Remember that paleo chocolate cake I made last year for Valentine’s Day? Well I may have just made a cake even better than that. That’s right, I’d like you to meet my Grain Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. Isn’t she beautiful?
What makes this cake so special?
Just imagine biting into cake that tastes like a chocolate chip cookie filled with notes of caramel flavor, vanilla and brown sugar. Then topped with a smooth, fluffy vanilla buttercream (that’s easily made dairy free or vegan).
BOTTOM LINE: IT BASICALLY TASTES LIKE A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICH and it just so happens to be grain free, easily dairy free, and SO FREAKING GOOD I COULD DIE.
Sorry for all the caps, but it’s necessary when I really need to get my point across. I hope you’ll forgive me.
Now I don’t want to brag, but I’m pretty proud of myself due to the fact that I nailed this grain free tahini chocolate chip cookie cake the very first time I made it. Of course, that doesn’t mean I didn’t bake it FIVE more times just to be sure. After all, you know when I deliver a recipe that I always want to make sure it turns out incredible.
Ingredient substitutions
Before we talk about the ingredients, I want to chat quickly about ingredient substitutions because I tend to get a lot of questions about what you may be able to change. I have only tested the cake as is, so please know that if you make substitutions you are doing so at your own risk.
However, I have made a few suggestions that I think may work well below.
What are the ingredients in this grain free chocolate chip cake cake?
Almond Flour: I love using blanched super fine blanched almond flour in this cake to help create the most perfect texture and flavor. If you are allergic to almonds, hazelnut flour or cashew flour would be great substitutions, but please know the flavor will change. Also, please remember to pack your almond flour just like you would if you were using brown sugar.
Coconut Flour: this helps to absorb moisture and create a nice fluffiness to the cake. If you are looking for a substitution I think that a gluten free oat flour might work well.
Tahini: have I mentioned how obsessed I am with tahini and how you should be too? It creates the BEST flavor in this cake and when paired with the almond flour and coconut sugar, it is amazingly delicious. Tahini is just ground up sesame seeds aka sesame seed butter! Please do not substitute tahini, it has a unique texture and flavor compared to other nut/seed butters.
Eggs: four eggs are used in this recipe, which creates the perfect level of fluff with still a little density so that it resembles chocolate chip cookie texture. I have not tried flax eggs, but I think it would work well, just make sure you let them sit in the fridge to really gel up for at least 10 minutes before using them in this recipe. Remember 1 egg = 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water.
Enjoy Life Foods Mini Chocolate Chips: dare I say best chocolate chips ever?! I love using Enjoy Life chocolate chips in my recipes because they’re allergy friendly and delicious! I used their mini chocolate chips in this recipe to ensure you get a bite of chocolate in every single bite you take. It’s also what’s used in the chocolate drip glaze. Seriously SO dang good.
Vanilla Buttercream: this is one of my favorite buttercreams to make simply because it’s so fluffy, perfectly sweet and reminds me of vanilla ice cream. It’s made with just butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. If you really want to amp up the vanilla flavor, you could add in vanilla beans but I think it’s lovely as is. To make the frosting vegan/dairy free: use a vegan buttery stick. Simple Mills frosting is also another great option.
Tips for making this cake + how to store it:
- Make sure you allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting. This is critical!
- Feel free to use a store-bought frosting like Simple Mills if you don’t feel like making frosting.
- This cake should be stored well-covered in the fridge after a day or so. The cake will last 5 days.
- Don’t forget to pack your almond flour. Do NOT pack the coconut flour.
- Tahini is common in most grocery stores. Sometimes it’s by all the other nut butters and other times you can find it in the global foods section.
Other Ambitious Kitchen cake recipes you might like:
Lightened Up Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
The Best Paleo Chocolate Cake with Paleo Chocolate Frosting
Almond Flour Strawberry Shortcake Cake
See how to make the chocolate chip tahini cake:
I hope you love this cake as much as my husband did. It’s officially one of his favorite desserts I’ve ever made, and that’s saying a lot since he really enjoys to rate and critique my recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This helps us tremendously! You can also tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram so I can see your creations. Xo!
