Gluten-free, refined sugar-free cake with 2-ingredient frosting… are you intrigued?? This recipe came about as a birthday cake for my dad, who is diabetic and can’t have large amounts of refined sugar. Of course it’s also gluten-free and vegan, because what’s the point in making a cake that I can’t eat. Especially chocolate cake. Seriously, who makes a chocolate cake and does eat it. I’ll have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if there’s leftovers… and there’s always leftovers…
The cake is light and moist, as all chocolate cakes should be. It’s easy to get heavy baked goods when making gluten-free recipes, even more so if you chose not to use xanthan gum, which I chose not to use in this recipe (just because I’m stubborn like that). Applesauce and almond milk add the right amount of moisture, and the almond flour helps keep the texture light. Seriously this chocolate cake is legit.
But the best part? The frosting! Actually, I think that’s the best part of any cake, but with just 2-ingredients, this one couldn’t be easier. The first ingredient is dark chocolate, but the second isn’t coconut milk/cream. Nope, it’s not a dairy-free milk or vegan butter either… Have I peaked your interest? Muhahahaha (that was my evil laugh).
Ok, I digress. Its sweet potato. Yup, you read that right. You can used canned sweet potato if you’re in a pinch or you can cook and puree your own, which is my preferred method. But only because I toss the still hot, sweet potato chunks in the blender with the shards of roughly broken chocolate and let the blender do all the work. (I give instructions for the blender method in the notes below the recipe.) Seriously though, no one will ever guess what you’re secret ingredient is, unless they’ve read this post. But the addition of sweet potato to the frosting makes it a really great alternative for people who suffer from food sensitivities or allergies since there is no soy, nuts or coconut. Which incidentally makes it a good recipe for kids parties and school bake sales. Plus they’re eating their vegetables, who can argue with that!
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- ¾ cup canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated stevia or monk fruit sweetener
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
- 8-10 ounces dark chocolate, melted *See notes
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, depending on the sweetness of the chocolate you’re using)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk and flax seeds. Add the oil, applesauce, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add the gluten-free flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until smooth and completely incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cake in beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler stirring gently until completely melted.
- In a medium bowl combine the sweet potato puree and melted chocolate. Whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.
*See notes for blender version.
- Place the first layer of cake on a cake stand or revolving turntable. Trim the rounded top if necessary.
- Top with ¾ cup of frosting and spread to the outer edges of the cake. Top with the remaining cake layer.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. You may have some frosting left over.
- If not serving immediately, the cake can be stored in the fridge. Remove 30 minutes before serving and allow to come to room temperature.
Transfer the hot sweet potato to a blender and puree until smooth. If you have more than 2 cups of sweet potato puree, remove any extra. Add the chopped dark and blend into the hot sweet potato puree until completely smooth. Add in maple syrup if using.
Allow to cool completely before frosting the cake.
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