Sink your fork into a slice of fudgy chocolate avocado cake topped with lashings of silky-smooth chocolate avocado frosting! You'd never guess this decadent-tasting dessert is sugar free, dairy-free and Keto - and there's a Paleo option, too. You cannot taste the avocado at all - it makes this recipe deliciously moist yet surprisingly light.
If you had told me a few years ago that I'd be singing the praises of chocolate avocado cake today, I'd probably have laughed in your face. Avocado was something you'd mash into a guacamole, full stop.
Since then, I have discovered the beauty of vegetables in baking. From my super easy Keto carrot mug cake to moist pumpkin brownies, I now know that veggies work wonderfully in desserts!
Normally, I'd use butter and double/heavy cream in my cake recipes. Replacing these dairy fats with avocado turns this cake into a nutritional powerhouse: Avocado is packed with vitamins, contains more potassium than bananas, is high in fibre and loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.
Don't get me wrong. Butter or coconut oil in cakes taste great. But by swapping them out for avocado this cake tastes LIGHTER than a regular cake - despite the fact that it is amazingly fudgy.
Which brings us to the essential question - does the cake taste of avocado? Trust me - it's a firm ABSOLUTELY NOT.
My whole family ate and loved this Keto cake (which I presented to them as a mere "chocolate cake"). My 13-year-old daughter even asked for a second slice. You need to know that officially neither of my two children like avocado. They would even go as fas as saying they "hate" it. See? If the haters like it.... it must be good!
How to make a sugar free chocolate avocado cake - step by step:
1.) Blend the avocado in a food processor with the eggs, almond milk, coconut cream, cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Blend for a few minutes until the mixture is absolutely smooth and there are no lumps left. If necessary, scrape down the sides with a spatula in between.
If you don't have a food processor, simply use your electric mixer. It helps if you chop or mash the avocado before blending. Again, take your time (more time than you'll need with a food processor). You don't want any green lumps in your cake.
2.) Now add the dry ingredients - almond flour, baking powder and sweetener and blend again until everything is well-combined.
3.) Line a 7 inch springform with parchment paper and grease the sides so the cake does not stick. Fill in the batter and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the top is firm.
4.) This is what your chocolate avocado cake should look like! If you're a purist, your work is done. Simply let it cool down and dust it with cocoa powder.
TIP: Make sure the cake is COMPLETELY COLD before dusting! If it's still warm the moisture will turn the cocoa into an unsightly sludge.
5.) Personally, I hope you'll go for the frosting - it is soooo delicious.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave (in 30 second bursts). Blend the avocado, sweetener, cocoa powder and almond milk in a food processor until absolutely smooth. Last, add the melted chocolate and blend until well-combined.
Slather over your COMPLETELY COOLED cake (you don't want the frosting to melt!) and enjoy!
Recipe top tips and variationsÂ
The success of this recipe is down to the quality of your avocados. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the pleasure to pick a ripe avocado from a tree.
I've had few good experiences with ripen-at-home avocados - they tend to go from hard to brown. When you shop for avos, simply make sure they are ripe and soft. The creamier your avocados, the better your cake!
The batter will turn out smoothest if you use a food processor or high speed blender. If you don't have either, the attachment of a stick blender should also give the same result. In this case, blend the avocado and wet ingredients in two batches, then mix the rest of the dough in a bowl with your electric mixer.
If you only have a regular electric mixer, I'd use a tall vessel and mash the avocados before blending. You'll have to be patient - just keep blending and blending until there are absolutely no lumps.
If you want to supercharge your cake, add 2 oz of melted unsweetened or dark chocolate (minimum 85% cocoa solids) to the batter. This will make it even fudgier, more like a low carb brownie.
I regularly get questions about coconut cream. This is the thick part of a can of coconut milk. Simply place your coconut milk in the fridge for a couple of hours before using (or overnight). This will separate the cream from the liquid. If you can get hold of it, you can also buy coconut cream in a can.
Sugar Free, Keto, Gluten Free ... and a Paleo option
I think you'll get the best result by using powdered sweetener, but granulated sweetener should also work as there's a lot of blending going on. Erythritol, xylitol or Swerve all work. If you're after a Paleo cake, simply swap out the sweetener with coconut sugar.Â
Prefer coconut flour to almond flour? You can make this cake using 1 cup of coconut flour. Coconut flour absorbs more liquid, that's why you need less of it.
I used a small 7 inch diameter springform. This means my cake is taller. If you have a 9 inch (regular size) springform your cake will be flatter (but still taste just as good!).
