Vegan and gluten-free cocoa cake, a healthier, lighter and tastier recipe

A vegan, gluten-free cocoa dessert that, in addition, is light and tasty and brings interesting benefits for health? If somebody tells you, you would not believe it, but here it is. Our cocoa cake recipe was a success in Xevi Verdaguer's Health Hackers Meeting, so we want to share it with you too.

Do not miss the video in which Xevi and Jordi explain all the secrets of this delicious vegan and gluten-free cocoa cake, commenting step by step both the recipe and its ingredients. Trying is believing!

What will you find in this post?

About the ingredients

Cocoa cake video-recipe

Cocoa cake recipe

Conservation and consumption tips

Nutritional values

About the ingredients

Coconut flour: a flour with one of the lowest glycemic index and highest fibre content among flours (43%).

Almond flour: a source of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and magnesium.

Potato starch: a starch that – after cooking and cooling down for 24 hours transforms into resistant starch – a prebiotic (food for the good gut bacteria) and an ingredient that not only helps our digestion but also increases our serotonin levels;

Cocoa paste: rich in fiber and polyphenols, which help us to diversify and improve our microbiota. It helps to improve blood circulation; it also increases our dopamine levels and, consequently, our concentration and attention.

Coconut sugar: a non-refined sugar with a low/medium glycemic index (between 35-54)* and a small quantity of fibre, minerals and vitamins.

Coconut oil/coconut milk: the coconut fat contains an important amount of lauric and caprylic fatty acids that – due to their antifungal properties – help us regulate our intestinal microbiota.

*The glycemic index (GI) of coconut sugar was reported by the Philippine Coconut Authority to be 35 and by that measure is classified as a low glycemic index food. However, the University of Sydney (Australia) Glycemic Index Research Service measured the GI of coconut sugar and suggests it might actually be higher (54).

Video recipe: Vegan and gluten-free cocoa cake

Cocoa cake recipe

Recipe for 2 round cakes of 20 cm in diameter.

COCOA SPONGE CAKE

To prepare a day before serving

110 g Cocoa mass (or 99% dark chocolate)
190 g Coconut oil
8 g Lecithin (granules)
400 g Water
210 g Coconut sugar
170 g Ground almonds
90 g Coconut flour
80 g Whole rice flour
110 g Potato starch
7 g Psyllium powder
15 g Baking powder

Melt the cocoa mass at 45ºC and the coconut oil at 35ºC.
Mix together with the lecithin using a hand blender.
Add water at 20ºC and emulsify progressively using the blender.
Add coconut sugar and keep blending the mass.
Add ground almonds and blend for one minute more.
Sift together the coconut flour, whole rice flour, potato starch, Psyllium and the baking powderand fold it into the cake mass.
Put 600g of the cake mass in each of the round moulds (20cm of diameter each).
Bake during 40 minutes in a ventilated oven at 140ºC (or at 160ºC in an oven without a fan).
Check if a cake is done putting a wooden stick inside. If it comes out clean, the cake is well baked, if it comes out sticky, continue baking for some minutes more until it comes out clean. The temperature inside the cake should be around 95ºC.
Let it cool at room temperature and refrigerate for 24 hours.

COCOA CREAMY

To prepare 12 hours in advance

200 g Cocoa mass (or 99% dark chocolate)
670 g Coconut milk (17% fat)
10 g Lecithin (granules)
120 g Coconut sugar

Melt the cocoa mass at 45 ºC.
Add coconut milk and lecithin and emulsify using a hand blender.
Add coconut sugar and keep blending 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour into a bowl or a tray and cover with a cling film (in direct contact).
Let crystalize (harden) in the fridge for 12 hours.
Pipe the creamy onto the cake using a pastry piping bag and a large, round nozzle (10-12mm of diameter).

CAKE DECORATION

Decorate with cocoa beans and dried coconut flakes.

Conservation and consumption tips

The cake can be consumed right away or stored in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days in a closed container. If you keep it in the fridge, take it out and let it come back to room temperature before eating.