Healthy quinoa chocolate cake that’s vegan, eggless and refined sugar free. If you’re cooking this quinoa cake for a sceptic just call it chocolate fudge cake. They may guess it’s gluten free as its heavier than a traditional cake but they are unlikely to guess it’s bursting with nutrition and good for you.
Iced in a thick layer of my healthy chocolate avocado frosting. It’s moist and deliciously stodgy so a small slice is very filling. Suitable for gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, plant-based, paleo and general healthy diets.
This gluten-free quinoa cake recipe has been in development for a while. I’ve been working on it since making quinoa pizza bases and chocolate avocado mousse and this is a hybrid of them together.
What can be better than a cake made from high protein quinoa and heart-healthy avocado? No oil, flour, gluten, stabilisers eggs or butter in this plant based recipe. This quinoa cake is just under half raw, so great if you are trying to eat a diet high in raw foods.
Quinoa Chocolate Avocado Cake Video Recipe
Play video on YouTube or Play music video
You can grease your pan with some coconut oil if you prefer and it will give a sharper edge to the chocolate cake. As I’m filming this recipe I want to guarantee it will come out of the pan easily so used greaseproof paper for oil free healthy baking. The rough edges don’t matter as it’s being iced.
Make this a triple chocolate quinoa cake by adding a handful of chocolate chunks to the cake batter before baking.
This gluten free cake recipe uses dates as the sweetener for the base, but dates can vary in sweetness significantly. I often use very sweet fudgy dates so If you use less sweet dates or want a sweeter cake then add some maple or other syrup to the cake bases. To make without dates just use another dried fruit or natural sweetener.
The quinoa cake is gluten-free without any stabilisers it will only get a small lift in the oven. It’s a dense but moist and delicious cake. One slice contains a huge amount of nutrition from the quinoa, avocados, dates, cocoa and chia.
Soaking the quinoa is needed to make the seed easier for the body to absorb and easier to blend totally smooth. When you soak the seeds they start to grow and it’s said the vitamins and minerals are more bio-available.
When blending the healthy quinoa cake batter you will probably want to do it in two batches if you have a small blender. The quinoa and dates are hard so you don’t want to be putting too much stress on your blender as it may cause damage.
Even if you are using pitted dates do still check that no stones are left in as even just a fragment can ruin the whole cake. A 600w small jug bullet type blender is powerful enough to make this cake made from whole quinoa.
Most quinoa is pre-rinsed in the UK so you don’t get a bitter taste. If the quinoa you use can sometimes be bitter do rinse the quinoa grain thoroughly before blending to remove any quinoa bitterness.
Gluten free and vegan cake made from whole quinoa and frosted with chocolate avocado. Naturally grain and egg free that's easy to make. Full of plant protein, fibre, heart healthy fats and nutrition. This gluten free and egg free quinoa cake isn't as light and fluffy as a normal cake with wheat and eggs but it still tastes amazing. A smaller slice is very filling and contains more nutrition than many people on a standard diet have in a day. Use fruit for decoration, any bright berries are good – raspberries, Inca or strawberries are my go-to fruit that look and taste amazing on this cake. Also chunks of dark chocolate or cacao nibs work great on this quinoa cake to give a deep rich chocolate flavour. Links maybe affiliated, meaning I earn a commission from purchases but at no extra cost to yourself.Quinoa Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Quinoa Chocolate Cake
Avocado Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information
Yield
8
Serving Size
1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 271Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 2mgSodium 106mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 6gSugar 21gProtein 3g
You can use either cacao or cocoa to make this gluten-free cake, both are nutritious and considering the price cocoa is often the better choice. More on the difference between cacao and cocoa.
Try a tiny bit of the cake before icing and if it’s too bitter for your taste add some extra sweetener to the icing or brush on top.
As the quinoa is soaked this chocolate quinoa cake is paleo friendly.
Can you please include a print button on you recipes. I can’t work from an iPad in the kitchen, I’m a bit old fashioned and like a printout to work from. If there is already a way to print this out could you please share? Thanks
Hello, It’s something I will try to put in. Just select the text and click print in the meantime, hope that helps 🙂
I made it. Turned out a little bit like a quinoa cocoa pudding sort of thing – my food processor didn’t chop the quinoa very much. I would double the frosting and make it a bit sweeter. I will try to make it out of raw buckwheat instead of quinoa next, sounds promising to me:).