You'll also love these chocolatey dessert recipes:Â
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Keto Chocolate Truffles
- Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
- Best Ever Keto Chocolate Cake
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Chocolate Avocado Cake - Sugar Free, Dairy Free
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary. ***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups / 200g almond flour or ground almonds
- 1 ½ avocado (circa 150g / ¾ cup mashed)
- 3 eggs medium
- ½ cup / 120g coconut cream
- ½ cup / 120ml almond milk unsweetened
- â…“ cup / 40g cocoa powder unsweetened
- ⅓ cup / 53g powdered erythritol use ½ cup / 80g if you like a sweeter cake. Use coconut sugar for Paleo
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tso vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1 avocado (circa ½ cup mashed)
- 2 oz / 56g unsweetened chocolate or dark chocolate, 85% cocoa solids minimum
- ½ cup / 80g powdered erythritol
- 3-4 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 356 Fahrenheit.
- To make the cake, chop or mash you avocado and blend it in a food processor with the eggs, almond milk, coconut cream, cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Blend for a few minutes until absolutely smooth and there are no lumps left. If necessary, scrape down the sides with a spatula in between.
- Now add the almond flour, baking powder and sweetener and blend until well-combined.
- Line a 7 inch springform with parchment paper and grease the sides. Fill in the batter and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the top is firm.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave (30 second bursts). Blend the avocado, sweetener, cocoa powder and almond milk in a food processor until absolutely smooth. Last, add the melted chocolate and blend until well-combined.
- Spread over the completely cooled cake and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Allison Bisset
Amazing cake!! Last year I made Hubby the Victorian Sponge recipe for his birthday this year decided for something different and chose this recipe. Ow my!! absolutely delicious and as always straight forward recipe to follow. Somehow we even managed to freeze a couple of slices which were equally as delicious and tasted just as fresh.
Brenda
I love all your recipes thank you for sharing
Patricia
I made cupcakes with mine. This was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much.
Connie
Is the frosting enough for 12 cupcakes? Thanks
Katrin Nürnberger
It depends on how big you want the frosting to be. It's enough for a small swirl, but for a larger portion I would probably make a little more.
Catherine
This recipe looks amazing. I'm thinking of making this for my daughter's first birthday, but not sure about using erythritol or maple. Thinking of substituting dates or date sugar instead. Any ideas on amounts?? Thank you!!! 🙂
Katrin Nürnberger
With the date sugar, probably the same amount. With dates you'll have to experiment and see what gives you the right amount of sweetness.
Gillian
Can you advise how to convert the chocolate cake to cupcakes
Katrin Nürnberger
Cupcakes normally bake between 20-25 minutes. It depends on the size of your cupcake tin. Go for 20 minutes and then check if they're done.
Janine
Made this today and quite enjoyed. I only used 1 cup almond flour and subbed 1/3 cup coconut flour for the second cup, and it seemed to work just fine! I also had to sub coconut milk for the almond milk because I didn't have any on hand.
Rona
If you don't have almond milk you can use 1/4 cup of almond flour with 1 cup of warmish water (turn on the kettle for a bit, and stop before boiling). I add 1/2 tbsp of erythritol and a drop of vanilla extract. Mix everything and you can use it as is or strain it through fabric like a thin kitchen towel and squeeze. Just keep in the fridge until you use it. No additives and really simple.
Katrin Nürnberger
Thanks for the tip!
Isabella Sandford
Hi
Please can you confirm that your nutritional information is per slice as this not written anywhere.
Thank you
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, it is per slice.
Cheryl
this was so nice! I did substitute the almond milk with coconut milk but turn out soooooooo tasty! Would make it again!
Wendy
Hi, I have tried to make this, but the cake interior turns out rather dense and a bit wet. Is that how it should turn out to be? It seems strange as it does appear cooked and I have increased the baking time.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, it is a fudgy cake.
Neha
What would be a good substitute for an eggless version of this recipe?
Katrin Nürnberger
I have never tried making this cake without egg. Vegan recipes normally use a chia or flax egg.
Gayane
Oh my! This is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever tried! Thank you for the recipe! Will be definitely making it regularly
Goranka Novarlic
So good I will never use another chocolate cake recipe. Super moist!
Therese Leboffe
Easy to make and a solid baseline recipe that I will continue to experiment with. Flavor was not chocolately enough for my taste, so will try adding a bit of coffee to amp it up a bit. Adding the suggested frosting might address that as well.
