Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Orange Cake
Hubby and I are at a cafe in Spain trying to kill time until our flight back to the UK (which is in another eight hours!). I was meant to post this blog post before we left but didn’t get the chance. It’s way too hot (for me anyway) around mid-day to go out for walks here, so I’m taking this opportunity to blog.
Every time I post a recipe that incorporates chocolate and orange, so many of you tell me it’s one of your favourite flavour combinations. So it only made sense that I create more chocolate orange desserts!
This vegan gluten-free chocolate orange cake recipe is so rich, moist and decadent without containing any refined sugar, animal products or wheat. Made with ground almonds for lots of moisture and sweetened with whole dates instead of processed sugars so it’s high in fibre and good fats as well as vitamins and minerals.
This recipe is highin omega-3, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus and vitamin E.
I used a coconut based chocolate pudding for the frosting. You can either use a mixture of melted chocolate and milk to create a ganache or you could always use the cashew chocolate frosting I made in this recipeinstead and use fresh orange juice instead of milk and add in some orange zest.
This cake is so delicious and got a big thumbs up from everyone that tried it! Now it’s your turn to try it and let me know what YOU think 😉
Chocolate Orange Cake (Vegan & Gluten-free)
Serves – 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (75g) gluten-free flour
- 1/2 up (50g) ground almonds
- 1/2 cup (85g) polenta
- 1.5 cups (215g) soft dates
- 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (100ml) coconut oil, melted
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 2 flax eggs – 2 tbsp flaxseed mixed with 5 tbsp hot water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk of choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180*C/160*C fan assisted/350*F
- Make the flax eggs by mixing 2 tbsp flaxseed with 5 tbsp hot water. Leave to set for 15 minutes.
- Mix the flour, ground almonds, polenta, cocoa, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add the dates to a food processor and blend until you have a paste. You can add some of the milk to make the blending process smoother.
- Add the date paste along with the milk, melted coconut oil and flax eggs, orange juice and zest to the flour mixture.
- Transfer into an 8″ cake tin lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
If you liked this vegan gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, you may also like these chocolate orange recipes:
Healthy Chocolate Orange Tart
Some more amazing chocolate orange sweet treats:
- Chocolate Orange Porridge
- Chocolate Orange Panettone Pudding – by Fab Food 4 All
- Magnesium Rich Chocolate, Orange & Ginger Mousse – by Natural Kitchen Adventures
- Chocolate Orange Cake – by The Foodie Couple Blog
- Terry’s Chocolate Orange Brownies– by Casa Costello
- Chocolate Orange Cornmeal Biscotti – by Casa Costello
Nadia2024-05-16T14:46:46+01:00July 12, 2016|Cakes, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Sweet Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian|43 Comments
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43 Comments
SilJuly 13, 2016 at 7:22 pm - Reply
Do you know if would be OK to just use all-purpose flour instead f gluten-free? Thanks!
NadiaJuly 14, 2016 at 10:43 am - Reply
I’ve only made it using gluten-free flour. The texture may be more moist as gluten-free tends to absorb more liquid. If you try it let me know how it turns out 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and SunshineJuly 13, 2016 at 9:11 pm - Reply
Chocolate orange is so yummy! This cake looks so luscious and moist! Love the polenta for some heartiness too! (p.s…..you changed things on the blog, didn’t you???)
Harriet EmilyJuly 14, 2016 at 11:31 am - Reply
Chocolate and orange is the best combination! This cake looks so beautiful and delicious Nadia! <3
Kate | The Veg SpaceJuly 14, 2016 at 12:25 pm - Reply
Oh wow this looks incredible Nadia!! I’m such a chocolate orange fan and your cake looks so moist and the topping is stunning. Yum.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N SpiceJuly 14, 2016 at 2:23 pm - Reply
What a pretty cake, Nadia! I love the chocolate and orange combo. Sounds so fresh and light!
Cathy @ Planet VeggieJuly 14, 2016 at 4:20 pm - Reply
Oh, pouring a pudding over a cake to make the topping is such a good idea!
