Chocolate Paleo Snack Cake is fast becoming my boys’ favorite snack during our after school “tea time”. Before moving on to homework or other activities after school we take a few minutes for tea and a snack and share with each other about our day. I have overheard my sons proudly telling their neighborhood friends they can’t come out to play until after tea time. It’s become something we all look forward to even when the snacks are very simple.
On the afternoon of the first day of school, per Sweet Pea’s request, I got a little fancy and decked out the table for a more formal tea time. He was TOTALLY into it as you can see.
Jelly donut cupcakes from Elana’s Pantry were on the menu that day. It was one of the few times I had made a bona fide gluten-free baked good since going paleo. I have shied away from what is often a downfall in the realm of gluten-free eating – too many baked goods in lieu of more wholesome, unprocessed foods. But the cupcakes were a hit and it has become clear that we NEED a few go-to recipes for special snack times and desserts now and then.
Enter Chocolate Paleo Snack Cake
I refer to this recipe as a “paleo snack cake” because it is 100% paleo, full of nutrition and sweetened only with fruit. I could have made it sweeter by adding coconut nectar or chocolate chips. But since the boys do not seem to miss the sugar I’m sticking with this version. In fact, the lack of added sugar is one of the main reasons I feel good about serving this paleo cake to these growing boys.
What is NOT in Paleo Snack Cake
The chocolate paleo snack cake is so tasty I hate to focus on what is NOT in it. But for those of us with food allergies or family members with food allergies or sensitivities (my oldest is allergic to nuts and soy) it is important to know the details.
That said, this paleo snack cake recipe is gluten-free, grain free, dairy free, nut free, soy free and sugar-free…whew! In spite of what it is lacking in potentially allergenic or unhealthful ingredients, the paleo snack cake is good enough to be served as a more formal dessert.
The texture is like a dense, moist cake – a little like a heavy souffle or flourless chocolate cake.Ho
How to Make Chocolate Paleo Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 10 medjool dates, pitted (I buy mine in bulk at Costco)
- 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (or one ripe banana)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine finely ground sea salt
- 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
Instructions
- Place the medjool dates in a food processor and pulse until completely pureed.
- Add applesauce (or banana) and continue to pulse until pureed and combined with the dates.
- Add the fruit purée to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil and coffee and mix on low-medium speed until well combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed, scraping down the sides, until you have a smooth batter.
- Grease a 8×8 glass pan with coconut oil, pour in the batter and smooth it with the back of a spatula.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Alternative method for baking: Use a 9-inch round cake pan. Grease the pan and cut out parchment paper to fit the bottom. Cook per instructions above. Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes and turn it out onto a wire rack or cake plate to cool. Top with frosting, if desired, and cut into wedges. We’ve used whipped coconut cream and whipped dairy cream with fresh raspberries. If you are looking for a dairy-free alternative you should try the Avocado Chocolate Frosting!
Makes 9-12 servings
Make a batch of these chocolate paleo snack cakes to delight your kids or invite some friends over for coffee or tea time.
If you are REALLY feeling adventurous you might consider topping it with Chocolate Ganache Bacon Frosting! Or for a more formal, two layer paleo chocolate cake check out Paleo Chocolate Birthday Cake.
PrintChocolate Paleo Snack Cake
Chocolate Paleo cake sweetened only with fruit. Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined sugar-free
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 Minutes
- Category: Snack, Dessert
- Cuisine: Cake
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 10 medjool dates, pitted (I buy mine in bulk at Costco)
- 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (or one ripe banana)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine celtic sea salt
- 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
Instructions
- Place the medjool dates in a food processor and pulse until completely pureed.
- Add applesauce (or banana) and continue to pulse until pureed and combined with the dates.
- Add the fruit purée to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil and coffee and mix on low-medium speed until well combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed, scraping down the sides, until you have a smooth batter.
- Grease a 8×8 glass pan with coconut oil, pour in the batter and smooth it with the back of a spatula.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Keywords: Gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free,
Those look great. I’ve had some trouble with coconut flour tasting too heavy, but I these convince me to try again. I’ll bet date syrup would be great rather then medjools. (I”m hooked on the simplicity of it.)
Is it ok to leave the coffee out, or is there a substitution?
Tara,
The recipe needs the liquid but you can substitute with apple juice or water.