Grain Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cup coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup drippy tahini (I use the kind from whole foods or soom foods tahini)
- 1/2 cup melted and cooled coconut oil (or sub ghee or melted butter)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups packed super fine blanched almond flour (i use bob’s red mill)
- ½ cup coconut flour (do not pack)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
- For the frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter (or vegan buttery stick), at room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- For the chocolate ganache:
- ¾ cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
- 1-2 teaspoons coconut oil
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of three 6-inch round cake pans or two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Spray parchment paper and sides of pan with nonstick cooking spray. YOU SHOULD USE PARCHMENT PAPER or the cake is likely to stick. Please do not forget.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar and tahini until smooth. Slowly whisk in the melted and cooled coconut oil until it’s well incorporated. Then stir in the almond milk, vanilla and almond extract. The mixture should be smooth and well combined. Note: It is important that your eggs are at room temperature otherwise the coconut oil with coagulate. The coconut oil should be melted but not HOT, but rather closer to room temp.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula until smooth.
-
Divide batter evenly between pans and spread out with a spatula to smooth the tops. Bake for 18-28 minutes in the two 8-inch pans and 25-35 minutes for three 6-inch pans. Cakes are done when a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting or removing from the pans. The cake should be room temperature when you frost it. This is very important. Cakes can be made a day ahead if you’d like.
-
Make your frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the softened butter and whip on high until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat for 2-3 minutes more. You may need to add in a teaspoon or two of milk to thin the frosting out, but it depends on how you like it.
-
Now it’s time to frost the cake: place about 1 tablespoon down onto onto the cake stand and spread out. Invert cake onto the cake stand, add about ½ heaping cup frosting between each layer, repeat with each cake, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. If the cake is slightly ‘naked’ on the outside, that’s okay, it’s going to be delicious! Once you are done frosting, place the cake to the fridge.
-
To make the chocolate ganache drizzle: add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is smooth and completely melted. Remove cake from fridge and pour over the top of the cake. It should naturally start to drip down the sides, but if it doesn’t, use a spoon to spread the chocolate a little towards the sides to create a drip look on the sides. Enjoy! Cake will stay good at room temp for a day or so, then should be placed in the fridge. Cake will stay good for 5-7 days in the fridge, and should be covered to ensure freshness.
Recipe by Monique // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Yoga of Cooking
This recipe is in partnership with Enjoy Life Foods. All recipes, text and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting AK and the brands who make this site possible.
113 comments
Been waiting for this!!!!
It’s here it’s here!!
I made this for my grandson’s 15th birthday. No one in family was told it was a grain free recipe. It is my secret!!!My husband is gulten and dairy free so I wanted him to enjoy the birthday. The whole family was WOWED!!!!!!!!!! great site.
Amazing!! So happy to hear that Karen 🙂
Your Cake Is A Thing Of Beauty, Everything You Touch Turns Out Beautiful. I Believe It Is What You Are What You Are Made Of And It Overflows In Everything You Do.
Intense. I dig it.
Wow! Thank you!
The cake tastes amazing! Made this cake for my Dad’s birthday. I made it a day ahead, It turned out to be dense..cookie like..not cake like.
I found the amount of sugar in the frosting was too sweet. So I made it with half of the amount. I don’t recommend putting it in the fridge? the cake turned really hard because of the frosting. But overal a big hit because of the healthy ingredients.
The cake is a cookie cake so a combination of cake + cookie; that being said, it shouldn’t be overly dense. The cake should be kept covered in the fridge, but you are free to thaw it out at room temperature for 20-30 mins and the frosting will get nice and light. Also a note on the frosting: this is a typical buttercream ratio for sugar so I do recommend keeping as is, but everyone’s preference for sweetness is different 🙂
Monique, this looks INCREDIBLE! You are a genius. Can’t wait to make!
Thanks girl!! Hope you love it 🙂
What would you substitute almond flour for (allergies to almonds)!
You can sub hazelnut flour!
Is there any way I can use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour instead of the almond flour?
Oh my gosh! This is so perfect for my gluten free, dairy free boyfriend. Making this asap!
