Paleo Chocolate & Vanilla Cake – GAPS Approved
How to make the best grain-free, sugar-free paleo chocolate and vanilla cake
This Paleo chocolate and vanilla cake is incredibly satiating! Complete with brain-healthy fats, nutrient-dense protein, and even hidden veggies. This recipe is grain-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free (optional). Serve this easy to make dessert for a high-protein breakfast, for a special occasion, and even as a traditional meal replacement. Toddler and picky-eater approved!
A GAPS Diet Social Staple
When we started our GAPS diet journey, I knew we were going to need some staple go-to recipes that were nutrient dense and also allowed us to “blend in” for meal gatherings with friends, family, and other social activities while maintaining our allergen-free plan. If you have eaten the Paleo diet, WAPF, or alternatively than the Standard American Diet, you may have also experienced the frequent and well-meaning offers from friends, family, schools offering a myriad of treats and snacks that are not in line with goals and priorities for your family’s health.
Enter: the 24 egg- cream frosting-double-decker-high protein-flourless-sugar free-naturally sweetened-6 cups of vegetables paleo chocolate and vanilla cake. Say that 5x fast! And, yes, this cake actually has 24 eggs in it, but zero “egg” flavor!
If you need assurance how DELICIOUS this cake is, my sweet-tooth husband, who devoured a few slices, asked what else to serve the kids for dinner. My response: nothing! This cake is literally packed with protein, brain-healthy fats, and even vegetables!
This recipe is an example of how we can literally have our cake and eat it too 😉. Be sure to bookmark and check out the recipe index on this site for other go-to yummy and nutritious recipes!
This flourless cake is simple and easy to make with ingredients from your homestead, local farmer, or grocery store.
Paleo Chocolate Vanilla Cake (GAPS Diet & Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Mix Master or immersion blender (for frosting – you can also mix by hand, but the frosting will not be as smooth)
- Pyrex bowls (for tiered cake) or glass 9×13 pans (these brands are both oven safe and have lids for easy fridge stacking)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ninja or blender (to puree zucchini)
- Large mixing bowl (this one is my FAVORITE for batching large recipes and because it has a non-stick bottom)
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 3 cups coconut flour
- 24 pcs eggs
- 2 cups honey
- 1 cup melted coconut oil (or butter, ghee, or lard)
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp vanilla
- 6 cups pureed zucchini
- 1 cup cacao powder (for chocolate cake)
Frosting Ingredients:
- 3 blocks cream cheese (or 4 cans coconut cream or 2 cups lard or 2 cups palm shortening)
- 2 sticks butter (or 1 extra cup of above fat)
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Instructions
Instructions for Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease 2 glass 9×13 pans or oven safe pyrex bowls (for a tiered cake).
- In a mix master or large mixing bowl, combine eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla and mix well (softening/melting the fat ahead is helpful). Puree zucchini and add to mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix.
- Pour batter into greased containers 1/2 – 3/4 full, depending on desired size and shape of cake.
- Add to your preheated oven and let bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
- Once baked, allow cakes to cool before removing from greased pans.
- Add the frosting between cake layers and on the outside. Don't feel badly if your cake has character like ours!
Instructions for Frosting:
- Add softened butter, cream cheese, or desired fat (see recipe notes above) to mix master.
- Whip until smooth and fluffy. An immersion blender will also work, though it is more time consuming.
- Slowly pour in honey and continue mixing until well-incorporated.
Notes
Note: Omit cacao for strict gaps diet or intro. We have made this recipe dozens of times without the cacao and it has a creamy vanilla honey flavor and texture- I highly recommend it!
- Once the cake been baked and cooled, you can store it in your fridge for up to 5 days. After that, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to two months (unless you eat it before then 😉).
- For a dairy-free option, simply choose a dairy-free fat frosting option (lard, coconut cream, or palm shortening).
- I do not recommend substituting flax, banana, or applesauce in this recipe given how many eggs it contains.
- Both the chocolate and vanilla form of this recipe taste GREAT the next day, especially after being in the cold refrigerator overnight. Make sure the cake is at least room temperature or cold from the fridge before frosting.
Our toddlers helped frost the cakes. Obviously. This was half the fun!
My husband and I swelled with pride and laughter at our Pinterest perfect frosted paleo chocolate and vanilla cakes 😀.
We served this cake for a family celebration in our home and everyone commented how delicious it was; you would never guess it was a “non-traditional” cake!
Why We Love This Paleo Chocolate and Vanilla Cake
Delicious: This recipe is one of the moistest cakes I have ever eaten, bursting with creamy vanilla flavor and a tender crumb, thanks to its rising during baking.
Versatile: This chocolate and vanilla cake is delectable as is, but don’t be afraid to add chopped nuts or pumpkin spice for a comforting autumn-time recipe. We have also used this recipe for muffins! Simply pour batter into greased muffin tins (or use liners) and spread frosting on cooled muffins.
On -the -go: We have packed this in muffin or pancake form for packable snacks and breakfast for travel, fishing trips, and busy week nights or weekends with family and friends.
Toddler approved: All kiddos like cake! This recipe is basically veggies, healthy fats, and high protein eggs in the form of a delicious treat the whole family will enjoy.
Check out other Paleo, GAPS, WAPF Friendly Recipes in the recipe index of this site! All recipes have been toddler, picky-eater, and sweet-tooth husband approved!
Resources
Post
What is the GAPS Diet – An Easier Explanation
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These look delicious!! Can’t wait to try!