Lea
I am putting these on the list for next week for sure…I LOVE using dates for sweetener in my baked goods…thanks for this recipe!
You’re welcome!
I made them using a muffin pan…added 1/2 cup of chopped pecans…totally awesome. It yielded 15 muffins (filled about 3/4 full).
Cool. That’s good to know. I have a big bag of pecans that I can use. Of course it will mean only my hubby and I will be able to eat them. Not really a down side. 😉
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it yesterday and couldn’t resist dipping a finger into the batter for a quick taste. Yum! One slight problem I had, which actually turned out to be a benefit, I think, was that I was just shy on coconut flour so I made up the difference with extra cocoa powder. I’m not the biggest fan of coconut although I do use it quite often–oil and flour– so the extra cocoa masked the slight coconut flavor a bit. I also used a banana instead of applesauce because chocolate and banana is my favorite flavor combination and I used the dates I could get at my grocery and they weren’t medjools, at least they didn’t say they were. This morning my husband and I each had a square with coffee for breakfast which we normally skip. These were so light and moist I couldn’t believe they were made with coconut flour. Thanks again for the great recipe!
Hi Kate, Thanks so much for the feedback. The first time I made it was with a banana and thought it was really good. But my youngest son is not a big fan of bananas so I made it again with applesauce and he liked it better because the taste was more neutral. The reason I specified the medjools was really just so folks would have a good idea of the quantity required since dates can vary in size. Glad to know the recipe turned out well with a different variety. As for adding more cocoa powder, I say the more the merrier!
What about subbing canned pumpkin for the applesauce, or maybe 1/2 cup of each? I’m only asking because I just went to the grocery store, and forgot applesauce!!
Sandy, I think that would work. The first time I made it i used a ripe banana. It turned out great except my youngest son doesn’t like banana so I used the more neutral applesauce. If you try it with the pumpkin please let me know how it turns out.
Well, the pumpkin/applesauce combination worked well! I have to say, I wasn’t a big fan of the cake at first, but it has grown on me. It is really moist, but almost has a “wet” texture, that took some getting used to. I wonder if the pumpkin did that, or if that’s due to the overall moisture. Maybe I’ll use less applesauce next time. Let’s put it this way…the cake was all mine to enjoy. No takers from the rest of the family!
I’m glad you liked it, Sandy. It can be hard to get the coconut flour, moisture balance right. Even a small variation in the amount of coconut flour can make a big difference in final product. If you think it is too wet you could reduce the applesauce/pumpkin or increase the flour slightly. You may also need to cook as long as 40 minutes.
Thanks for this recipe! I have made it a couple times and altered the recipe to fit my family’s allergies (I used flaxseed meal instead of eggs), I replaced 1/2 the coconut oil with some sun-butter and made them into mini muffins. Yummy! I re-posted the altered recipe on my blog.
That’s great, Sarah. We don’t have egg allergies so I did not know you could substitute flax seed for eggs. That’s ingenius. I imagine it did work well as mini muffins – will definitely give your version a try!
Yummy! This is the closest to a brownie I can get without using sugar or wheat. As I don’t eat anything sweet and sugary, I left out the dates and used a slightly ripe banana and it seemed to work well, although it doesn’t look as wonderfully moist as the photo.
I just found you today and I am LOVING your blog! We are more “Primal” based, but I guess that’s the same?? We also try to follow guidelines from “The Maker’s Diet”. Anyway, this recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Also, I LOVE the tea time idea with your boys. That is the sweetest, coolest, most wonderful thing I have heard and seen today. I think I might steel that idea… even though I only have a one year old. Thank you for sharing this blog!
Welcome Alisha and thank you for the compliments. Generally speaking, primal is the same as paleo except it includes dairy. But most folks in the ‘paleosphere’ agree that dairy is an option after you have eliminated it for 30 days to ensure it doesn’t cause you problems. I’ll have to check out this “Maker’s Diet” – sounds intriguing since I believe in eating the way we were created to eat. 🙂 And as for the tea time I say go for it even with your little one. My boys like the routine of it almost as much as the tea and snacks.
Silly question, maybe not, the coffee in the recipe is brewed or grounds? I’m thinking brewed. Can’t wait to try this out next week!
Rebecca, it’s brewed coffee. Not a silly question. I wonder about those sorts of things about recipes quite frequently.
I had an Aunt make a coffee cake with coffee grounds.