Natalie | Feasting on FruitJuly 14, 2016 at 6:11 pm - Reply
Chocolate and citrus are lovely together, but I think I love specifically when YOU do chocolate + orange because it is always completely stunning!! And not only beautiful, but it looks super fudgey and delicious too. I love adding cornmeal/polenta to cakes and breads, the texture is awesome. And you know I love everything date-sweetened 🙂 But what I am really curious about is this pudding as frosting idea! I don’t know of any vegan coconut-milk pudding over here, but I’m guessing homemade pudding could work too! It looks so dreamy I really want to try it <3
Jacqueline MeldrumJuly 14, 2016 at 8:38 pm - Reply
That looks amazing Nadia, so rich. I’m in! I too am suffering from the heat just now.
Sus // roughmeasures.comJuly 14, 2016 at 8:40 pm - Reply
This cake looks lovely and dense, is it dense or lighter? Love that it’s vegan and gluten free too!
Bintu | Recipes From A PantryJuly 14, 2016 at 8:56 pm - Reply
Please do keep posting orange and chocolate recipes as I really really want to lick the screen right now. 🙂
Anu - My Ginger Garlic KitchenJuly 15, 2016 at 6:35 pm - Reply
Oh my my! This chocolate orange cake look stunning, Nadia. Chocolate and orange is an ah-mazing combo. Absolutely loving this vegan and gluten-free cake! AWESOME share my friend! 🙂 <3
CassieJuly 18, 2016 at 9:09 pm - Reply
Spain is a beautiful country, isn’t it? I had the best Christmas holiday when I visited two years ago! This bakery had the best whole wheat croissants and baguettes. TO DIE FOR, just like this cake! The orange and chocolate combination can’t be beat!
Kate @ Veggie DessertsJuly 22, 2016 at 9:25 pm - Reply
This looks sooooo good! I agree with your other readers, chocolate orange is an amazing combination.
JoanneSeptember 30, 2016 at 6:35 am - Reply
Since oranges are different sizes and vary in the amount of juice in them, can you tell me how much orange juice in terms of cups is used in this recipe? Looking forward to trying this. Thanks!
ElizabethOctober 15, 2016 at 5:47 am - Reply
Hi – small queries – what temperature the oven? And how to tell if it’s cooked. Thanks for the great recipe!
NadiaOctober 19, 2016 at 1:16 pm - Reply
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180*C/160*C fan assisted/350*F. You can tell it’s done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake – if it comes out clean, it’s ready!
Lisa CDecember 12, 2016 at 6:29 pm - Reply
I can’t eat rice and usually end up using Bob’s Red Mill All-purpose GF flour, but have had some major failures in the vegan/GF cake category. I’m hopeful with this one but am wondering which GF flour you prefer to use? I’ve almost given up trying to find a GF cake that tastes like, well, cake!
Linda LyonsJanuary 30, 2017 at 12:46 pm - Reply
Hi, any idea how long the cake stays fresh for? I’m hoping to make it in advance of a party this weekend but want to check how far in advance i can make it! Many thanks, Linda
NadiaFebruary 1, 2017 at 7:00 pm - Reply
I would say the cake is best eaten within 1-3 days. The fresher it is the better the texture. Hope that helps.
RachelFebruary 13, 2017 at 6:38 pm - Reply
Did you use already cooked polenta or the dry polenta?
EliMarch 21, 2017 at 11:31 am - Reply
Hi Nadia,
Your recipe’s are so great! I was wondering how did you make the frosting? Sorry my English is not verry good, but most of the time with a little help from Google translate i understand everything?
Claire HawkinsApril 4, 2017 at 5:42 pm - Reply
I don’t have any flaxseed but can I replace it with chia seeds instead? Will this work the same with the same amount?
NadiaApril 5, 2017 at 10:24 am - Reply
Yes, chia seeds should work just as well using the same amount 🙂
FernandoApril 26, 2017 at 3:35 pm - Reply
Hi Nadia. I’m happy to find your blog and instragram. There are many good choices. Thanks for sharing.
