If you’re looking for a quick and easy gluten-free birthday cake recipe look no further. This nut-free Paleo 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 that 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.
Paleo 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 Paleo 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 Paleo 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!
Trudi says
Hello. I made the chocolate cupcakes and they turned out beautifully. I want to ask about this recipe which seems to have double the amount of everything than in the cupcake recipe except for the honey which is the same. Is this cake intentionally less sweet than the cupcakes or am i reading it wrong? Love the recipes and thank you.
Elana says
Trudi, you are correct, similar recipe, less sweetener, lower in carbs :-)
Jennifer says
How many batches of the chocolate frosting do you need to frost this cake? your recipes are delicious I absolutely love the carrot cake and can’t wait to make this!
Elana says
Jennifer, thanks so much for your kind words. I follow the recipe and “frost with a double batch of Chocolate Frosting” :-)
Tina Eakin says
You and I have a lot in common. I have had MS for 30 years at the end of May, I have celiac and MTHF. Most people do not know I have MS, unless I have an episode or I tell them. I don’t have too much disability, for as long as I have had MS. I started using a hyperbaric treatment unit and doing the AIP diet, finding out the food my body doesn’t like. I have had no new lesions for 2 years. This is after a car accident that increased 2 large lesions to enhancing and added hundreds more. I wasn’t diagnosed with Celiac by a doctor, but discovered it myself when the MS neurologists couldn’t tell me anything and I was not able to work 8.5 years ago. I discovered that gluten and I didn’t get along very well, and started getting better when I went gluten free. A coworker gave me your book after that. It has been a difficult journey, but I believe I am going to overcome MS, and be able to help others overcome it as well.
Elana says
Tina, that is very inspiring!
Tina Eakin says
I have made this with coconut oil and butter and it was great. Unfortunately, my body now reacts to coconut. :-( Can you make it with avocado oil and almond flour. I was thinking if I put 1 tsp or 1/2 tsp of arrow root powder that may help it raise? Any comments?
Elana says
Tina, I haven’t tried that so not sure. I have a fantastic cake recipe without coconut in The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, it’s on page 84 :-)