Decadent Chocolate Almond Butter Cake: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, & Guilt-Free!

I LOVE a good piece of chocolate cake. Growing up, my dad worked for Pepperidge Farm and would often bring home their famous Layer Cakes for our birthdays (well, at least they were famous in our house ). My favorite was the Golden 3-Layer Cake.

It was moist, fluffy, and oh-so-chocolatey. I couldn’t get enough and sometimes found myself sneaking back to the fridge for another slice… and another… until the entire cake was gone.

But there was a catch.

While my taste buds were thrilled, my body wasn’t. Within an hour, I’d feel sluggish, tired, and foggy. Was the momentary joy worth the hours of discomfort?

It wasn’t until years later that I started discovering healthier options that satisfied my sweet cravings without the post-dessert crash. One of my all-time favorites? This Healthy Chocolate Almond Butter Cake. You can enjoy it on its own, or for an extra indulgence, top it with rich chocolate fudge sauce and fresh berries—a dessert you’ll feel great about eating!

This cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, cozy nights with friends, as a family-friendly dessert that everyone will love, or simply indulging in by yourself!

Healthy Chocolate Almond Butter Cake with Chocolate Fudge Sauce and Fresh Berries

Approximately 12 servings
(Blink and it's gone)

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla powder)
• 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking pan with coconut oil.
3. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool before serving (if you can wait!).

Chocolate Fudge Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/3 cup cacao powder
• 9 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/4 tsp vanilla powder)
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak the dates in hot water for 1 hour.
2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until creamy.

Bringing It All Together

For the ultimate indulgence:

• Spread the fudge sauce over a slice of Chocolate Almond Butter Cake.
• Top with fresh berries or sliced bananas.
• Add a sprinkle of Ceylon cinnamon for extra flair.
• Savor every bite!

Ready to try it? Let us know in the comments if you give it a go or tag us on Instagram (@emisgardenny) with your creation. I’d love to see how your decadent Chocolate Almond Butter Cake turned out!