This Raw Chocolate Cake recipe is a rich and decadent recipe, which uses avocados and raw cacao powder. It’s a surprisingly rich dessert, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes (mostly chilling time).
Jump to RecipeRaw Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Wholesome, uncooked ingredients for a surprisingly rich dessert.
For the Crust:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 cup agave syrup
- 1 cup coconut butter
For the Raw Chocolate Filling:
- 1 cup coconut butter
- 2 super ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- 2 bananas, peeled
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 cup agave syrup
- 1 cup almond milk
How To Make Raw Chocolate Cake
A step-by-step guide to this simple, no-bake, and healthy treat.
- Make the Crust: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch cake pan. Place the pecans, walnuts, almonds, and salt in a food processor and blend until they reach a fine, crumb-like consistency.
- Combine the Crust: Add the cacao powder, agave syrup, and coconut butter to the food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together into a sticky “dough.”
- Press the Crust into the Pan: Transfer the nut mixture to the prepared pan and press it down firmly and evenly to form the crust.
- Make the Chocolate Filling: In a large bowl, combine the coconut butter, avocados, bananas, cacao powder, agave syrup, and almond milk.
- Blend the Filling: Use a hand mixer (or a high-powered blender) to whip the ingredients together until the filling is completely smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
- Assemble and Chill: Pour the chocolate filling over the top of the crust and use a spatula to spread it into a smooth, even layer. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is firm to the touch.
Recipe Tips
- How do I get a super-smooth filling? A high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) is your best friend here. You must blend the filling until it is 100% silky smooth. Any small lumps of avocado will be very noticeable.
- Why are the avocados and bananas so important? The avocados and ripe bananas are the “magic” ingredients. They provide the fat and creamy, mousse-like texture for the filling, all without any dairy or baking.
- What is coconut butter? Coconut butter (or coconut manna) is not coconut oil. It is the pureed meat of the coconut, so it’s thick and solid at room temperature. It is essential for making the crust and filling “set” and become firm when chilled.
- Does it really need to chill for 2 hours? Yes. This is a no-bake cake, so the “chilling” is the “baking.” This time allows the coconut butter in both layers to solidify, turning the soft filling into a firm, sliceable, cheesecake-like texture.
What To Serve With Raw Chocolate Cake
This cake is very rich and fudgy. It’s best served chilled, with something simple to cut the richness.
- A handful of fresh raspberries
- Sliced fresh banana
- A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top
- A dollop of coconut whipped cream
How To Store Raw Chocolate Cake
- Refrigerate: This cake must be stored in the refrigerator. The avocado and banana will oxidize (turn brown) if left out. Cover it tightly, pressing a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling to prevent a “skin” from forming. It’s best eaten within 3-4 days.
- Freeze: This cake freezes beautifully! Cut it into squares and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s delicious eaten straight from the freezer, like a fudgy ice cream bar.
Raw Chocolate Cake Nutrition Facts
(Per square, assuming 24 squares)
- Calories: ~310 kcal
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 105mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 26g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugars: 16g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes. None of the ingredients are heated or cooked. “Raw” also implies that the ingredients are whole foods, unprocessed, and often vegan and gluten-free (which this recipe is).
It’s “health-ier.” It’s loaded with healthy fats from nuts, avocado, and coconut, and has no refined sugar. However, it is very calorie-dense and rich, so it’s still a decadent dessert.
Yes, an equal amount of maple syrup would be a perfect 1:1 substitute for the agave syrup in both the crust and the filling.
Raw Chocolate Cake Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings15
minutes310
kcalA surprisingly rich, fudgy, and decadent chocolate cake that is 100% no-bake, vegan, and gluten-free, using avocado and bananas for a creamy mousse.
Ingredients
Crust: 1 cup pecans, 1 cup walnuts, 1 cup almonds, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup raw cacao powder, 1 cup agave syrup, 1 cup coconut butter
Filling: 1 cup coconut butter, 2 ripe avocados, 2 bananas, 1 cup raw cacao powder, 1 cup agave syrup, 1 cup almond milk
Directions
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- Crust: In a food processor, blend pecans, walnuts, almonds, and salt into a fine crumb.
- Add cacao powder, agave, and 1 cup of coconut butter. Pulse until a sticky dough forms.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Filling: Clean the food processor (or use a high-speed blender). Add all filling ingredients: coconut butter, avocados, bananas, cacao powder, agave, and almond milk.
- Blend until the filling is 100% smooth and creamy, with no lumps.
- Pour the filling over the crust and spread it into a smooth, even layer.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the cake is firm.
Notes
- A high-speed blender is key for a silky-smooth, non-lumpy filling.
- Coconut butter (not oil) is essential for getting the cake to “set” and become firm.
- This cake must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
