This chocolate butternut squash cake is moist and tender with a dark chocolate flavor. It's made with butternut squash and almond flour and topped with a 3 ingredient chocolate frosting. This chocolate cake is paleo, gluten free and dairy free.
If you're familiar with my recipes, then you know I love baking with butternut squash. In fact, I may like it better than pumpkin!
This chocolate butternut squash cake took a few tries to get just right, but it was worth all the effort. The butternut squash adds moisture to the texture without taking away from the flavor. While my husband and kids don't like squash on its own, they love all my baked goods that include it. And this cake is no different.
I made this squash cake with almond flour and sweetened it with coconut sugar. For a nut free version, feel free to swap the almond flour for tigernut flour. To finish off the cake, it's topped with a decadent, three ingredient chocolate frosting. Every bite is pure bliss and I hope you all love this recipe as much as we do!
Why You'll Love this Butternut Squash Cake
- paleo friendly - made with simple, minimally processed ingredients
- gluten free and grain free - made with a mixture of almond flour, tapioca starch and cocoa powder
- dairy free - both the cake and the frosting are dairy free (no milk and no butter)
- easy to make - no complicated steps or fancy equipment needed! Just mix the wet ingredients in one bowl, the dry in another, then combine them and bake.
Ingredients
The full recipe for this chocolate butternut squash cake can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:
Cake Ingredients
- almond flour - I chose to make this squash cake with almond flour, but you can use tigernut flour instead for a nut free version.
- cocoa powder - since this is a chocolate cake. I recommend a Dutch processed cocoa powder.
- tapioca starch - needed for texture purposes. The best swap is arrowroot starch.
- coconut sugar - to sweeten the cake. You can swap this ingredient for any other granulated sugar.
- baking powder - I like to make my own paleo baking powder, but any type will do.
- baking soda - for extra rise and fluffiness
- salt - brings out more flavor
- butternut squash - since this is a butternut squash cake. I recommend steaming and pureeing your own squash for this recipe.
- large eggs - to bind the ingredients and give the cake structure. I don't think the cake will bake well with an egg substitute like flax eggs.
- avocado oil - adds moisture.
- almond milk - or any type of milk.
- vanilla extract - for flavor
Frosting Ingredients
- dark chocolate - I recommend a chocolate with a cocoa content between 65-85%
- coconut cream - just the cream from a can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream.
- maple syrup - for extra sweetness and a creamier texture.
How to Make Chocolate Cake with Butternut Squash
The batter for this chocolate squash cake is made in a mixing bowl, poured into an 11x7 inch or 8x8 inch pan and then baked in the oven. Here are the steps:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 11x7 or 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry cake ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until combined.
- Pour the batter into your lined pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature in the baking dish, then top with frosting.
- Cut and serve!
Tips and Tricks
- Puree your own butternut squash - wash your squash and cut it in half, from top to bottom. Scoop out any seeds, then cut the squash into cubes. Next, place the squash cubes in a steamer pot and steam until soft (you can easily pierce the squash with a fork). Cool the steamed squash to room temperature, then blend the squash in a food processor or high powered blender.
- Let the cake cool in the baking dish - the cake will continue to bake in the dish as it cools, allowing it to fully set.
- Chill before serving - I find this cake best chilled in the fridge overnight before serving. I think the flavors get better and this also allows the frosting to firm up a bit.
Storage
This gluten free squash cake is best stored in the fridge. You can keep it in the baking dish and cover it with plastic wrap or foil, or put the cake in an airtight container. Enjoy within 10 days.
FAQ
Yes, pureed pumpkin will work in place of the squash.
Yes! Simply swap the almond flour for tigernut flour and the almond milk for coconut milk or another nut free milk.
More Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Chocolate Butternut Squash Cake (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 11x7 or 8x8 inch cake 1x
Description
Moist and tender chocolate cake made with butternut squash and almond flour.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour (125g)
- ⅓ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (32g)
- ¼ cup tapioca starch (30g)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (56g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup pureed butternut squash*
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup almond milk (or any milk)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup coconut cream (just the cream from a can of full fat coconut milk/cream)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 11x7 or 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry cake ingredients. This includes the almond flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet cake ingredients. This includes the butternut squash, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and whisk until combined.
- Pour the batter into your lined baking pan.
- Place the cake in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool it to room temperature in the baking dish.
- Make the frosting by melting the dark chocolate, then whisking in the coconut cream and maple syrup. The chocolate can be melted over the stovetop at a low temperature, or in the microwave at 20-30 second intervals.
- Pour the frosting over the cake and spread it out, covering the entire top of the cake.
- Cut to desired size and serve!
Notes
I baked my cake in an 11x7 inch ceramic baking dish and cut it into 12 pieces.
*I recommend pureeing your own butternut squash for this recipe. It's easy to do! Simply: wash your squash and cut it in half, from top to bottom. Scoop out any seeds, then cut the squash into cubes. I cut off the skin, but you don't have to. Next, place the squash cubes in a steamer pot and steam until soft (you can easily pierce the squash with a fork). Cool the steamed squash to room temperature, then blend the squash in a food processor or high powered blender.
Katie
Hope you all love this butternut squash cake as much as we do! Enjoy!