If you’re looking for a quick and easy nut-free paleo birthday cake recipe, look no further. This Gluten Free Birthday Cake was devoured by the boys and their friends, and I thought it was amazing, too. Who can resist chocolate cake smothered in rich, creamy chocolate frosting? I can’t!
Both of my boys are well into high school now, so I am absolutely cherishing each and every birthday we celebrate before they are off to college! Between the two of them, I can count the number of high school birthday celebrations that remain on one hand. Goodness, how time flies.
Even though the boys are super independent now, and I have more time on my hands, I still have a commitment to creating simple recipes with as little fuss as possible. This homemade birthday cake recipe has only 7 ingredients, and the batter is thrown together in a food processor in a couple of minutes. This cake recipe is easier to make than one from a mix.
Gluten Free Birthday Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Pulse together dry ingredients in a food processor
- Pulse in wet ingredients
- Grease two 6 inch springform pans with coconut oil
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes
- Cool and frost with a double batch of Chocolate Frosting
- Serve
This Gluten Free Birthday Cake recipe is based on my Paleo Chocolate Cupcake recipe. The batter I created above will fill two 6-inch cake pans, which are significantly smaller than traditional 9-inch cake pans. I like to use a smaller sized cake pan as it results in a cake that is elegantly tall. The height of this cake really seems to impress the boys and their friends. On that note, this recipe won’t work for standard 9-inch cake pans as you will end up with a pancake, rather than a birthday cake.
I experimented with this Gluten Free Birthday Cake recipe and made it with butter which worked incredibly well. The texture was unbelievably moist and the flavor very sweet. If you want to use butter it is a 1:1 substitute for the coconut oil in this recipe.
This gluten-free, dairy-free birthday cake yields around 10 servings and is absolutely amazing with my dairy-free Paleo Chocolate Frosting. During one test batch of the cake, I changed up the frosting and created an easy chocolate buttercream recipe, which I’d be happy to post. Leave a comment and let me know if you’d like to see it here on the blog! Update: the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is now live!
If you’re in the mood for easy, gluten-free desserts, take a peak at my second book Gluten-Free Cupcakes. It has everything from Red Velvet Cupcakes to Triple Chocolate Cupcakes, and oh so much more.
Here are some of my other nut-free paleo dessert recipes for you!
Briana says
This cake is so good and easy to make! I’ve made it at least 6 times now. It turns out great every time. I made it for a friend’s wedding a couple years ago. It’s just the right amount of rich chocolate flavor and lightly sweetened.
Elana says
Briana, thanks for letting me know this cake is so good and easy to make! I love that you’ve used it for a wedding cake :-)
PJ says
This cake is amazing! I made it for my mom’s birthday and a week later for my son’s. The only issue I have with it, is frosting it! The cakes always seem to crumble under the frosting, the frosting sticks to my offset spatula and sometimes gets a bit grainy and tends to just melt all over the cake (even a cool cake). It never looks as nice as in these photos. Any tips for that? Note: I made your peanut butter buttercream, not the chocolate!
Elana says
PJ, thanks for your comment! I would make sure the cake is entirely cool (which you’re doing) and also let the frosting come to room temperature, or even a tad warmer. I’m so happy this cake is amazing and that I am part of your family’s birthday celebrations :-)
Henrietta says
Do you have nutritional information for this cake? It’s absolutely phenomenal but I’d like to know how many calories are eating.
Elana says
Henrietta, for more on that please go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/nutrition-information/
Have a great day!
Elana
Alina says
Do any stores sell the specific brands of coconut flour that are recommended?
Elana says
Alina, thanks for your comment! I buy all of my ingredients online because they are so much less expensive when purchased that way. If you need that info simply click on the green text in the ingredients portion of the recipe :-)
Alina says
Thanks! Pretty excited to try this for my son’s birthday!
Elana says
Alina, happy birthday to your son! I hope you’ll post a photo of his cake on Instagram so that I can see it, when you do use the hashtag #elanaspantry :-)
Renuka says
Elana,
I think this could be a perfect low carb cake. Could I swap the liquid sweetener for erythritol or Stevia powder? How much do you reckon I would need?
Also, would this work in 2-8 inch round Tins? I know you said 9″ won’t work, but will 8″ be a bit better? Cant get the 6″ rounds just for this cake.
Elana says
Renuka, I haven’t made this cake with those substitutions and adjustments so not sure :-)
Michele says
I used a stand mixer: started with the dry ingredients and never scraped the sides of the bowl. I ended up with more than a few clumps on unincorporated flour; but, I used it anyhow. The finished product had a narrow gelatinous layer on the bottom that I cut off – the rest of the cake was fine. My guess is if you start out with wet ingredients 1st and then add the dry ingredients in last the stand mixer will work just fine. I’m using the cake layers for a berry shortcake with whipped cream. My husband will be in seventh heaven.
Elana says
Michele, thanks for sharing the results of your experiment!
Katie says
I think i took it out too soon; then removed the forms too soon. The cakes are pretty wet/spongey. Can i cook longer tomorrow? Or would you recommend i just roll w it?
Elana says
Katie, various brands of coconut flour can produce different outcomes for this recipe. Be sure to use one of the brands that I list here for best results:
https://elanaspantry.com/ingredients/coconut-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Terezie says
Thank you for this recipe! The cake was delicious, at least everybody at the party said so :-) I think they didn’t even notice it was gluten and dairy free… Next time I’ll try coconut whipped cream filling and your paleo chocolate frosting, I think they would make a great combo.
Elana says
Terezie, thanks so much for your comment! I’m so happy the cake was delicious :-)
Jennifer says
I didn’t see a post comment so I just clicked on the reply tab . I had to comment on this cake and thank you so much . I’m trying so hard to find see free things for my kids and I made this cake for my sons 3 rd birthday this past Sunday ! It was a hit . I’m shocked at how welll it came out and tasted just like a traditional flour cake . Can’t thank you enough. This will be my go to blog for desert recipes for sure . Can’t wait to try more in the future!
Elana says
Jennifer, it’s so nice to meet you and happy birthday to your son! I’m so happy to hear that this cake tasted like a traditional flour cake and that it was a hit at your son’s party :-)
Jackie says
Can I use the Trader Joe’s brand of coconut flour?
Elana says
Jackie, I haven’t tested that brand so not sure. Here’s a link to the brands of coconut flour that work in my recipes:
https://elanaspantry.com/ingredients/coconut-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Lindsey says
Any tips on how this can be made in advance? How long it will keep in the fridge or how long it will take to come to room temperature after refrigerating? I would love to make this for my son’s 3rd birthday, however we will be celebrating at the beach and I will need to make in advance. We leave on a Thursday and the party is Saturday. Any tips would be much appreciated.
Elana says
Lindsey, thanks for your comment and happy birthday to your son! I haven’t ever traveled with this cake so not sure how that would go. If you do experiment please stop back by and let us know what works :-)
Heather says
Hi
I’m wondering how the picture d cake cake out so light? Mine is dark like Davila food and the icing is very dark too. Is there something added to the cake to make it lighter? The half cup of coconut flour wasn’t enough to lighten the half cup of cacao powder. Maybe it’s just the lighting of the photo? I was hoping to replace the lighter milk chocolate type birthday cake I always made. Thanks! It was very easy to make, we haven’t eaten it yet so I hope it tastes ok!
Elana says
Hi Heather, thanks for your comment! Yes, it’s the lighting of the photo :-)