This gluten-free chocolate chickpea cake is rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey. You'd never guess it's made with chickpea flour! It's the kind of cake that feels indulgent but comes together in one bowl in minutes!
The chickpea flour gives the cake structure and protein, while keeping it naturally gluten-free. This easy, eggless, one-bowl chocolate cake recipe comes together in minutes with simple ingredients. Serve it plain, dust it with cocoa, or top it with a luscious chocolate ganache - either way, it's bound to disappear fast!
The cake is such a joy to make, and the consistency is very similar to my Swedish Chocolate Cake.
If you love chocolate desserts as much as I do, then you must try my chocolate lava cake, easy stovetop chocolate cake, and chocolate sheet cake!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ Every bite is moist, soft, and full of deep chocolate flavor! Perfect for chocolate lovers!
✨ Chickpea flour and almond flour keep the cake naturally gluten-free. No special mixes or substitutions.
✨ This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe is quick and easy. Just one bowl, a few pantry staples, and minimal prep!
✨ This delicious, wholesome cake is perfect for any festive occasion - it's always a hit!
Recipe Ingredients
Chickpea flour: The star of this cake - giving it a moist, gooey texture while keeping it gluten-free.
Almond flour: Adds richness, nuttiness, and a soft crumb.
Cocoa powder: For a deep, chocolately flavor.
Dark chocolate and Butter: I used 55% dark chocolate and salted butter. Together, these two are melted to make the cake fudgy and decadent.
Sugar: I used raw sugar; feel free to use regular white sugar or even brown sugar.
Soy milk: For making the batter smooth and creamy. Use unsweetened soy milk.
Rose water: This is optional, but it does add a lovely floral note that goes so well with chocolate.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Chocolate Chickpea Cake
Step 1: Set your oven to preheat. Grease your springform pan well, and then line it with parchment paper.
Step 2: Melt chocolate with butter in a double boiler (a pan placed over another pan of simmering water). Stir till the chocolate melts, and you have a glossy, smooth mixture.
Step 3: Take it off the heat and combine it with the sugar while it’s still warm.
Step 4: Sift chickpea flour (besan/gram flour) and almond flour into the same bowl.
Step 5: Sift in cocoa powder and baking powder, and whisk everything together really well.
Step 6: Stir in the warm soy milk and rosewater. You should have a nice, shiny, thick batter.
Step 7: Pour the thick cake batter into your prepped pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until done.
Pro Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for easier blending.
- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients for the best results.
- There is no proper way to test if the chickpea cake is done. Because the eggs and flour are missing, it doesn’t behave like a regular cake. I deem the cake done when the top is cooked, and the center is just a tad wobbly.
- The cake will rise a bit during baking and will sink as it cools. Don't worry, this is normal!
- Soy milk should be warm, so it doesn’t seize the chocolate when you mix it in.
- Don’t overbeat the batter.
- Don’t risk using a regular cake tin. A spring-form pan is your best bet here!
- If you’re worried about overbaking, keep an eye out after you cross the 30-minute marker. Resist opening the oven door to check.
- Tent the cake with foil in case the top starts browning too fast.
- Let the cake cool in your pan, and then place it in the fridge. Don’t be in a hurry; give it at least an hour. It should do the trick, but it’s best to keep it overnight. A chilled cake makes your life so much easier by sliding right out of the pan.
How To Serve
Okay, so here’s a trigger warning for bakers: the cake deflates. Don’t panic when you see a little crater forming. It’s par for the course for this recipe.
This cake is delicious served cold or at room temperature.
You can serve the as-is, it's fabulous! Or you could -
- Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder
- Top it with whipped cream and fresh berries
- Add some chocolate ganache, like I did. A luscious layer of chocolate sauce, some slivers of pistachios, a handful of rose petals, and pomegranate arils (my go-to cake garnish). This is how I love to serve this.
Recipe FAQs
You can easily make this cake vegan by switching to dairy-free chocolate and plant-based butter.
Rosewater is optional in the chocolate chickpea cake recipe. It adds a nice floral note that goes very well with chocolate. But you can leave it out if you're not a fan.
