Ingredients

Cake

  1. ¾ cup (80g) cocoa powder, sifted

  2. ¾ cup (160ml) boiling water

  3. 2 cups (200g) almond or hazelnut meal

  4. 1 tsp baking powder

  5. 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  6. 1 cup (220g) caster sugar

  7. 200ml neutral flavoured oil (canola, vegetable, light olive oil)

  8. 2 tsp Queen Natural Vanilla Extract

Ganache

  1. ½ cup (60g) cocoa powder, sifted

  2. ¼ cup Queen Pure Maple Syrup

  3. 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted

  4. 1 tsp Queen Natural Vanilla Extract

  5. 1 tbsp dairy free milk (optional)

Method - Cake

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-forced). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.

  2. 2

    Place the cocoa in a medium bowl and gradually stir in the boiling water until smooth. Set aside to cool.

  3. 3

    Sift together almond meal and baking powder. Set aside.

  4. 4

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using a hand mixer. Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and Vanilla Extract on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Add the cocoa mixture and mix just combined. Add the almond meal and baking powder and fold through until just combined.

  5. 5

    Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for 60-70 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out with a few wet crumbs. Cool completely in tin.

Method - Ganache

  1. 1

    Combine sifted cocoa, Maple Syrup, coconut oil and Vanilla Extract in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add dairy free milk if any additional liquid is needed. Spread onto cooled cake and enjoy!

Notes: For a shiny and smooth frosting it is best to ice your cake immediately after making the ganache. If ganache
is allowed to sit too long it will start to clump together from the cocoa and will be difficult to spread.

Comments & Reviews

Recently made this for a family gathering with some who are gluten and dairy sensitive. For the ganache I subbed the refined coconut oil for canola (couldn’t find it in my town) and replaced maple syrup with golden syrup as I had it on hand. It took about 3tbsp of almond milk to get it to the consistency I wanted (likely due to the golden syrup). Tasting the ganache on its own it doesn’t taste overly pleasant, but when topped onto the cake they compliment each other very well. The cake stays fresh and moist at room temp for many days and tastes extremely good!

J0my

I made this for my partner’s birthday, and it turned out perfectly! I used coconut sugar instead of caster sugar and it was fine. Also used melted coconut oil at room temperature for the oil option. Rich, delicious and beautiful texture for both the cake and ganache. I decorated with raspberries, cacao nibs and silver cachous, very pretty. Will definitely make again, so pleased to find a straightforward recipe for gluten & dairy free chocolate cake. Thank you!

Kate

Delicious cake, made for Granddaughter, who can’t eat dairy, gluten, or corn

Carol

This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever made! I used hazelnut meal instead of almond by roasting the hazelnuts then rubbing them with a clean tea towel to remove the skin. Then I blended them in the food processor. This is worth all the effort! The only problem with this cake is it tastes too good. 🙂

Deirdre

Most amazing gluten and dairy free chocolate cake, moist and just delicious for all

Catherine