I do NOT recommend!!!! LOL
Looking forward to going through your site 🙂
I made this tonight, and it is so good! I really hate coffee and couldn’t bring myself to brew any for this recipe, so I added 2 tbsp of almond butter.
That sounds like a great idea. I’m glad it worked out for you. Thanks for the feedback.
PS: any thoughts on whether the finished product needs to be refrigerated/ frozen?
Honestly, it’s never around very long so I haven’t had to worry too much about storage. 🙂 So far it has been fine as long as I have it covered. I would bet it would freeze pretty well too. Before going paleo I made some “gluten free” brownies, cut them into single servings, wrapped in saran wrap and froze them. Then I would unfreeze them for treats for my boys once in a while. Next time I make these I will give it a try. Or if you try it please let me know how it goes.
Thanks!
Really appreciate the great communication on top of the fabulous recipe! I unfroze one today, wrapped in a soaked paper towel and nuked for 1min at 50%. Perfect, like just baked.
Aha, a moist paper towel makes sense. I will definitely try that if I ever keep them around long enough to actually freeze.
Hi, I’m so grateful to have found your blog & this recipe – and thank you to Ryan for the sub idea which I used.
I also used carob powder instead of the cocoa powder.
Even though I am an EXTREMELY novice baker/cook, this came out just *beautifully*. I happen not to like things overly sweet, so the mild sweetness of this was PERFECT to me. Even better, though, is the texture: moist and pleasingly crumbly like a fine chocolate cake, but just hard enough on the outside.
I made muffins too, like Andrea. Without the added pecans, and with each muffin-cup filled not quite full – maybe 85-90% to the top – mine took only 25 minutes. – (Good thing I checked on it early!)
Again thanks so much for the recipe. Looking forward to trying others of yours.
I’m glad you told me about the time for the muffins. Next time I test a muffin recipe based on this one I will keep that in mind. I have added dark chocolate mini-chips to this when I took it to a potluck thinking it needed to be sweeter for the general public. But I honestly think it is better without that. The texture is better and you are right, it doesn’t need to be much sweeter.
This is the most awesome recipe ever!! I am addicted. I put in a few drops of organic peppermint and WOW! Its beter than mint chocolate chip ice cream! Thanks a ton for helpinggo paleo a lot easier!
Thanks for the compliment Kelly. I’m glad you like it. I love the idea of using peppermint in this recipe. That sounds delicious. I’m going to try that next time!
I just found your blog today and am really enjoying it. I made this caked tonight and used a banana as opposed to the applesauce. I really enjoyed it. My 10 yr old thought it tasted too much like banana bread and didn’t care for it. I am not discouraged though and will try it again with the applesauce. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Natalie,
The first time I made it I used a banana and my six year old said the same thing! That’s when in tried the applesauce and it went over with him better because it is a neutral flavor. Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for the recipe. I made this today, used my blender (on its last leg) and substituted Bob’s almond flour for coconut flour. The result was quite tasty. I was determined to make a chocolate brownie/cake for my first Paleo/GF dessert. Thanks again!
You’re welcome. I always thought it took a lot more almond flour than coconut flour in recipes so it’s interesting to hear that it worked out in this case.
I made this cake today…..heavenly! Do you have information regarding calorie count?
When I plugged in the ingredients into an online calculator I came up with approximately 1,800 for the entire recipe. (I usually cut it into 12 pieces so that’s 150 per serving) Half of that is from the coconut oil. I have found it is possible to make this recipe using less than the 1/2 cup of coconut oil – just play with it to see how you like it. But overall it’s not a ton of calories for even a reasonably sized piece and the fat is good fat so I don’t mind it. I’m really glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for posting this!!! This is just the best recipe ever. My kids and I are absolutely crazy about it, and it has saved me from going off the wagon more times than I can count (I have a notorious sweet tooth, and the sugar has always been the hardest thing for me to quit as a paleovore). I always make it with an overripe banana, sometimes two if I have a couple that need using up. I’ve also made it with butter instead of coconut oil a couple of times; butter is cheaper and more readily available where I live, so sometimes that’s the better option. It’s great made into cupcakes for an easily portable treat, and I can serve it to everyone I know despite the many allergies that run through our social circle (and family). I haven’t tried much Paleo baking before this, but this recipe gave me the courage to try some experiments of my own as well.
I do not have almond flour nor coconut flour. What could I use instead?
