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The recipe you need for upcoming spring and summer celebrations: my vegan chickpea flour chocolate cake! Made in one bowl, it is grain-free, gluten-free and vegan. It’s not a miracle, but it is most definitely marvelous! 
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I hope this post finds you well and (wishful thinking for all) enjoying the first glimpses of spring.
But enough about spring. Let’s talk cake.
Namely, deep, dark, chocolate layer cake, with an equally decadent, velvety-smooth chocolate frosting.
With all kinds of spring celebrations just around the corner, this is just the cake you need for gatherings big and small, especially because it is:
*Made in 1-Bowl
*Made without an electric mixer
*Vegan (no eggs, no dairy)
*Grain-free
*Gluten-free
*Nut-free
*Easy!
The Star Ingredient: Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour is the solo flour in this recipe, adding perfect structure, height and texture without the addition of any other egg replacements or starches. A combination of full fat coconut milk and coconut oil produces lush layers that are all about the chocolate (i.e., no hint of chickpea at all, and no coconut flavor for that matter, either).
All of the ingredients for the cake are added to one bowl, and then beaten or whisked until completely smooth. Within minutes, the layers are ready to go into the oven to bake.
Chill the Layers Before Frosting Them
Once the layers (which rise high and even) have cooled, wrap them up and give them a chill in the refrigerator. This will make for easier frosting, especially the middle layer of frosting (it will not immediately squish out of the sides when the second cake layer is placed on top–pet peeve number 5 million and 73).
You can use plastic wrap or wax paper, but I prefer wrapping each layer in a clean dish towel (easy & eco-friendly).
Easy Vegan & Paleo Chocolate Frosting
And oh my heavens, the frosting! Make it in minutes with either a food processor or high speed blender using ingredients you most likely have on hand (e.g., coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup). It is also naturally vegan, Paleo, grain-free & gluten-free.
Bonus: no advanced chilling is required for the frosting! Make it and use it immediately.
If you do not want to make the cake in layers, make one big 13×9 sheet cake, or 24 cupcakes (see my notes in the recipe).
Most of all, make it yours!
Happy baking!
More Delectable Vegan Cakes to Try:
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cake {oil-free}
- Vegan & Grain-Free Vanilla Layer Cake
- Easy Cashew Cheesecake
- Vegan Coconut Flour Cupcakes
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Hemp Heart Cheesecake
Vegan Chickpea Flour Chocolate Cake {Grain-Free, 1-Bowl}
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Amazing chickpea flour chocolate cake that is grain-free, vegan and gluten-free! In addition, a simple cocoa-powder frosting that is paleo, vegan, grain-free and easy.
Ingredients
- Cake Layers:
- 2 and 2/3 cups (320 g) chickpea flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups (375 mL) coconut palm sugar
- 1 cup (80 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) hot (not boiling) water
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) virgin coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 and 1/3 cups (325 mL) virgin coconut oil, solid (not melted)
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) maple syrup (or honey, if not vegan)
- 2/3 cup (54 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) nondairy milk (more, if needed)
- pinch of fine sea salt
- Optional: large pinch of sea salt and/or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350F. Oil or spray the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans (with 2-inch sides).
- In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain.
- Add the coconut milk, hot water, coconut oil and vanilla to bowl. Vigorously whisk until completely smooth. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer cakes to cooling racks and cool 15 minutes before inverting onto racks. Cool completely. Wrap cakes in clean dish towels and refrigerate until cold.
- Chocolate Frosting: Place the coconut oil, maple syrup, cocoa powder, milk and salt in a food processor or high speed blender. Process, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl several times, until completely blended, thick and smooth, adding a bit more milk, if needed.
- Place one chilled cake layer on a cake plate or stand and spread with half of frosting. Top with second cake layer and spread top with remaining frosting. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Chickpea Flour: Note that other grain-free flours (especially coconut flour) will not work in place of the chickpea flour in this recipe without significant reworking of the ingredient (proportions and other added ingredients) and re-testing.
Frosting: The frosting will hold in a cool room for about 1 hour. If the temperature is warm, keep the frosted cake in the refrigerator until just before serving.
