Chocolate Walnut Cake (Gluten-Free)
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Lots of walnuts and lots of chocolate… What can be better, really? This is a moist and delicious walnut chocolate cake that can easily be made gluten-free. It is loved by both adults and kids! It’s very easy to put together and uses simple ingredients.
In Israel, we make this chocolate walnut cake for Passover since we don’t eat flour on this holiday. It’s a very versatile cake. You can make it with any kind of nut in case you want to switch things up once in a while, make it with flour (only two tablespoons) or make it gluten-free like I did here and use almond flour or any other kind of gluten-free flours.
Chocolate Walnut Cake…
It’s a recipe that everyone has to have on hand if you ask me. It’s a simple cake that everyone loves and that you can make a little bit differently each time. You can keep it simple or cover it with frosting, whipped cream, or fruit. We’ll go over the basic recipe of this walnut cake and then I’ll list some varieties and different serving options at the end of this post.
Ingredients…
- Chocolate chips – use semi-sweet or dark.
- Unsalted butter
- Instant coffee
- Walnuts – or peanuts, almonds… Really, any kind of nut works here.
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Almond flour – or any kind of gluten-free flour. I you don’t mind a tiny bit of gluten you can use all-purpose flour.
Kitchen Tools…
- Double boiler – or just a bowl over a pot with some water in it.
- Spatula
- Food processor
- Mixer – or mixing bowl and a hand mixer.
- 9” springform pan
How to Make Walnut Chocolate Cake…
Step one – make the chocolate mixture. Start by setting up a double boiler on your stovetop. To the bowl, add the chocolate, butter, and instant coffee. Turn the heat to high and use a spatula or a whisk to stir until all the ingredients are melted and combined. Turn off the heat and set the chocolate mixture aside to cool.
Step two – process the nuts. Add the walnuts to the bowl of the food processor and process them until they are as fine as they can be.
Step three – mix the eggs and sugar. Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of the mixer and mix until combined.
Step four – mix the chocolate in and add the nuts. While the mixer is working in the eggs and sugar mixture, add the chocolate gradually until it is combined. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to mix in the nuts and flour.
Step five – bake. Butter a 9” springform pan (make sure to butter the sides too) and transfer the batter to it. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes in a 350 degrees F preheated oven. To check if the cake is ready, stick a wooden toothpick in its center. It should come up with a few moist crumbs but not wet.
How to Serve Walnut Chocolate Cake…
Once the cake is ready, let it cool on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes. Then, insert a butter knife between the cake and the side of the pan and slide it along the pan to release the cake from the springform. This cake can be served warm or cold. Here are a few ideas…
- With ice cream – chocolate, nuts, and ice cream… Try whatever ice cream you like; strawberry, vanilla, banana, or any other flavor of ice cream. It’s extra special to serve this cake with ice cream when the cake is still warm.
- With white chocolate topping – in a double boiler, melt 2/3 cup of white chocolate chips with 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Drizzle this chocolate mixture over the cake and let it cool. You can add sprinkles or any other kind of decorating candy while the white chocolate is still hot. The candy should stick to it.
- With dark chocolate topping – in a double boiler, melt 2/3 cup of dark chocolate with a cup of whipping cream. Set this in the fridge for a few hours to cool. Take the mixture out of the fridge and whip it until you get the consistency of thick whipped cream. Top the cake and add fresh fruit or sprinkles or crushed nuts.
How to Store this Cake…
- At room temperature – this cake can stay on the counter at room temperature, covered, for 3-4 days.
- In the fridge – make sure to cover the cake before storing it in the fridge. It should last 7-10 days in the fridge.
- In the freezer – feel free to divide this cake into slices, and wrap each slice well in plastic wrap. Place the slices in a zip-lock bag before freezing. When you’re ready to serve the cake, remove the slices from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature. You can serve them at room temperature or reheat them in the microwave or the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions…
Try almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews… Any kind of nut should work. And, of course, you can even mix a couple or a few of them together.
Yes, you can use dairy-free butter or it should also work with shortening.
Almond flour, all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, teff flour, brown rice flour, oat flour, coconut flour… These are just a few alternatives.
You know, I’ve never tried… But, I am guessing that sunflower seeds or maybe pumpkin seeds might work.
I hope that you enjoyed this step-by-step picture tutorial and I sure hope that you’ll give this cake a try. Get creative, top it with different toppings and serve it next to berries or ice cream. It’s a basic, rich, chocolate walnut cake that you can make a little bit different each time.
More Delicious Baked Goods…
- Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Fig Cheesecake
- Simple Mulberry Cookies
- Simple Sweet Potato Bread
- Easy Strawberry Bread
- Easy Apple Cake With Fresh Apples
Chocolate Walnut Cake
Moist, delicious, and very simple to make walnut chocolate cake.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 14 tablespoons of butter (2 sticks minus two tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee
- 2 1/2 cups walnuts or nuts of your choice (more on this in the notes)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons almond flour (options for other kinds of flour in the notes)
Instructions
- Start by setting up a double boiler on your stovetop. To the bowl, add the chocolate, butter, and instant coffee. Turn the heat to high and use a spatula or a whisk to stir until all the ingredients are melted and combined. Turn off the heat and set the chocolate mixture aside to cool.
- Add the walnuts to the bowl of the food processor and process them until they are as fine as they can be.
- Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of the mixer and mix until combined.
- While the mixer is working in the eggs and sugar mixture, add the chocolate gradually until it is combined. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to mix in the nuts and flour into the chocolate mixture.
- Butter a 9” springform pan (make sure to butter the sides too) and transfer the batter to it. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes in a 350 degrees F preheated oven. To check if the cake is ready, stick a wooden toothpick in its center. It should come up with a few moist crumbs but not wet.
- Once the cake is ready, let it cool on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes. Then, insert a butter knife between the cake and the side of the pan and slide it along the pan to release the cake from the springform. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Serving Ideas...
- With ice cream – chocolate, nuts, and ice cream… Try whatever ice cream you like; strawberry, vanilla, banana, or any other flavor of ice cream. It’s extra special to serve this cake with ice cream when the cake is still warm.
- With white chocolate topping – in a double boiler, melt 2/3 cup of white chocolate chips with 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Drizzle this chocolate mixture over the cake and let it cool. You can add sprinkles or any other kind of decorating candy while the white chocolate is still hot. The candy should stick to it.
- With dark chocolate topping – in a double boiler, melt 2/3 cup of dark chocolate with a cup of whipping cream. Set this in the fridge for a few hours to cool. Take the mixture out of the fridge and whip it until you get the consistency of thick whipped cream. Top the cake and add fresh fruit or sprinkles or crushed nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions...
- What kinds of nuts can I use?
Try almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews… Any kind of nut should work. And, of course, you can even mix a couple or a few of them together. - Can I make this cake dairy-free?
Yes, you can use dairy-free butter or it should also work with shortening. - What other kinds of flour can I use?
Almond flour, all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, teff flour, brown rice flour, oat flour, coconut flour… These are just a few alternatives. - Can I use seeds instead of nuts?
You know, I’ve never tried… But, I am guessing that sunflower seeds or maybe pumpkin seeds might work.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 485Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 20gProtein: 10g
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.