I’m not sure what to tell you because this is a grain-free recipe and those are the only two grain-free flours I have used. I’m sure you can find some gluten-free recipes on the web that use things like rice flour, quinoa, etc… But I don’t use them so I wouldn’t want to steer you in the wrong direction with instructions for grain flours.
almond flour is the same as almond meal (ie…ground up almonds). you can buy it in the nut section of supermarkets. or if you’ve got a good blender like a vitamix, you can make your own.
oh! I have almond meal! Will definately give this a try!
You could also try using dried figs in place of the dates. I like the texture of them in baked goods, as they remind me of Fig Newtons!
That’s a good suggestion, Melissa. I’ve also bought some organic prunes and have been wondering what I could do with those.
Just came across this recipe while looking at past posts (before I started to try and live a paleo life). I’m like another commenter…I don’t like/drink coffee, the caffeine gives me nasty headaches…I see they added in almond butter as a replacement. is that a good substitute? I would have thought it would be a more “liquid” substitute since the recipe calls for brewed/liquid coffee. What else could be substituted?
Yes, I personally think it would need more liquid. You could try tea or apple juice or even water as a sub for the coffee. The cake doesn’t taste like coffee, it just amplifies the chocolate flavor. You could try decaf coffee if it is mainly the caffeine that bothers you.
Thanks for the ideas/suggestions…will try those!
This is probably a stupid question but the oil do you melt it before adding it to the other ingredients? I’m new to cooking with coconut oil and im not sure how to do this.
Hi Raven,
It’s definitely not a stupid question and it is one I have had as well. It seems to work best if you soften the coconut oil. One of the benefits of using the coffee – assuming it is still warm – is it helps to melt the coconut oil that has been added if it was not already soft enough. It mixes better if it is soft but you don’t need it to be totally melted for it to work.
I hope that helps!
Lea
That helps a lot thank you! 🙂
Just wanted to thank you for posting this wonderful recipe. Prepared it exactly as written and it was fantastic…even my non-paleo family enjoyed it! I haven’t had a lot of luck baking with coconut and almond flour, so it’s very been encouraging to actually have a recipe turn out. Thanks again!
Ann,
I’m really glad you liked it. This is one recipe I use pretty often when I need to take a dessert somewhere. Usually the non-paleos love it – both adults and kids. The only exception is if the person really doesn’t like the taste of coconut because it does come through a little and especially if you use coconut oil and not ghee. But other than that people seem to like it. I’m so glad you had success with it.
Lea
I am going to try these and serve at a women’s health lecture! thanks!
Cool, Lisa. It always seems to be a crowd pleaser. Good luck!
Thanks for this recipe! We made it today and were really pleased with how it turned out. It has a very nice texture to it. It just wasn’t quite sweet enough for me. We used a banana. I’m not sure if it would be sweeter with applesauce. I might try adding a little honey to it the next time I make it.
I was really nervous about making this, I have no idea why! Maybe the coconut oil threw me for a loop I’m new to paleo. I didn’t change the recipe at all I just followed what was written but I used decaf coffee and this is awesome!
Great! Glad you like it. Coconut oil throws a lot of people. Takes a while to wrap your mind around when it’s been demonized so long. I’ve used both butter and ghee in this recipe and those work too.
Oh yeah I’m sure those work too but I wouldn’t change a thing this recipe was great I love it. My favorite part was probably how moist it was mmm so good 🙂
I made this last night as a test run for my birthday cake. I forgot to add the salt and bicarb, and used almond butter instead of coffee, but it turned out great! It’s more like brownies, and everyone loved it! Now I can’t wait til my birthday 🙂
It makes sense the almond butter would give you the moisture but also result in a more dense cake or a brownie. I’ll have to try that. Sounds good! Thanks for the tip and happy birthday!
It has good texture but wasn’t sweet at all.
Possibly my dates were too small? I will definitely try adding more of them next time. Maybe like 15. They are almost bitter…
Jillianne,
The dates are the sweetener so it is important you use ones that are fresh and sweet. I believe the puréed amount should be about 2/3 cup. The ones I use are medjool dates which are quite large and very sweet. If you have dates that are drier you could try heating them up first (microwave) with a little water before putting them in the food processor. It’s not an overly sweet cake but it shouldn’t be bitter. Better luck next time if you decide to try again.
Lea
I had the same problem, I think that there wasn’t enough dates.