Cupcakes: The cake batter can also be made into 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350F for about 13 to 17 minutes.
13×9 Cake: The cake batter can be made into one 13×9-inch sheet cake. Bake at 350F for about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chickpea flour, chocolate cake, grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, chocolate layer cake, vegan, vegan chocolate cake
Can this be made as a vanilla cake by replacing the cocoa with additional CP flour? I saw you had a vanilla cake with Chickpea Flour but it included almond Flour and I’m making for a friend with a nut allergy.
Thank you 😊
Hi Sierra,
I am not sure. It will be heavy with all chickpea. Can she do coconut flour? You might want to try half the amount of coconut flour to replace the cocoa powder, plus a tablespoon of starch (e.g, tapioca of potato)
Hi Camilla. I want to make a cake for my toddler’s birthday and since he is allergic to dairy, eggs and gluten, it’s been a bit of a challenge to come up with a recipe. I was wondering if I could use a can of chickpeas in place of the chickpea flour & if yes, how do I modify the recipe. Thanks.
Hi Carine! Alas, I do not have a method for converting chickpea flour in a recipe to cooked chickpeas. So sorry! If you do decide to give chickpea flour a try, it is inexpensive (always a plus when tryin a new flour) and very versatile (I have a lot of vegan chickpea flour recipes here ).
We have recently turned vegan and gluten free . Tried 1 layer cake by making the ingredients half. Used almond milk and jaggery powder. It turned out perfect. Kids and husband loved it. Thank you so much. I used chickpea flour made from grinding chickpeas and not besan. Do you use besan or chickpea flour for all your recepies?
★★★★★
Hi Karishma! Happy to hear the cake was a success! I mostly use chickpea flour (labeled as suc), but have used besan many many times, too, both work great.
Just a few months back I transitioned to gluten free, and have been trying different products, noting that most of the breads are dry and lack of fluffiness. I made the cake today without the frosting as a test, since my birthday is coming soon and it was amazing, everybody in my family wanted a piece, it was so fluffy, tasty and not dry at all. I don’t eat chocolate, so I made it with carob, and it turned out delicious. Everybody believed it was chocolate cake. I will be making the frosting test soon, and hope to do double of the cake the recipe on my bday! Thanks for this awesome recipe.
★★★★★
You are so welcome, Liz! I am so glad it turned out so well, and thank you for sharing that it worked well with carob, that’s great!
Making this cake for my Mother in Law’s birthday as I’m vegan and she’s gluten free. Giving it a test run tomorrow! Wish me luck!
Hoping all goes well, Kate!
Hi
I’m confused by the receipe.
Starting from the beginning is it 2 AND 2/3 chick pea flour or 2x 2/3
Also, to make the double layer do I need to scale it x2 or is that the original receipt?
Apologies, Alexa–I have updated the recipe card to clarify. It is 2 and 2/3 cups of chickpea flour (320 g).The recipe makes two layers.
Quarantine cake for my mom’s (zoom) birthday party–we’re gluten free and all out of gf flour so i used the only thing i could find, since running to the store was not an option! Searched recipes for chickpea flour cake and went with yours. I added an egg and the results were amazing! Super rich and chocolatey without too much sugar and a boost of protein .My kids loved it! My new favorite cake! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Oh wow, talk about good news , Jodie, that is so wonderful! I love that you did a zoom birthday with your mom AND that this simple cake came through for you (and the kids like it too–yippee!).
Camilla, what a beautiful cake! I don’t know how you get such great results with grain free, nut free, egg free ingredients! I love your recipes.
Thank you for sharing them.
June, you are so welcome! It usually take quite a few disaster batches, first! 🙂 I have a cookie recipe post coming next–I can hardly wait to share! Take care, June 🙂
Hi Camilla! Do you have any recommendations on baking a 6” cake? Would I use the same amounts as the recipe calls for or should I reduce by half to make a layered 6” cake? Thank you!
Hi Diana,
To be safe, I would make the full recipe, filling the 6 inch layers about half to 2/3 full. You could bake the remaining batter in cupcakes and freeze for future eating! Start checking for doneness much earlier than the recipe states.