Soft & Fluffy Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

I love a one-flour gluten-free cake, and this almond flour chocolate cake is wonderfully fluffy and chocolatey, sure to satisfy any yearning for chocolate cake. Like my oat flour chocolate cake and almond flour apple cake, you'll need just one simple flour to put it together. There's also no oil or butter needed, and it's easily made dairy-free by using non-dairy milk.

I deliberately kept this cake very simple - no frosting, though a chocolate buttercream frosting or salted caramel frosting would be very nice, especially if this is for a birthday cake - and just added a handful of chocolate chips into and on top of the batter to make it a tiny bit extra.

Why You'll Love This Easy Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

• Just one flour is needed. I mean, I truly love gluten-free cakes that are made with no blends and taste just as good as a regular cake! Plus, it's made in just one bowl.
• Not too sweet. I use just a scant cup of sugar to sweeten the cake, and it's plenty sweet without overpowering the rich chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder.
• Simple ingredients. A quick glance at the ingredients photo below will show you don't need anything more than simple pantry staples and eggs to make this recipe. And if you don't eat dairy, you can even substitute water for the minimal amount of liquid called for.
• A little extra protein. Nuts are an amazing source of protein, and I love when I can bump up the protein contained in favorite recipes. This cake is such a keeper - and it will keep you going surprisingly longer than other bakes. It's a feel-good snack!

Almond Flour Chocolate Cake Ingredients

Here's a look at the ingredients you'll need for this easy cake. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Almond flour - I always use finely ground almond flour. Blue Diamond is my brand of choice because I find it more affordable than other brands. But, any almond flour works. If you make your own, try to get it as fine as possible.
• Granulated sugar - You can swap light brown sugar if you like.
• Cocoa powder - Always use unsweetened cocoa powder, please! If you use regular hot chocolate cocoa the cake will be way too sweet.
• Baking powder
• Salt - I always use fine sea salt and table salt works great, too.
• Eggs - Large eggs are best.
• Milk - Use whatever milk you have on hand, dairy or non-dairy. As noted, you can use water instead of milk if needed.
• Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract.
• Semisweet chocolate chips - Optional, but I highly recommend them!

Almond Flour Chocolate Cake Tips & Recipe Notes

• No need to rest the batter. I go on and on about this in most of my gluten-free baking recipes BUT almond flour does not perform the same as a whole grain gluten free flour - such as oat flour - and it does not need to hydrate before baking. So go ahead an pop it into the oven as soon as you assemble the batter. How nice!
• Flour alternative. If you can't eat almonds, you could try substituting another finely ground nut flour here. However, since this is an almond flour chocolate cake, if you can't eat almonds, may I suggest some of my other chocolate cake recipes including oat flour chocolate cake, gluten free chocolate olive oil cake, or gluten free dark chocolate cake recipes.
• Omit the chocolate chips. I love adding the half cup of chocolate chips to make this extra chocolatey. But you can totally leave them out if you wish.
• Use whatever pan you prefer. I felt like having squares of cake the day I baked and photographed the cake, but I also love almond flour chocolate cake in a more traditional round cake shape. An 8-inch cake round will yield a thicker cake, while a 9-inch cake round will also work, though it will be a little bit thinner.
• Make it a two-layer cake. Double the recipe to make two layers, then fill and frost them with your favorite frosting for an elegant presentation.

How to Serve Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

• Topping with frosting - My chocolate buttercream frosting or salted caramel frosting recipes are soooo good on this almond flour chocolate cake.
• Plain! I love serving cake plain, especially when it's finished with a sprinkling of chocolate chips. I honestly don't think you need anything more.
• Powdered sugar - Dust a little sifted powdered sugar over the top of the cake.
• Glaze - Make simple chocolate icing or a maple glaze to drizzle over the top.
• Dessert sauce and whipped cream - For a really stunning dessert, serve slices of cake with a spoonful of salted caramel sauce and a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

How to Store Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

• Counter - Cover the cake with foil or transfer to an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Place the cake in the fridge, covered, or in an airtight container, and store it for up to 5 days. Eat straight from the fridge - the cake will be cold and deliciously fudgey - or let sit at room temperature for a bit to soften before eating.