This beauty is currently backing in my oven however I had a question about the batter… Mine was quite dry despite following the ingredient list perfectly. Do you have anything you can liken the texture to?
Hmm. Well, the batter is probably closer to brownie batter than cake batter. Because dates make up a rather large portion of the recipe, the moisture may depend on how fresh and moist the dates are that you are using. I hope it turns out good! Now I’m nervous. 🙂
This sounds great. Will definitely put it on my to make list. Does this rise much? Trying to find a Paleo chocolate cake recipe for a cake pop pan which is problematic since they are normally so dense due to the flours used. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Becky,
This cake is more of a cross between a brownie and a cake. It rises some (more than a brownie) but it is very moist. So I’m not sure how it would do in a cake pop pan. I’ve never used one of those but it sounds fun.
Hi there! Trundled along from Peter (Souvlaki For The Soul) ‘s blog. Thank you for a gorgeous recipe 🙂
You’re welcome and thanks for visiting and commenting. 🙂
I love these! They’re not as dense as other coconut cakes I have tried and they taste perfectly sweet with just applesauce and dates. Thank you! I made this for my hubby’s birthday as a cake with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting from Our Nourishing Roots (http://www.ournourishingroots.com/yellow-coconut-cake-with-cocoa-buttercream-frosting/) and it was fantastic. 🙂
This sounds fabulous – so glad Peter G pointed me in your direction! Cheers 🙂
Thanks. Peter did a great job with that post. I love his photos.
I made this as my own birthday cake into the shape of a round cake :D. Most amazing texture and was really light and moist! : ) Sufficiently sweet from the dates!
I iced it with my own concoction of melted 85% organic dark chocolate, coconut milk and stevia.
This cake will be a wonderful base to play around with different flavours in the future! Thanks : )
This looks and sounds awesome! I am planning on making it for my son and husband’s birthday this week. If I made two rounds, do you think they would be too dense and heavy to stack with a filling in between? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jennifer,
I have made this in a round cake pan (with parchment paper in the bottom). I think you could do it as a double layer cake. It would be dense but I, personally, like that. On the other hand, you might want to check out this recipe for chocolate paleo birthday cake. https://paleospirit.com/2012/paleo-chocolate-birthday-cake-coconut-honey-frosting/ I’ve gotten some great feedback on that recipe so you might consider it for your birthday cake.
Good luck, Lea
I made this today, used half the number of dates and made 15 little cupcakes, plus dropped a couple chocolate chips on top of each one. Yum!! 🙂
Can you use almond flour instead of coconut flour? I wanted to try this today but don’t have the coconut flour 🙁
No. Coconut flour and almond flour are totally different and require different amounts and produce different results. Coconut flour needs all the moisture from the eggs and applesauce and the almond flour requires less moisture. You’re probably better off with a different recipe altogether or waiting until you have coconut flour. Sorry!
Do you think that I could substitute prunes for the dates?
You could try but I’m not sure if it would be quite the same. Prunes tend to be less sweet and higher in moisture than dates. But I supposed it depends on the prunes. I would expect you would need more prunes than dates since the ones I used were rather large. I’d be interested in hearing how it goes if you do end up making the cake with prunes.
I did make the muffins with prunes. I tasted the batter and it wasn’t quite sweet enough so I added a little honey – probably a tablespoon. I think the muffins came out great but I have never tasted the original recipe so I have nothing to compare them to.
Wonderful recipe! We made it into cupcakes for Christmas Eve, then drizzled them with raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries and just a squirt of whipped cream for decoration. Beautiful. My question going forward, however, is could you substitute date sugar for the fresh dates? How much sugar would that equal, how much liquid would need to be added, etc? I am able to buy fresh dates in the fall/winter, but have never seen them in the stores in the summer and am trying to think ahead since this is such a great recipe.
Rachel, I’m really glad you liked the cake. I don’t believe date sugar can be a good replacement for the dates themselves. The dates have so much more moisture and fiber than date sugar. You’re right that you would have to add moisture but you would also probably need more banana or applesauce to make up for what you are losing with the whole dates. It’s an interesting idea for another recipe. Let us know what happens if you come up with something new!
Do you think I could substitute something else for the dates? I am CRAVING chocolate cake, but we have no dates and are broke till payday. Maybe maple syrup or honey?