Since this is not a regular cake with flour and eggs, inserting a skewer in the center doesn't work. I find that when the top is cooked and the center still has a little wobble to it, the cake is done. This cake needs to be cooled well, on the countertop, and then in the refrigerator. This also ensures a dense, fudgy consistency.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chickpea Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dark chocolate (55%) chips
- 6 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Raw sugar You can use regular white sugar too
- 1/2 cup Chickpea flour/ Besan
- 1/4 cup Almond flour
- 1/3 cup Cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 cup Soy milk, warm
- 1 tsp Rosewater Optional
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/4 cup Cream
- 1/4 cup Dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170 C / 340 F. Grease an 8" spring-bottom pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. 1 cup Dark chocolate (55%) chips, 6 Tbsp Butter
- Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the sugar.1/2 cup Raw sugar
- Sift in the chickpea flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.1/2 cup Chickpea flour/ Besan, 1/4 cup Almond flour, 1/3 cup Cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- Mix well.
- Stir in the warm soy milk and rosewater ( optional). Don't overmix. You should have a nice, shiny, thick batter.1/2 cup Soy milk, warm, 1 tsp Rosewater
- Transfer to the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake at 170 C / 340 F for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake looks cooked and has the slightest wobble in the center.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before taking it out of the pan.
- Serve as is or top with chocolate ganache. Decorate with pistachio slivers, dried rose petals, and pomegranate arils. Enjoy!
Chocolate Ganache
- Gently heat the cream, add the chocolate chips, stir well until you get a smooth, shiny mixture. Let it cool before pouring on the cake.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for easier blending.
- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients for the best results.
- There is no proper way to test if the chickpea cake is done. Because the eggs and flour are missing, it doesn’t behave like a regular cake. I deem the cake done when the top is cooked, and the center is just a tad wobbly.
- The cake will rise a bit during baking and will sink as it cools. Don't worry, this is normal!
- Soy milk should be warm, so it doesn’t seize the chocolate when you mix it in.
- Don’t overbeat the batter.
- Don’t risk using a regular cake tin. A spring-form pan is your best bet here!
- If you’re worried about overbaking, keep an eye out after you cross the 30-minute marker. Resist opening the oven door to check.
- Tent the cake with foil in case the top starts browning too fast.
- Let the cake cool in your pan, and then place it in the fridge. Don’t be in a hurry; give it at least an hour. It should do the trick, but it’s best to keep it overnight. A chilled cake makes your life so much easier by sliding right out of the pan.
Trina Vallbacka says
I don’t see the updates on cups instead of grams for measuring. Please advise
Natasha Minocha says
Hello Trina, please check the recipe, its been updated to include cup measurements. Hope this helps.:)
PAVNEET KAUR says
Hi. Can I substitute soy milk with normal regular milk and butter with oil?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Pavneet, I haven't tried either of these substitutions so I'm not entirely sure.
Joanna says
Re Grams v Cups, I was so pleased the measurements were given in grams as I'm in the UK and don't have American cups! I noticed the pic of the chocolate cake shows it sunk in the middle - is this what happens with chickpea flour? (Just so I know whether I've done something wrong or not!)
Natasha Minocha says
So glad you liked the recipe and found it easy to follow! Yes, this cake does have a tendency to sink in the middle, so you are totally on the right track! Thank you for following along, means so much to me. xx
Ketan says
Wow Natasha. I will definitely try this recipe..is there a substitute for almond flour..can I grind some almonds instead pls
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you so much, Ketan! Yes, you can definitely use ground almonds instead. 🙂
Wanda Rosseland says
Natasha, this looked perfect for my gluten free grand daughter, until I got to the grams in the recipe. Sorry, there is no way I'm going to try and figure out the amount needed for cups etc. Maybe you could include them in your future recipes. Wanda Rosseland
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you for your kind suggestion, Wanda. I have now started including both measurements in my recipes. I would love for your granddaughter to eat this cake and enjoy it. Please give me a couple of days, I will definitely update this recipe with cup measurements. I really appreciate your feedback.