Paleo Chocolate Cake

I LOVE chocolate cake. I love the decadence, sponginess, and chocolatey flavor that engulfs my mouth. The problem, however, is that I am gluten-free and large amounts of sugar really hurt my stomach, which isn't common for most Crohn's and UC patients. So when I finally found a recipe for a chocolate cake that I can not only eat but that also tastes amazing, I knew I had to add it to my list of go-to desserts and share it with as many people as possible.

A dessert for different Crohn's and UC diets

This paleo chocolate cake is great for those who live gluten-free, practice the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD), are dairy-free, and, of course, are paleo. But, despite being gluten- and dairy-free, it surely does not skimp on taste or texture. 

If you are gluten-free, you are most likely familiar with cakes that can taste dry and flavorless. But this particular cake is moist and delicious, allowing you to satisfy your sweet tooth without being overly sweet nor containing refined sugar.

I am here to assure you that yes, you can have your cake and eat it, too – even if you don't eat gluten, dairy, or refined sugar!

Serves 16

Paleo chocolate cake ingredients

Dry ingredients:

• 3 cups almond flour
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 cups coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 cups raw cacao powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Vegan chocolate frosting:

• 8 cups organic powdered sugar, or powdered coconut sugar (for paleo option)
• 1 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 cup organic palm shortening, or vegan butter
• 3/4 cup almond milk (cashew milk or coconut milk work, too!)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Paleo chocolate cake directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. (Note: I prefer to grease my pans with ghee or organic palm shortening since coconut oil can leave a slight coconut taste.) Set these aside.
3. Add all of the dry ingredients to a very large mixing bowl and whisk together.
4. Add all of the wet ingredients to a separate medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together for 1-2 minutes.
5. Evenly divide the batter between the three baking pans and cook for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Once the cake has completely cooled, assemble the cake by adding the vegan chocolate frosting between each layer and frosting the outside.

Crohn's and ulcerative colitis recipes

When it comes to cooking with IBD, we're all working from a different set of ingredients. Food sensitivities and dietary restrictions vary greatly from person to person, and there is no one diet recommended for Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. Check out our full list of recipes for more ideas – all from people who cook, eat, and live with IBD!