I understand about craving chocolate cake. I would hate to steer you wrong about the use of dates. They not only add sweetness to the cake but a lot of the actual substance. You could probably figure out a way to make it work without them and just add maple syrup but it would be a different cake and I can’t guarantee the results never having tried it myself. If you added more of the applesauce and some maple syrup that might get you close. Good luck!
Who made the beautiful blue and white dishes and where are they available?
Those are Wedgewood dishes – the pattern is called “Bokhara” but it has been discontinued. You might still find them on eBay.
I stumbled on your recipe, thanks to Pinterest, and I am SMITTEN! I made this cake yesterday and there is only one small piece left today. I love it, but what’s better is that my kids (3 and 5) LOVE it. A lot. This will be a staple around here — especially when they think they are getting a treat and I’m actually giving them something that’s good for them! Imagine. 🙂 Consider me your newest follower, and would love if you could point me in the direction of more of your mega-rockstar recipes. MANY THANKS!
I have always loved brownies and would try to make them a couple times a year, but they would never turn out quite like I wanted them. My best friend gave me an awesome recipe, but it was loaded with sugar. This is now my go to recipe! The texture is amazing! I used a different kind of date. Still wonderful. Wow! I also didn’t have any applesauce, so I put in an apple. I mixed all the “wet” ingredients in my Vitamix and then incorporated them with the dry. Seriously the best “dark” chocolate cake ever! I love how very little goes a long way and I have no cravings afterwards. Thank you!
I LOVE you’re recipes. Thank you for sharing! I have a totally random question, though. I love the tea set I see pictured here, do you know the pattern or where you purchased it? I’ve been looking for one just like it!
Thank you, Tiffany! The set of china is a Wedgewood pattern called Bokhara. I believe it has been discontinued. Boo! You might be able to find it on eBay. I have to be careful I don’t break anything in my set because it will be tough to replace.
Kea
These brownie snacks are awesome!!! I started a whole life challenge that doesn’t allow any kind of sweetener, and have had the hardest time finding recipes. Thank you!
You’re welcome Jenny. I’m glad you like them!
I’m starting week two of strict Paleo and love that this recipe complies. However, I don’t drink coffee, have it in my home, or know the first thing about it. Is there a substitute?
The coffee brings out the chocolate flavor but it’s not absolutely necessary. You could substitute other liquids – tea, water, juice.
Wow this snack cake is pretty awesome. I didn’t have a few of the ingredients so I used apple butter, coconut butter, and carob powder. Man was it sweet! So next time I’ll use a fresh apple and cocoa powder. I made 17 mini muffins. I’m excited to have a chilled piece with my breakfast tomorrow morning.
What can I substitute coconut oil for? Butter? and how much? Not a good cook ! Thanks
Debbie, You can use melted butter as a substitute for coconut oil – same amount.
Thanks… but…
This recipe looked great, but it didn’t turn out as planned. It was soft and gooey and tasted awful, I don’t quite know what I did wrong. They’re like the consistency of a moist sponge. I don’t understand why… Any ideas?
I have no idea given that I don’t know if you may have made a mistake with the ingredients. I’ve made it many times and love it as have pretty much everyone who has tasted the ones I have made. So either we have totally different tastes or something may have gone wrong.
OMG! I was a bit skeptical at first but after I made this I am a believer in this cake!
It is incredible and so easy to make. It came out perfect, very moist and rich.
I added the whipped dairy cream with almond slivers and raspberries and took this cake to a picnic, and came back with an empty cake plate.
Hi Lea,
We share the same name and a love of sweet and healthy treats it seems 🙂
I made this last night and just wanted to thank you….it’s amazing!!!!
Such great flavour and a really nice texture also – i think the coffee really adds something. It’s winter here and this was lovely slightly warm with some fresh whipped cream.
I love your site and can’t wait to try some more recipes – coconut cream pie is next on the list!
Thank you and keep up the great recipes!
🙂 Lea
This was SO delicious. I used 1/2 of a Banana and 2/3 cups unsweetened applesauce combo. I added some chocolate frosting I made with 70% dark chocolate, raw maple syrup. My daughter loved it too! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. We’re not paleo, but my husband is gluten sensitive and we’ve recently given up sugar so I was at a loss as to what I was going to make for his birthday. This was perfect, my husband and daughters loved it. Hubby also has a tree nut allergy, so coconut flour was perfect, so many GF baked goods have almond flour which obviously is not an option. This is going to be my new go-to b-day cake. I was so worried we weren’t going to be able to have birthday cake. Can’t wait to try it with whipped coconut cream. Thanks again!
