This vegan chocolate almond torte is an easy and elegant dessert for entertaining. Made from a base of almond flour and all-purpose flour and sweetened with maple syrup; it's decadent, light and chocolatey and naturally sweetened. Cocoa is the dominant flavour in this recipe; it is not very sweet, so serve it alongside non-dairy vanilla ice cream, sweetened whipped cream or berry coulis.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Unbleached all-purpose flour: this forms the base of this cake alongside almond flour. The gluten in the flour helps the cake hold together.
Fine ground almond flour: you can use fine ground or superfine ground almond flour for this recipe. Note that this recipe does not call for packing the almond flour. When in doubt, use use a kitchen scale to make sure you have the right amount.
Dutch process cocoa powder: this is not the same as regular baking cocoa powder. Dutch process has been alkalized to reduce the acidity of the cocoa beans. It has a smoother taste and darker colour than regular baking cocoa.
Baking powder: do not substitute with baking soda. Because this recipe uses dutch process cocoa, baking soda will not produce rise the same way baking powder will (baking soda needs an acid to create rise).
Extra virgin olive oil: this adds body and depth of flavour to this recipe. Olive oil and chocolate enhance one another. Any neutral flavoured vegetable oil (avocado, grapeseed or vegetable oil) will also work in equal measure.
Refined coconut oil: this add density and richness to the crumb much like butter would. You could also substitute with vegan butter in equal measure, however, because most vegan butters are salted, omit the salt from the recipe.
Unsweetened almond milk: you can use any or plant based milk of choice like oat milk, soy milk or coconut milk.
Maple syrup: this adds light sweetness to the recipe and enhances the moisture of the crumb. Agave syrup can be used in equal measure.
Pure vanilla extract: For more almond flavour, you could use almond extract in equal measure.
How to make vegan chocolate almond torte
For the full detailed instructions on how to make this vegan chocolate almond cake, please see the recipe card below.
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 320℉. Line the bottom of an 8" cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease around the edges.
STEP 2: Sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder and baking powder.
STEP 3: Combine the olive oil, melted coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
STEP 4: Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
STEP 5: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan cake pan and bake for 50 minutes.
STEP 6: Cool the cake in the cake pan for approximately 20 minutes before removing and transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature with cocoa powder sifted on top.
Important Tips
Use Dutch process cocoa: it's important not to substitute this with regular baking cocoa powder because the cake will not rise. Dutch process cocoa has been processed with alkali to reduce it's acidity and as such, will work best with this recipe. For more detailed information on the differences between Dutch processed and regular baking cocoa powder, this article from Americas Test Kitchen is very informative.
Baking Powder: for the same reasons noted above, don't substitute baking powder with baking soda because the cake will not rise the same.
Don't pack the almond flour: recipes with almond flour often specify to whether to pack or not pack it. This recipe does not call for packing the almond flour. And, when in doubt, use use a kitchen scale to make sure you have the right amount (weight measurements have been included in the recipe card).
Storage
Storage: vegan chocolate torte should be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing: this cake does not hold up to freezing so I don't recommend doing so.
Serving Suggestions
The following make great topping for this vegan chocolate almond torte:
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries
- Dusted with powdered sugar instead of cocoa powder
- Sweetened dairy-free whipped cream
- Dairy-free vanilla ice cream
- Raspberry coulis
- Chocolate ganache the recipe for this can be found in my vegan chocolate beet cake recipe or my vegan chocolate zucchini cake recipe
- If you're serving this at holiday time, you could serve it with chocolate peppermint ganache, the recipe for which can be found in my chocolate peppermint ganache cake recipe.
Recipe FAQs
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour and can't guarantee that it will work.
Dutch process cocoa is available in most grocery stores wherever cocoa powder is sold. Just make sure the label specifies that it is Dutch processed.
There are several notes about the origins of the word torte, and it likely originates from Germany or Italy and essentially means refers to round dense cake. Typically, tortes are rich, often contain nuts and can be single or multi layered, much like regular cakes.
Vegan Chocolate Almond Torte
Special Equipment
- 8" round cake pan
- measuring spoons and cups
- Kitchen scale optional
- 2 Mixing bowls
- spatula and mixing spoon
- parchment paper round
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (93g) fine ground almond flour
- ¼ cup (25g) dutch process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup (58g) extra virgin olive oil, or neutral flavoured vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (45g) refined coconut oil , melted
- 1 cup (260g) unsweetened almond milk, or plant based milk of choice
- ⅓ cup (113g) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320℉. Line the bottom of an 8" cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease around the edges. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder and baking powder.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, melted coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan cake pan and bake for 50 minutes or until the top of the cake starts to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center only has a few small crumbs on it.
- Cool the cake in the cake pan for approximately 20 minutes before removing and transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature with cocoa powder sifted on top.
Notes
Nutrition
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.
Disclaimer
all recipes on The Simple Green are developed and tested in a Canadian kitchen, at normal elevation, using electric appliances and ingredients available in Canada. Results may vary.
This was a wonderfully light dessert that was enjoyed with a spoonful of powdered sugar sprinkled on top. It needed some extra sweetness, since the torte itself was very mildly sweetened and surprisingly dry instead of fudgey. I guess I was expecting it to be more texturally similar to a brownie instead of a bread. It was still very enjoyable in a healthy way. 🙂 The photographs are gorgeous, by the way !
Thank you so much, Emily! Really happy to hear you like the recipe!