Absolutely! I hope you both love it 🙂
Made this last night and it was AMAZING!! I’ve never baked with coconut flour and almond flour before and was so pleased with the results. I will be making this cake again! Thanks, Monique!
So glad you loved it!! A fun way to use coconut + almond flour 🙂
Wow I can not wait for this!!!!! LOVED the best ev choc cake from last V-day.
Silly question, maybe? If i cut all the ingredients in half, that should work to make 1 9″ cake, right?
Also, I don’t mean this as a critique in any way, but have you considered listing the steps out in numerical form? I find with your recipes I get lost in the paragraphs over and over trying to find the next step. Thanks so much!!
New website coming soon with numbers in the instructions 🙂
And yes this should work well with 1 9″ cake!
Ah I wish the cake itself is vegan because this looks freaking TO DIE FOR! At least the frosting is easily vegan-friendly. Maybe the recipe can work with an egg replacer? I’d have to test that out someday!
Feel free to use flax eggs!
This cake was so easy to make and SUPER delicious! Huge hit at my house!
So happy to hear that!!
Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend it in this recipe! The consistency will be very different as well as the liquid ratios.
This came out sooo yummy!! My family loved it!! Thank you !
So happy to hear that!!
Is there something I can use as a sub for coconut sugar that is better for diabetics (both type 1 and 2)?
Unfortunately I’ve only made it this way! You could probably try a stevia 1:1 substitute.
We loved this cake! I would like to make it a bit healthier next time as there was so much fat but it was delicious-obviously! XO
Glad you enjoyed! And it is meant to be a treat 🙂 but with all real food ingredients!
This was amazing! Made it with the vanilla simple mills frosting to save time but will definitely try with homemade next time to compare. It was easy to make and kiddo approved!
Perfect! LOVE that frosting. Glad everyone loved it!
I made this cake tonight for my son’s birthday and it was amazing.
I made the recipe exactly as written and everyone raved about it.
This is a perfect celebration cake!
Amazing!! I’m so glad.
I dont know how to break it to you, but what do you think tahini is made of?
Sesame seeds 🙂
AH this looks incredible!! Do you think this could be made into cupcakes? If so, would you recommend changing the proportions at all? Thanks 🙂
Yes these can definitely be made into cupcakes. I think it would make 12-18 cupcakes as is. You’ll need to adjust baking time, but I would start with 16-22 minutes. Let us know how they turn out!!
Amazing – thank you! Will do!
I made this cake for a casual get together last night. It was fantastic! I used 8 inch pans, greased with coconut oil and lined with parchment. I used butter in the cake, and Aroy D coconut milk from a can instead of almond milk (I was cooking Thai food, so there was lots of coconut milk around). For the frosting I followed the recipe, but used coconut milk instead and then added half cup of Kirkland natural peanut butter.
This was such a great cake! Thanks Monique. I’ve been loving the tahini recipes.
I made this cake for my bestie’s Birthday. Everyone LOVED it. It is so good! You’re my go-to for almost every recipe! Thank you.
Amazing! Thanks so much, Mandy 🙂
Oh my gosh this looks SO yummy!! I’m going to make it for my daughters dedication luncheon! What do you think about silicone cake pans? I’m wanting to try them for the first time, but since I’ve never tried made recipe I don’t want to mess it up!
I wouldn’t recommend it for this cake simply because it’s soft!
I’ve been drooling and dreaming over this cake. It’s waiting for the ganache now. I am so excited to surprise my husband with this sweet treat. ❤️
Hope you both loved it! 🙂
Perfect!! Hope everyone loved it 🙂 and stay tuned for plenty more tahini recipes.
Wow. Wow. WOW! This cake is INCREDIBLE! I made it for my daughter’s dedication luncheon and everyone was so impressed and couldn’t believe it was made with Tahini. I’m making it again today for a friend’s birthday.
I want to make it again for my baby’s 1st birthday, but would like to find a sugar free frosting. Any suggestions of one?!
Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Amazing!! I’m so glad everyone loved it. I use this frosting on my paleo chocolate cake, which would be delicious on this one too 🙂
I can’t say enough good about this cake. Perfectly paired with either a mug of coffee or a glass of cold milk. I made it twice in a three week period.
