No Bake Chocolate Cake (GF)
No Bake Chocolate Cake (GF)
Part chocolate cake, part chocolate pie, this chocolatey delight is 100% no bake! All you need to make this no bake chocolate cake at home is a blender, a fridge, and a craving for some chocolate.
Part chocolate cake, part chocolate pie, this chocolatey delight is 100% no bake! The idea of creating a no bake chocolate dessert is partially inspired by my Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie recipe which you all seemed to really like. That peanut butter chocolate pie is super easy to make, and the idea of creating another easy chocolate dessert recipe seemed like a no brainer.
So, how exactly can you make a chocolate cake without baking it? The answer is that you blend up some filling ingredients like melted chocolate, coconut milk, almond flour, and cocoa powder and then pour that into your chilled, no bake pie crust. Layer in streaks of melted chocolate to create little bites of chocolate throughout, and you’ve got a tasty chocolate dessert that’s too good not to share!
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS CHOCOLATE CAKE
This no bake chocolate cake is both vegan and gluten free! All you need to make this delicious, chocolatey cake at home are a few simple ingredients that you might already have in your pantry. The idea for this no bake cake is actually inspired by a similar recipe that I made a few months ago for a healthy peanut butter chocolate pie. That pie was SO GOOD and I’ve loved the idea of making no bake chocolate desserts ever since.
This gluten free cake requires just a few simple ingredients like melted chocolate, coconut milk, almond flour, and cocoa powder. If you’re a baker, you might already have these ingredients in your fridge or pantry already. Once you have the ingredients, just whip out your blender and get ready to make your chocolate cake!
KEY INGREDIENTS
almond flour
coconut oil
maple syrup
dark chocolate
coconut milk
maple syrup
coffee powder
HOW TO MAKE THIS NO BAKE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Making this chocolate pie at home is easy. The full instructions are below, but here’s the gist:
Line a round cake pan with parchment paper. I used a 7x3” cake pan by Fat Daddio’s. In a medium bowl, use a fork or your hands to mix together the crust ingredients until it becomes a sticky dough.
Press the dough into the cake pan, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides evenly. Pop the pan in the freezer as you continue with the cake filling.
Melt chocolate chips, and divide them between two bowls. Pour one of the bowls of melted chocolate into a blender. Add coconut milk, maple syrup, coffee powder, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Remove the chocolate crust from the freezer.
Now, pour 1/4th of the liquid filling on top of the crust. Drizzle 1/4th of the remaining melted chocolate on top of the filling evenly. Repeat this process with the filling and the melted chocolate until you reach the top of your crust. Be careful not to let it spill over. You may not use all of the filling or chocolate. Adding in the layers of melted chocolate like this gives the final result more of a "bite" like a baked cake.
Place the cake in the fridge overnight to set. When ready, top the cake with whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder to decorate!
HOW LONG DOES THIS TAKE TO MAKE?
There are three steps to making this no bake chocolate cake at home:
Make the crust, which is about 10 minutes
Blend the filling, which takes about 5 minutes
Assemble the cake, with is about 10 minutes
Refrigerate the cake overnight to set
In total, this recipe will take about 25 minutes to make, not including the overnight rest time
WHAT’S THE TEXTURE LIKE?
The texture of this chocolate cake is soft like a chocolate pie filling.
SO IS IT A CAKE OR IS IT A PIE?
Honesty… I’m not sure! There is a crust which means it could be called a pie, but the texture of this is more cake-like. I like to think of it as a cross between both :)
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No Bake Chocolate Cake (GF)
Ingredients
- 2 c almond flour
- 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 1/4 c coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 c maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 2 c dark chocolate, divided (sub: dairy-free chocolate)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp coffee powder
- Pinch of salt
- Whipped cream (sub: non-dairy whipped topping)
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
- Line a round cake pan with parchment paper. I used a 7x3" cake pan by Fat Daddio, you can use an 8" pan if desired. Just note that the cake will be more like a pie.
- In a medium bowl, use a fork or your hands to mix together the crust ingredients until it becomes a sticky dough.
- Press the dough into the cake pan, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides evenly. Use a glass to press the dough into the bottom of the pan firmly to make sure it's compact. You don't want there to be any cracks.
- Pop the pan in the freezer as you continue with the cake filling.
- Divide 2 c of chocolate chips evenly between two bowls.
- Alternating bowls, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 15 s increments, stopping to stir each time so the chocolate doesn't burn. Continue until the chocolate is thoroughly melted and smooth in both bowls.
- Pour one of the bowls of melted chocolate into a blender. Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, coffee powder, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the chocolate crust from the freezer.
- Pour 1/4th of the liquid filling on top of the crust. Drizzle 1/4th of the remaining melted chocolate on top of the filling evenly. Some of it will sink to the bottom, and that's ok. You also don't have to completely cover the liquid filling with the melted chocolate.
- Repeat this process with the filling and the melted chocolate until you reach the top of your crust. Be careful not to let it spill over. You may not use all of the filling or the chocolate. Adding in the layers of melted chocolate like this gives the finished result a "bite" like a cake.
- Place the cake in the fridge overnight to set.
- When ready, top the cake with whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
- Allow to thaw on the counter for about 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*You can use any unsweetened cocoa powder that you like, but Dutch cocoa powder will give you a darker crust than regular cocoa powder.
I started salt n sprinkles to show that making good food is both fun and easy to do. My recipes are mostly plant-based, and always delicious. I know you'll find just what you're looking for!