This chocolate teff cake is gluten free chocolate cake perfection! It's dense, rich, and ultra chocolatey - sure to satisfy any chocolate craving.
Teff Flour Chocolate Cake Recipe
Welcome to teff chocolate cake, which may just be your new favorite chocolate cake recipe. This is a deceptively simple gluten-free chocolate cake that's rich and tender from melted chocolate and a secret ingredient: ice water. I was inspired to create this cake after reading a recipe from the classic Fannie Farmer Cookbook, chose a combination of teff and almond flour to make it beautifully moist and gluten-free.
Teff flour is a wonderful naturally gluten-free whole-grain flour that pairs perfectly with chocolate. I like to balance the teff flour with a bit of almond flour to build a beautifully soft gluten-free crumb that's not overly sweet. The cake is topped with one of my favorite frostings, a fluffy, whipped chocolate ganache. It's an absolute winner!
Teff Flour Chocolate Cake Highlights
Here are a few reasons why I love this recipe! It's:
- Naturally gluten-free. The simple duo of teff and almond flour keeps this cake always gluten-free.
- Sturdy yet tender crumb. Teff flour is one of the heartier gluten-free flours, which makes it a nice complement to dark chocolate. The almond flour lends moisture and structure to produce a tender crumb that's never dry.
- Almost a one-bowl cake. In a pinch, you could certainly dump the dry ingredients straight into the butter-and-sugar base, making this into a one-bowl chocolate cake if you're short on time. But even if you don't, it's a super quick batter to put together, meaning you can have a delicious chocolate cake fast!
Ingredients Needed
Here's a look at everything that goes into this gluten free chocolate cake. Be sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
For the Cake
- Chocolate: I like unsweetened chocolate in the cake so that it keeps the cake from being overly sweet. You can also use bittersweet chocolate.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter.
- Granulated sugar: Mix it up and try light or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs: As with all of my recipes, this teff cake was developed using large eggs.
- Vanilla
- Teff flour: A wonderful, hearty, whole grain gluten-free flour.
- Almond flour: Use finely ground almond flour rather than almond meal.
- Baking soda
- Salt: I always bake with fine sea salt.
- Ice water: Have this prepped in advance to add to the batter when needed.
For the Frosting
- Chocolate: I prefer semisweet chocolate for the frosting so it adds a touch of sweetness.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream is necessary to create a smooth ganache.
Recipe Tips & Substitution Suggestions
I realize teff flour may not be for everyone, or it may be difficult to find. If that's the case, you can easily make some substitutions! Oat flour is a nice choice or you could try my DIY gluten free flour blend or your favorite gluten free flour blend of choice (try to do a swap by weight so that the recipe turns out accurately). You may also like to try -
- Take a rest - Make sure to rest the batter for 20 minutes, or while the oven heats to help the gluten free flour hydrate. This is such an important step in gluten free baking so try not to rush it!
- Flour substitutions - As mentioned, oat flour is a great choice to substitute for teff flour. For the almond flour, you can try to get tiger nut flour or sorghum flour. Or, keep it even easier and substitute a gluten free flour blend for the total of both of the flours.
- Make it dairy-free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter or melted coconut oil for the butter. Use coconut cream (not coconut milk) in the frosting instead of heavy cream.
- Go refined sugar-free - Substitute coconut sugar for the sugar.
- Another frosting - The rich cap of chocolate ganache is the perfect finish to this teff chocolate cake. But, feel free to swap any other frostings, like vanilla or chocolate buttercream, or top it with whipped cream or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
Serving Suggestions
I encourage you to make ganache - it's such an easy frosting and so luxuriously smooth and rich! This recipe is beyond simple and delicious. You can also serve teff chocolate cake with
- Ice cream - Make a batch of vegan chocolate peanut butter ice cream and serve generous scoops with chocolate cake. Or, try my no-churn pumpkin ice cream for a fall treat.
- Caramel sauce - Drizzle salted caramel sauce over slices of dark chocolate cake!
- Whipped cream - Add a pile of softly whipped cream next to a slice of cake.
- Fruit - Strawberries and raspberries are so lovely with slices of this cake, especially on Valentine's Day!
Storage Options
- Fridge - The cake will keep, well-wrapped in the fridge, for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature to serve for the best texture.
- Freezer - You can also freeze the cake, well-wrapped in plastic and then foil, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before serving.
More Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipes
Chocolate Teff Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups teff flour (240 grams )
- ¼ cup almond flour (4o grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup ice water
For the Frosting
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make Cake
- Grease two 8-inch round baking tins and line with parchment paper rounds.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water then set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter using an electric mixer. Beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to combine. Beat in the vanilla. Add the chocolate and mix to incorporate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the teff flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Add all at once to the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Pour in the ice water and beat until a smooth batter forms.
- Divide the batter between the pans, smooth the tops, and preheat the oven to 350℉. Rest the batter while the oven heats, then place the cake in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the edges are starting to come away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove cake from the oven and cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
Make Frosting
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whip together the heavy cream and chocolate until a smooth whipped frosting forms. Use it to frost the cake.
Notes
- Take a rest - Make sure to rest the batter for 20 minutes, or while the oven heats to help the gluten free flour hydrate. This is such an important step in gluten free baking so try not to rush it!
- Flour substitutions - As mentioned, oat flour is a great choice to substitute for teff flour. For the almond flour, you can try to get tiger nut flour or sorghum flour. Or, keep it even easier and substitute a gluten free flour blend for the total of both of the flours.
- Make it dairy-free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter or melted coconut oil for the butter. Use coconut cream (not coconut milk) in the frosting instead of heavy cream.
- Go refined sugar-free - Substitute coconut sugar for the sugar.
- Another frosting - The rich cap of chocolate ganache is the perfect finish to this teff chocolate cake. But, feel free to swap any other frostings, like vanilla or chocolate buttercream, or top it with whipped cream or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
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