So happy you love it! A slice with a cup of coffee sounds like heaven 🙂
Amazing. My husband was skeptical. “It sounds too healthy. Tahini in cake?!” It’s now his favorite cake and he’s requesting it for his birthday. He does NOT take cake (or any sweets) lightly. His family loved it. Our one year old loved it. SO GOOD! And it was easy. Can I give it more than five stars?!
SO happy to hear that Suzie! Thank you for your note 🙂 glad everyone loved this!
Hi there, firstly I LOVE your site! I have made so many of your recipes and they are amazing! I have not actually attempted any of your cakes before but want to try this one or your paleo chocolate cake out for Easter! I have two 9 inch cake tins and wonder how I change this recipe to suit. Is this recipe enough to spread between for two 9 inch tins? if so what would be the baking time? or do you recommend the whole mix be baked in one 9 inch tin?
Hi Jessica! So glad you’re loving the recipes here 🙂 The recipe will be enough to spread between two 9 inch tins – they’ll be a little thinner, so just shorten the bake time a bit. Enjoy!
Just made this last night! So good! Best cake I’ve ever had!
Amazing!! I’m glad you loved it!
Do you use refined or unrefined coconut oil? Thank you!!! I love all of your recipes <3
I use an unrefined coconut oil. Thanks Brittany! Hope you love this one 🙂
I’m sure you’re going to hate me for this, but do you happen to know the weight measurement for the almond flour? I’m such a precise baker and always prefer my recipes to be measured in weight instead of cups, because there can be so much fluctuation in measuring when using cups. Don’t hate me! Haha!!
I typically only use cups to measure – sorry about that! This should turn out just fine with cups 🙂
Seriously this cake is out of this world delicious! It has become my favourite cake of all time. Thank you so much for your wholesome and incredible recipes. Honestly – you are the one blogger that has consistently AMAZING recipes… Every time!
So happy to hear that! One of my favorite cakes ever. Glad you’re finding tons of delicious recipes here 🙂 More to come!
There are no words for how amazing this cake is!! I made it in March for my sister’s birthday and everyone who tried it still talks about it as the best cake they’ve ever had. My boyfriend even requested it for his birthday AND as our future wedding cake. I recently made it again as cupcakes for our dating anniversary because I was short on time. I halved the recipe, which made 9 cupcakes, and they were done baking in a little under 15 minutes. The cupcakes are incredible with or without the frosting, but in layer cake form the frosting and ganache is a must.
So happy to hear that, Molly! This would be an amazing future wedding cake 😉 Glad that the cupcakes turned out well, too – I’ll have to try that next!
This cake is so delicious, my husband has requested it for all birthday celebrations at our house. Thank you for yet another great recipe!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that.
HI Monique,
I just discovered your website and want to make almost every recipe of your 25 best recipes in 2019. Question about almond and coconut flours, I have started weighing my flours. It is so much easier and more accurate. Are you able to tell me what the grams in a cup of each of these flours are, in the way you measure?
Thanks!
Alonna
Hi Alonna! I don’t typically weigh the flours so I’m not 100% sure what the grams are, but a quick online calculator should be able to tell you 🙂
OMG!! This cake is incredible!! I added a few instant coffee grounds to the ganache, because I can never get enough of that coffee flavor, and it didn’t disappoint. Thank you for this delicious creation!!
Yummm love that! So happy you tried this one 🙂
I was so excited to make this cake after seeing it on Instagram and it was totally worth it! My two sons loved it as well. It was my first time using tahini in a dessert recipe and I really was surprised how much I liked it. I’m a big fan of enjoy life chocolate chips and cookies so this dessert hit the spot! Thank you! I will definitely be making it again.
Amazing! So happy to hear that, Eva 🙂 I’m glad everyone loved it!
This cake changed my life. I don’t like cake, I think it’s too sweet and boring. Not this one! I will be making it again for sure. My hubs said it’s the best thing I’ve ever baked and I bake a ton. 🥰
So happy to hear that! One of my favorite cakes, too 🙂 glad you both enjoyed!
