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Gluten Free DessertCakes + Cupcakes
February 10, 2019

Grain Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Gluten Free and grain free cookie cake made tahini and chocolate chips that tastes like an ice cream cookie sandwich in cake form! Hints of caramel, vanilla and chocolate flavor baked into every single bite then topped with a fluffy very vanilla buttercream. This cake can easily be made dairy free and is perfect for special occasions, birthdays and holidays! This recipe is in partnership with Enjoy Life Foods.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins + cooling

paleo tahini cake with text overlay

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).

grain free cookie cake with chocolate glaze on a cake stand with plates on the side

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.

tahini cake on a cake stand with two plated slices of cake

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.

grain free cookie cake with three slices of cake on plates and a bag of chocolate chips on the side

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.

slice of grain free cookie cake on a plate with a fork on the side

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

grain free cookie cake on plates next to a bag of chocolate chips

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

5 from 10 votes
Leave A Review Print Recipe
Course Dessert, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Serves 9
Gluten Free and Grain Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake that tastes like an ice cream cookie sandwich in cake form! Hints of caramel, vanilla and chocolate flavor baked into every single bite then topped with a fluffy very vanilla buttercream. This cake can easily be made dairy free and is perfect for special occasions, birthdays and holidays!

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

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