Hello, sadly I don’t think a food processor will blend the quinoa smooth enough – it really needs to be a liquidiser. But a small 600w one is good enough, but will need to be done in batches. You’re right that buckwheat is much softer and a food processor will break that down. If you do have a blender I would recommend to try the original recipe.
Hy, thank y for recipe! But my cake went too bitter, what did I do wrong? ????????
Hi Egle, that’s a shame that it didn’t work on the first time. It could be because of the dates and how much they can vary in sweetness – unlike normal sugar. Try next time adding a few more dates or some maple to the cake batter. If the cake base is too bitter add some extra sweetness to the frosting. I’ll update the recipe to help with this 🙂
This turned out really well, I added 2 table spoons of maple into the cake batter and it was just right for the children and 6 table spoons in the frosting. It’s a bit flatter than I expected, but that often seems to be the way of gluten free baking but my body feels much better giving up gluten and normal sugar.
You’re welcome and I very much agree that with gluten free baking you need to reprogram your expectations. Glad you liked it 🙂
Oh… I did have both (a belnder and a food processor) at hand but somehow thought the latter to be better. I’ll try again 🙂
Do you think it would work with buckwheat groats as well? Instead of quinoa, so much cheaper.
Hi Nadia, it would probably work although the end result would be different and the quantities will need to be adjusted. I’ll do some testing in the kitchen when I have some time 🙂
I just copy and paste onto a text doc.
This is a great recipe, I added honey to the base and used honey for the icing and it turned out great. Was diffcult to tell when it was cooked and I thought that I overbaked it and it would be dry – But it turned out perfect 🙂 Not much lift but nevermind its the best gluten free chocolate cake I’ve made so far.
Thanks Laura, I’m glad you like it 🙂
Hello, I was excited to taste this cake but it went absolutely wrong and now I have to throw it away just because in the recipe was mentioned to soak the quinoa for at least 15 minutes but I soaked it for more than 2 hours and after I baked it and try it the quinoa wasn’t cooked at all and was hard and crunchy to bite
So soaking it for at least 15 min as you mentioned it wouldn’t have worked better!
Its a shame because otherwise would have been a nice cake..
Thank you anyway
Hi Julia, a 15 minute soak should be enough although longer is better. It sounds like your blender hadn’t ground up the quinoa. In this case don’t bin the cakes – a light steaming will cook the cakes and make them great to eat. Next time you make the recipe (if there is a next time!) I would advise to only stop blending once all the quinoa is broken up. This is quick in a high-speed blender but a less powerful one may take longer. Hope that helps 🙂
hi! going to try this recipe this week for an event. do you think it would taste better the same day or kept in the fridge and eaten the day after? thanks!
Hi Ami, it tastes great if the base is made a day in advance and then the frosting is made and iced on the day of eating – my mum did exactly that over the weekend and my (very picky eating) niece loved it. I don’t think it tastes any better freshly baked :), but I would freshly ice
Hi, can we grind up the quinoa first and then blend the ingredients? Or use quinoa flour? Thank you
Hi, I wouldn’t advise that as its good to soak and sprout the quinoa. I’ve not used the flour but I imagine it will work, but you will probably need to add more water. Let me know how you get on.
Where is the original recipe. I only have a blender to use and want it to work out nicely. Thank you. X
I invented this recipe – this is the original recipe! Many people have tagged me saying how well this turned out for them 🙂
Hello, just wondering for health purposes how many carbs are in this cake? Thankyou!
This is the nutritional information: Calories kcal 393, Carbs 46g, Fat 24g, Protein 7g, Sugar 22g
Hi, I have a question – what size pans do I need to use – 6″ as the Method explanation says or 8″ as shown at the video? Thanks!
Hi Galina, I’ve made it in both and it turned out great. I would recommend 6″ purely as it gives a higher cake 🙂
Hi, is it OK to use honey as a sweetener rather then maple syrup? And if so, does the consistency of the honey matter? Thank you
Hi Ashvini, as this is a plant based website I wouldn’t suggest people use honey but it would probably work in this recipe – just aim for a sweetener that is a runny liquid and pours similarly to maple or coconut syrup. 🙂
Honey is actually plant based from the pollen of the flower. The bees just process it a bit. Just say’n.
