri
  
  July 25, 2021 at 4:08 pm
  
  Hi Meagan 🙂 I usually serve it the same day, however it still has a good texture the second day. I would store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. I wouldn't do the glaze until the day you're serving it though - a frosting like a buttercream frosting should hold up better in the fridge overnight however. I hope that helps and that you enjoy it!
  
  Reply
Onida

October 20, 2022 at 8:06 pm

This is truly the best chocolate cake recipe I have tried. It is so moist & light, oh so rich, yet not too sweet. You can eat it on its own without any glaze or frosting. However, if you do want a frosting, I highly recommend the Vanilla Honey Buttercream Frosting; it is the perfect complement. My husband said this is the best cake I've ever made. This is now my go-to chocolate cake recipe! Yum!

Reply
- Emily Vidaurri
  
  October 21, 2022 at 10:14 am
  
  This makes me so happy! ❤️ Yay! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the cake and that your husband loved your chocolate cake too! It sure is delicious on it's own and extra special frosted. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the vanilla honey buttercream frosting too! Thank you so much for sharing this with me and for the thoughtful comment. Enjoy it when you get to make it again 🎉
  
  Reply