Hi Monique,
So excited to make this. I wanted to try and make the cakes and frosting ahead of time so that on the day I serve it all I have to do is assemble everything. Do you think the cakes would be ok if made them 2 days ahead of time? If yes, how do you recommend storing them? I figured just in an air-tight container in the fridge. I assume the frosting would also keep for a day or two? Thanks!
Hi Emma! Yes making two days ahead is totally fine! An airtight container will work for storage. If you want you can assemble the entire cake up to 2 days ahead of time!
Can this be made without tahini?
I wouldn’t recommend it as the tahini helps give the cake moisture.
The best tahini cake I ever tasted and made! Thank you!!
So happy to hear that!
Wonderful, but would definitely leave out the buttercream. The cake is devine on its own and really does not need the additional sweetness. In the future I will only top with melted chocolate. Definitely on the “make again” list!
Feel free to top with whatever you’d like! melted chocolate sounds delicious 🙂 glad you enjoyed!
This is one of the best gluten free cakes that I’ve ever made. So rich and decadent and extremely easy to make. Using a mini cake pan I made several small cakes instead of one large cake. This recipe would also be great as cupcakes. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thank you for this great recipe.
So happy to hear that! Love the idea of a few mini cakes – so delicious!
Hands down one of my favorites. I’ve tried some of the other cakes and this one, oh boy it was gone so fast.
I’m so glad you love this one!
I really love this recipe! It’s my go to cake recipe when I want to bake but don’t want to feel so guilty about eating a huge amount of cake! I always sub coconut sugar for stevia to make your recipes lower carb, (and then top with sugary frosting!) Texture is so moist, and it’s a really adaptable recipe for different flavored cakes/frostings.
I’m so glad you love this one! Such a great treat.
Hi! I know in the recipe you say not to substitute tahini in this recipe. However, I’m specially looking for a cake recipe that is somehow a combination of chocolate and almond butter. For that reason, do you think subbing in almond butter could work?
I mean, it could work but they have different textures and consistencies. It would likely be fine though. Let me know how it turns out!
So delish! My daughter and I made it using two 9 inch pans and that took 20 minutes in our oven. It smells so good and nutty when it comes out of the oven. Thanks again for all the delicious food!
PS Your son is too cute. And I love that you share the realities of motherhood, especially right after your baby comes home. It’s something we don’t foster in this country. I wish there was more support for new parents. Thanks for all you do!!
Perfect! Glad you loved it 🙂 and thank you so much!!
I made this last week as a Bundt cake and it was SO GOOD. Thank you!!!!
Perfect!! Love that!
Made this cake for my husband for his 30th because he loves chocolate chip cookies! This came out amazing! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Perfect! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂
After sending many recipes and dropping hints that I really wanted some sort of baked good, my boyfriend made me this cake over the weekend and HOLY CRAP IT’S AMAZING. My mom used to bake those big round cookie cakes when I was younger for all sorts of birthdays/holidays/events, and this tastes just like it! I love unfrosted cakes because the frosting just gets a little too sweet for me, so I think next time I’ll honestly just make the cakes without frosting. Will definitely be making this again! Thank you for a tried and true delicious GF/DF cake!
Amazing! So happy you loved this one 🙂
Hello. What can I substitute coconut flour with in this recipe? What would be the ratio of the substitute? I ran out of the coconut flour. Thank you!
You could try using oat flour or a whole wheat flour! I haven’t tested a sub, so can’t be certain but that would be my suggestion.
If not worried about keeping it grain-free and all I have is all-purpose flour, could I substitute for almond 1:1? Would that change the amount of eggs needed? Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend all-purpose flour in here – sorry! I’ve only made this as-is so it would be a much different recipe.
I really want to try out this recipe, it looks delicious! Just one question, in the ingredients it says to use salted butter for the frosting, is that correct? Thanks!
Yes, that’s correct! Unsalted will work just as well though, too.
Made this for my significant other’s birthday and he absolutely loved it. We both found it to be too sweet for our liking though after a while, though it was still yummy. Is it possible to cut the sugar by half in the recipe? At least for the cake. Would it cause significant difference in the texture and how it bakes?
Sure you could try cutting it, I have only made as is but let me know how it goes please 🙂