What funny timing, I’ve just published an article on plant based and vegan I had always assumed that everything concerning food that was plant based is vegan, didn’t think of honey. I wonder if its a grey area for people that are plant based and not vegan?
this recipe is amazing!! made it for mothers day and served with some coconut ice cream, thanks for posting 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words Hannah, glad it went down well and coconut ice cream sounds like a great combo 🙂
I made this as my birthday cake on Tuesday and it was amazing!!! Everyone loved it, had to stop my other half (who is a non vegan, junk eater) consuming the whole thing. I love the raised eyebrows when they ask what it is made of first, then they tried it and loved it. You can see a picture of it over on my Instagram @psoriasisbuddy.
Thanks so much for sharing that Jon, it’s great to hear when such healthy food goes down that well. Just had a look at your cake and it looks amazing 🙂
It was like the thickest most satisfying double brownie and chocolate pudding concoction ever. I am now truly hooked on your website and it has a firm place in my favourites on my browser. When I make this cake again (and I will!) I might try adding mint to it as chocolate and mint is a big addiction of mine. Oh and one with chilli!
Chilli and and mint sounds like a great call, I’ve got a few ideas to try out also – so keep an eye out on the site 🙂
Chilli and mint sounds like a great call, I’ve got a few ideas to try out also – so keep an eye out on the site 🙂
Hi, I want to try this recipe, but Im not sure i can finde dates where I live, what can I use as substitute??
You can use another dried fruit or just whatever sweetener you like – the dates are just there for sweetness and a bit of fibre 🙂
And these values are for the whole cake or just one slice? 🙂 thanks!
The nutritional information is per slice 🙂
If you download the Printfriendly app, you can always print just the contents of a page and not all the stuff around it. You also get the option to remove images if you’re saving on coloured ink.
That’s a good idea. I’ll fix the site soon so that when you print only the article is printed and not everything else on the site. 🙂
The printed recipe doesn’t list adding 2 cups water into the blender but the video does. I wanted to clarify and find out what to do
Hello Tricia, the written recipe says this – it’s the second ingredient on the list. Is it showing for you?
Thankyou for the inspiration!
I am making this tomorrow … I was thinking of putting it into a cake baking pan 9 x12 x 2 and then cutting the cake in half and icing the square cake … any comments or concerns would be appreciated … 350 for the same time or perhaps 60 minutes?
Also what about doubling the recipe and putting it in a 10 x 15 x 2 cake baking pan?
these baking pans I have are professional series sheet cake pans with safe anodized seal … any comments?
Hi Nancy, I think that would work in a 9 x12 x 2 and then cutting in two. Although as it’s gluten-free and quite a dense cake leaving it to cool and lining the pan is important. Use a cocktail stick to check it’s cooked through, I’m not an expert or pans or timings but I think about 50-60 mins sounds about right. Have fun 🙂
should I cook the quinoa first? doesn’t really say how to add it in the recipe or if you should cook it hummm?
Hi Carol,
No need to cook the quinoa, it is cooked when baked in the oven. Does this make the recipe clear? 🙂
I had the same confusion about the water added – because the recipe makes it sound like the water is used for soaking and then discarded… but clearly it needs the water to mixup!
Plan on making this a regular recipe – really delicious!!! Thanks so much for posting it!!
Hugs!
Hello, I am going to attempt to make this cake, only thing is, can it be frozen?
Thanks!
Yes it freezes well 🙂
What can I use instead of avocados?
Hi Vlad, You could use a banana in its place. Some people on social media have done that for this recipe. Or you could use any of the non avocado frostings in my other cakes.
Made this it turned out great, thank you for the recipe 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing Annette, you’re welcome and
glad you liked it 🙂
This is my favorite vegan healthy chocolate cake! I’ve made it at least a dozen times and love it. So rich one cake will last me for a couple of days and is a healthy meal on its own. I’ve ordered your book and can’t wait to get it!
Wow thanks so much that’s great to hear and hope you like the cook book as much as I do!
Yum yum nom nom everyone loves this high protein cake! I make the frosting without any coconut oil and add a banana instead. It works great without any oil
Thanks for sharing, I love this also without any coconut oil. Although sometimes use coconut butter if i’m transporting it https://www.nestandglow.com/healthy-recipes/coconut-butter-alternative-coconut-oil