But I live in Brazil and I don’t know what kind of gluten-free flour I can use. Maybe rice flour??
Thanks 🙂AsiaJuly 8, 2017 at 5:30 pm - Reply
Hey Nadia. Love this recipe. How did you make the chocolate pudding or topping for the cake? Xxx
Boyan MinchevJuly 11, 2017 at 8:51 am - Reply
This is amazing vegan chocolate cake, great dessert looks so delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
HollyJuly 25, 2017 at 2:09 am - Reply
I’m with the other commenters asking about the chocolate pudding for the frosting, did you make it yourself (if so, recipe please!), or store-bought (if so, what brand)? Thanks!
JuliaAugust 1, 2017 at 6:41 pm - Reply
Hey,
I came here via Pinterest, because I was looking for a birthday cake for my sister. This fits the bill perfectly, so thank you!
On another, less pleasant note: Your picture has apparently been stolen and put on Pinterest by someone who is using it to get people to go to a very fishy looking site. You might want to report that to their support. Just search for “Gluten Free vegan chocolate orange cake” (that’s how I came across it). I thought I should let you know. Sorry this happened to you!MartinaSeptember 12, 2017 at 10:46 am - Reply
I’m thinking of making this cake for my birthday, but I need to ask.. Do you put the polenta in dry raw form or you soak it or something? If not isn’t it feel a bit like sand in the texture?
TobyNovember 26, 2017 at 10:59 pm - Reply
I want to bake this for my cousin who needs gluten free. It will be a Christmas present. Could I use a regular egg in place of the flax egg? Will it work?
NadiaNovember 30, 2017 at 8:30 pm - Reply
I haven’t tried baking it with eggs, but I imagine it would work! Let me know how it turns out 😀
Lisa gNovember 29, 2017 at 10:53 am - Reply
Made this last minute at dinner party as had gluten free guest and so thrilled with result . They are store cupboard ingredients and it’s so simple to make and delicious strong chocolate flavour although I used a soft cheese mix with cocoa for topping
Am going to make it again today thanks so muchNadiaNovember 30, 2017 at 8:26 pm - Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lisa 😀 and the cream cheese frosting sounds lovely!
DevyaniDecember 2, 2017 at 5:17 am - Reply
Hi Nadia, I want to bake this for my parents who celebrate their anniversary this month. How did you make the frosting? It looks amazing and I did not find the recipe on the blog. Please help.
Sally RogersDecember 4, 2017 at 1:12 pm - Reply
How long should this cake keep and storage instructions. Just got feedback that it’s a bit dry. I followed recipe but thinking of leaving out polenta (can feel gritty to some) maybe that was reason for dryness. I think I will increase ground almonds. Your thoughts please?
SarahDecember 5, 2017 at 12:46 am - Reply
Did anyone have good results baking with egg rather than a substitute? I just need dairy free. Thanks!
NatDecember 5, 2017 at 10:22 am - Reply
Hi Nadia, just made this today for my husband who is a big fan of choc orange flavour. It was very nice however mine had a bit of a gritty texture – is this the polenta? Any suggestions to avoid this? Topped the cake with a dark choc ganache (mixed in a splash of fresh orange juice).
BarbDecember 9, 2017 at 10:08 pm - Reply
Can you please expand on the polenta you used? Did you use dry cornmeal, did you use a specific recipe and cook your own? Thanks
federicaJanuary 25, 2018 at 3:24 pm - Reply
Hi, this cake really loos delicious and would like to try it asap!! Just one thing. Do I need to cook the polenta first (like putting it in hot water till it becomes consistent) or I put it without cooking it ? Dilemma!!
MilagrosFebruary 9, 2018 at 1:47 pm - Reply
Hi nadia , I would like to know al if you used cooked polenta for the preparation? Thanks
CedrineOctober 30, 2018 at 10:13 am - Reply
Hi! Can i use hazelnuts instead of Almonds? Thank you
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