This Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe is made with almond flour, almond butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and sweetened with maple syrup. Topped with a dairy-free chocolate ganache. Gluten-free and vegan.

Think rich chocolate fudge cake.
Thick, moist slices topped with a dreamy ganache. A brownie cake, if you will. Now, who can say no to that?

Chocolate Loaf Ingredients
A loaf cake made with healthier ingredients? Here are the major items you will need:
- Ground flaxseed
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Maple syrup
- Creamy almond butter
- Almond flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Dairy-free chocolate chips
- Unsweetened almond milk
What major equipment will I need? For this recipe you'll need a small and medium mixing bowl, loaf pan, whisk, spatula, and parchment paper.

How to Make Chocolate Cake Loaf
An easy chocolate dessert recipe takes the cake! Here are the steps to this almond flour chocolate cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare flax egg and melt chocolate chips, set both aside.
- Combine dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk maple syrup, applesauce, almond butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
- Transfer flax eggs to wet ingredients and fold in melted chocolate
- Add dry ingredients a little at a time.
- Pour batter into parchment lined loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Frost with chocolate ganache when cake is completely cool.
- Slice and serve!

Tips for Baking
There are a few tips for baking this vegan gluten-free chocolate cake to make things easier.
- Make sure the almond butter has been well-stirred before measuring.
- Start by preparing your flax eggs and melted chocolate so they have time to sit before use.
- Allow cake to cool completely before topping with ganache or slicing.
- Wet a paper towel to wipe blade of knife clean between each slice.
- This is a dense, moist cake. Don't worry if the cake sinks slightly in the middle.

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
Almond Flour Chocolate Mug Cake
Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Snack Cake
Gluten-Free Carrot-Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Loaf Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water
- ⅔ cup (130g) dairy-free chocolate chips melted and cooled
- 1 ¾ cups (188g) almond flour
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup (8oz) unsweetened applesauce room temperature
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup room temperature
- ⅓ cup (95g) all-natural creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 8 tablespoons (4 oz) dairy-free chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with coconut oil or cooking spray and then line with parchment paper. Allow parchment to hang over each side slightly.
- Prepare your flax eggs in a small bowl and set aside. Place ⅔ cup chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir until remaining chips are melted. Set aside to cool.
- Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Combine the applesauce and maple syrup in a separate bowl. Whisk until incorporated. Add flax eggs, almond butter, and vanilla extract, whisk to combine. Fold in cooled melted chocolate.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly integrated (the batter will be thick). Pour the batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a tester comes out mostly clean. Allow cake to cool completely in pan on a wire rack. (This is a dense, moist cake, it may sink slightly in the middle.)
- Once loaf cake has cooled, prepare the chocolate ganache: Combine the chocolate chips and almond milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir until remaining chocolate chips are melted.
- Remove cake from pan using the parchment 'handles' and transfer to a cutting board or serving plate. Pour chocolate ganache over top of cake and smooth with a back of a spoon. Ganache will harden as it cools. Slice with a sharp knife and serve. For a cleaner slice, wipe knife with a damp paper towel after each cut.
- Cake is best the day it is made but can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Make sure the almond butter has been well-stirred before measuring.
- Start by preparing your flax eggs and melted chocolate so they have time to sit before use.
- Allow cake to cool completely before topping with ganache or slicing.
- Wet a paper towel to wipe blade of knife clean between each slice.
- This is a dense, moist cake. Don't worry if the cake sinks slightly in the middle.
Daran
This cake was a hit in my house! It is very fudgy and chocolatey and dense, and is not super sugary like most cakes! By the way, I appreciated that you linked to the brand of cocoa powder you used, so I could see that you used dutch-process cocoa. I suggest that you explicitly call that out in your chocolate recipes in case anyone misses it, since I imagine it affects how the cake turns out.
Tessa
Thank you, Daran!