Mouthwatering Chocolate Avocado Cake (Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free)

Don’t worry! The taste of avocado will be masked by the sweet and chocolatey goodness of the cake. In this recipe, avocado works as a sort of substitute for butter with its rich and creamy texture. For those who hate avocados but want to eat them because they are healthy, this is the perfect cake for you. And it’s great for tricking others into eating an extremely nutritious fruit.

It took a while for me to convince my brothers that gluten-free baked goods can be just as tasty as their gluten-full counterparts. For a while, they often confused the term “gluten-free” with “organic,” bless their hearts. Still, it’s fun to play the “guess what unique ingredient I used” after — always after — they clean their plate, and it’s always fun to hear them cry out something like: “Wait, there was tahini in that cake?” 

Do try this at home with this Chocolate Avocado Cake! No one can go wrong with avocados and all of their incredible health benefits.

Avocado the Superfood

Avocados are chock-full of nutrients. Here are the nutrients found in 100 grams of avocado:

• Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
• Folate: 20% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
• Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV 
• Potassium: 14% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
• Vitamin E: 10% of the DV

Avocados also contain small amounts of manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). They also, get this, contain more potassium than bananas, a nutrient most people don’t consume enough of that is linked to reducing high blood pressure. [1]

Avocados are known to be full of heart-healthy fats and fiber, which can aid weight loss and reduce blood sugar spikes. The healthy fats can aid the absorption of nutrients in other food, like the other veggies in a salad with avocado. Plus, the fats and the fiber help people feel more satiated and lower their appetite for over five hours after eating, according to one study. [2]

Best of all, avocados are yummy and versatile. They pair well in salads, are delicious on their own, or mashed up with salt, garlic, and lime into guacamole. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With a little creativity, this fruit can be added to many other delicious recipes, such as being blended into smoothies, homemade popsicles, mashed into vegan mayo, whipped into chocolate pudding, mixed into soup, and baked into muffins.

Best of all, they can be baked into a chocolate cake for a rich, creamy texture, topped with a simple avocado frosting that takes only a few minutes to whip up.

Chocolate Avocado Cake Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 ripe organic avocado
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut or avocado oil
• 3 cups almond flour*
• 2 cups filtered water
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup (or to your desired taste)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or squeezed lemon juice)

*Editor’s Note: Previously, we had coconut flour listed, and it has since been replaced with almond flour to improve the recipe.

For the Frosting:

• 2 ripe organic avocados
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Directions

For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, grease and (coconut) flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. 
3. In another bowl, mash the avocado until it’s smooth, then add the avocado or coconut oil, vinegar, water, and vanilla extract.
4. When the mixture is combined, mix in the maple syrup.
5. Add this mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the batter is well-combined.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between two cake pans, and bake for about half an hour.
7. Check if the cake is done by piercing it with a toothpick and seeing if the remaining liquid batter sticks to it.
8. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans, then take them out after 15 minutes for them to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1. Mash the avocados until it’s smooth and mix in the cocoa powder and maple syrup either by hand or in a blender. 
2. Spread a layer of frosting onto the first cake layer, and then place the second layer on top.
3. Frost the top of the entire cake and serve!