Hello,
I am so happy to have found a blog that incorporates both spirituality (christianity) and healthful living. If you could reccomend any others I would be most interested in those too. But on this recipe, just out of interest, do you give your kids coffee? Knowing that caffeine is bad for my adult thyroid condition, i would be reluctant to make a cake with coffee. Interested in your thoughts. I’m thinking I’ll use my coffee substitute.
Cheers, beautiful looking blog.
Meg
Hi Meg,
I’m glad you found us here. Thanks for the compliments. The total amount of coffee in each serving is pretty minimal. But when serving to kids I generally use decaf coffee or apple juice. Best, Lea
Lea! You have done it again! You saved my party! I had to make adjustments because I didn’t have what I needed and I couldn’t find what I needed at our local store, but I HAD to have a cake that our family could eat at our holiday gathering, as my in-laws were going away for the winter. My son can’t have apples so I subbed pear sauce. I didn’t have coconut flour, so I used a combination of almond flour and shredded coconut. I did not use coffee, since my son cannot have it. I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out with all those adjustments, especially when I accidentally dumped the maple syrup that I was saving for the frosting into the date/applesauce/egg mixture! I ended up crying in the middle of the kitchen at my SIL house, and my husband had to rescue me and help me sift it out! The frosting was absolutely delicious, and the whole cake was devoured without conscience. How am I supposed to decide which one of your cakes is my favorite? My family loves these recipes! Thanks again.
I am about to try this recipe because the chocolate cake recipe I found on this site “saved” our 10 year old son’s birthday. Thank you! He has had Crohn’s Disease since 6, and has found a tremendous amount of success on the Paleo Diet. He’s been Paleo for 6 months–and hasn’t had chocolate for 6 months too!! The Specific Carb Diet says NO to chocolate… Yet with Paleo working wonders, helping him gain weight and feel MUCH better, I gave the chocolate cake recipe a try. I topped it with unsweetened rasped coconut and it was divine. I had three pieces and I’m not even Paleo!! We live in Germany, and the cake reminded us of something we’d find at a local bakery, since they tend to make TORTS absent of all the sugary stuff here. They love to top their torts with fresh fruit—and that’s where the Germans get their sweetness from—MAYBE they put powdered sugar on top of that, but you get my point!! Their cakes are more like coffee cakes, not “cake” as we think of in the USA. Next time I’m putting fruit on this cake for sure. Great recipe, good texture, keeps well, much cheaper than Paleo box brands, satisfying, cuts REALLY well, and most of all, very healthy!! Our one year old loved it and it didn’t fall apart when feeding her. I might start making this as a breakfast alternative for our son, shocking since it’s supposed to be dessert!! He’ll eat it sans frosting so how can you beat it?? THANK YOU!!!
I made this cake using the round cake pan last night for some dinner guests and the result was outstanding. I used noor dates (about 12) and applesauce. topped with cocoa powder and some chocolate shavings. Divine. Thank you!!
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe! I was missing chocolate, and baked goods and this really hit the spot for me. I even made a small batch of avocado chocolate frosting and it’s really good too- you cannot taste the avocado. Thanks again, I loved it!
First off I LOVE your website! Just made the snack cake this morning. I don’t have coffee in the house so added 3 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate (melted of course) as i felt the bitterness would match the coffee’s bitterness. I like things a bit sweeter so i added a tablespoon of maple syrup to the mix! Anyway, other than that i followed the exact recipe and it…tastes…AMAZING! The only thing is, i feel i left it in the oven just slightly too long. Next time i will bake for only 25 mins so its a little more moist then it is now. Hmmm…i have some paleo icing in my fridge made with 1/4 cup date paste, 1/2 cup natural hazelnut butter, 1/4 cup cocoa powder ( i actually use raw cacao powder for everything), 2 tblspn honey, 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk and a pinch of sea salt. Whir this all together in your food processor and oh my god does this make an amazing chocolate icing that tastes even better the next day! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
I’m impressed by the texture, I wouldn’t call it a brownie, mine is more similar to a moist chocolate cake. Thank you for the recipe.