Texture-wise, I wouldn't describe this as "fudgy". It is more like solidified cooked oatmeal - overly moist and lacked crumb, but that is due to the use of 100% almond flour. I'll try it again subbing in coconut flour for some of the almond flour in a 1:3 ratio (which means I may have to adjust the almond milk but will know when I try.)
In conclusion, good baseline recipe that I'd like to tweak more to achieve more chocolate flavor and better crumb.
Katrin Nürnberger
Keep me posted on your experiments 🙂
Eden
Hi! What amount of coconut nectar would you suggest to use as the sweetener replacement? I am not a fan of Stevia and am looking for a lower GI option than coconut sugar as I am making this for a diabetic
Thanks!
Katrin Nürnberger
I would try using the same amount.
Connie
Can I pipe with this frosting? Can it hold its shape?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, if you put the frosting in the fridge a little, you can definitely pipe it.
Karen
Substitutions: Unless I make the coconut milk I can't access the cream in a can can I substitute dairy cream
Can't access those sweeteners. However I can get stevia in liquid and granulated form. And in combinations with other sweeteners. Any suggestieton for the amount
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Karen, you can definitely use dairy cream instead of coconut cream. But if you put a can of coconut milk in the fridge the cream will separate from the liquid and you can scoop it out. As for the sweetener, you can use granulated stevia sweetener. Make sure it's a 1:1 sugar replacement though. Often the stevia sweeteners are twice as sweet as sugar - in that case, only use half the amount!
Connie
Can I pipe with this frosting? Does it hold its shape? Can I make the frosting and pipe it on a cake a few days in advance?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, if you cool the frosting in the fridge a little it's absolutely possible to pipe it.
Nicole Van Santvliet
hi, I tried this today. The recipe for the cake was really straightforward and the cake looks beautifully. I haven't tasted it yet.
The frosting, on the other hand was not as I hoped it would be : you can definitely taste the avocado, it was really ripe and I must admit I added a bit more (130g i.o. 100g) and was also far too sweet : I used erithrytol - brand Natvia - and perhaps I only should use half of the suggested amount? I added cream cheese to make it less sweet, but the avocado taste is still there.
What did I do wrong?
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Nicole, I only used 60 grams of sweetener, half as much as you put in. Maybe this is why it just did not taste right. Also, the sour taste of the cream cheese does not really gel with avocado, in my opinion. Try using the same amounts as me next time, I'm sure you'll prefer it 🙂
Ayano
Hi, is there anything that can substitute everything that's almond?
Katrin Nürnberger
Good 1:1 substitutions are sunflower seed flour or a sunflower seed / sesame seed mix. In most recipes, 1/3 the amount of coconut flour also works, although sometimes you may need to add more egg.
Ayano
Oh thank you! What about the Almond milk?
Katrin Nürnberger
any milk or nut milk will work. It's about keeping to the same wet / dry ratio.
Rita
Should I double the ingredients of the chocolate avocado cake do I need to divide the mixture into 2 tins please?
Katrin Nürnberger
That depends on the size of your tins. If you want to make a layered cake, you could also keep to the same amount and reduce the baking time.
Diksha
Hi..this sounds delicious. Can I make this cake in a 9*5 loaf pan? Is it possible to substitute the almond flour with spelt, buckwheat or wheat flour? Also, is there a healthier substitute for coconut cream? Thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Diksha, a 9x5 loaf pan should be fine for this. I haven't tried, but substituting the almond flour 1:1 with spelt, buckwheat or wheat should work well.
As for the substitute for coconut cream, I'm not sure what to suggest. Are you thinking of something that's lower in fat?
Billy
Amazing!
Margaret Wilson
Love this cake...have made it a few times! Wondering if you could you add walnuts to this?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, absolutely! Walnuts and chocolate always work well together.
AJ
Yummy cake, not too sweet! I made this cake to use up a few ripe avocados I had. I liked that it uses 2 avocados & that it’s all made in the food processor. I substituted the Erythritol with coconut sugar & this worked well. I also put the icing in the fridge for about a half hour before I frosted the cake & that gave it a thicker, fudgier texture. Will definitely make it again!
Mona
Hi would the net carbs With the frosting be 3.2g is this correct? Also would this be for a slice of cake like 1/8 (ie cutting the cake into 8 equal slices). Thank you for your recipes keen to try them
Katrin Nürnberger
HI Mona, it's 2.8g carbs for 1 of 12 slices.