Mine took close to an hour of baking before the middle got cooked. I had to cover it with foil because the top was turning blackish. When I uncovered the foil it was steaming and the top was soft .. how interesting is that!
I found your recipe on accident- but a divine one! My family has been paleo since September. This is such an easy and fun recipe to make with my kids, and my husband who has a RAVENOUS sweet tooth loves this cake! Thanks so much. I have made it 3 times in the last month! I tweaked it a tad- I use 1/4 cup coconut and 1/4 cup almond meal. This has helped with the over powering of coconut flavor and I like he texture a bit more. Also I use cold brew toddy for the coffee since it has a smooth and low in acid, the flavor is so good in this recipe. Last but not least!! I also found that if I add the coffee, applesauce, and dates to my nutribullet to make the purée… That just by itself is/could be an amazing dessert mousse. By blending the purée that way it helps really break down he dates and It gives the cake a slightly airier texture as well. Thanks again for posting!
OH!! And that AVACADO frosting is just amazing! A new classic in our house. Can’t wait to explore more of your recipes.
Jenn
Jenn,
That is such brilliant feedback. Thanks so much. I really like the idea of blending the coffee with the dates and applesauce. I usually do the applesauce and dates but my food processor goes crazy for the first few seconds. I think adding the coffee at that point is a great idea. Thanks again.
Best, Lea
Please let me know if i can use any other alternative for coconut oil. We have the liquid version here, which tastes and smells to coconutty. Please help
You can use butter if you tolerate dairy products. Ghee or clarified butter is another option. Virgin coconut oil has a coconut flavor but processed coconut oil generally does not, if you can get your hands on that. Palm oil might be another option though I’ve never tried it.
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this recipe. I’m admittedly “not great” in the kitchen and was able to execute these flawlessly. My preferred method is cupcake. 😉 I tried these with your Bacon Ganache recipe. Delicious
THANK YOU!!!
You’re very welcome. Kudos on the bacon ganache choice.
Wow!!!!! I really didn’t think the baked cake could taste any better than the batter (which was amazing and I had to tear myself away from eating the whole cake raw!) – but it does!
I’ve just taken the cake out of the oven and had to break a piece off and oh my gosh….this cake actually has the consistency of “cake”, it’s not stodgy and heavy, it’s still substantial but it has a lightness to it as well. Absolutely amazing!
I’ve been following (and blogging about) the Autoimmune Protocol for the last 5 months so this cake is an absolute treat!
I’d like to post a link to this recipe on my blog over the next few days, if that’s not ok please let me know.
Well done and huge thanks 🙂
I should also mention – for any AIP readers of yours – that I have been able to reintroduce eggs and raw cacao (which are an AIP reintroduction) and I substituted the coffee for orange juice (didn’t add a particularly orangey flavour so I’m sure water would suffice).
Thanks again! 🙂
Made this last night and Oh. My. Word!!! Chocolate perfection! I used the banana and didn’t get a banana flavour coming through at all! Made them into 12 perfect cupcakes, baked for about 20 min. And best thing is I had all the ingredients on hand. Thank you for my new go-to treat 😀
I made this cake yesterday and it was so delicious. I made the coffee little too strong, so my non coffee drinking boyfriend didn’t enjoy it as much. Well, more for me, the cake was gone in less then 12 hours :). Thank you so much for the recipe.
I’m with you. I like how the coffee accents the chocolate. Glad you liked it!
I have made this cake a few times now and my family loves it! My son has tree nut and coconut allergies so we sub Rice Flour for coconut flour and melted butter for the coconut oil. We have also experimented with a chocolate ganache on top and it’s the most divine paleo dessert we have had since going Paleo. So glad to have found a sweet and healthy treat for my family. Thanks again for posting this recipe!
Thanks for the great recipe! I made this today for mothers day & it went down a treat! I was so excited to make a healthier cake and used your choc avocado frosting recipe which was awesome. I used half cup milk instead of brewed coffee and 15 regular dates because they were a lot smaller than the medjool Dates. Also substituted quinoa flour in place of coconut flour because we didn’t have any in the cupboard. Was so yum! Definitely making this again.
This looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it! I was just wondering, I’m not sure if I missed this, but what is the white frosting in the first photo? It looks delicious!
Thank you!
Sarah
That photo shows the cake with whipped cream on top. You can also use whipped coconut cream as well.
Do I melt the coconut oil?
Liquify the oil but just until barely melted – not hot.