Plant-Based Mayan Chocolate Cake
Most chocolate cakes rely on butter and eggs for depth, but the ancient Mayans knew a better way. We’re stripping away the dairy and unlocking an incredible richness in the Plant-Based Mayan Chocolate Cake by combining deep chocolate with a secret heat that transforms the flavor profile entirely. This isn't just a dessert, it’s a masterclass in flavor chemistry. By using a specific blend of cinnamon and cayenne, we actually trick your taste buds into perceiving the chocolate as darker, creamier, and more intense than any traditional recipe. If you think we’ve reached the limit of how good a plant-based cake can be, this ancient technique is about to blow your mind!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder or 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- ½ tsp salt optional
- 1 cup deglet dates or medjool
- ½ cup soy milk unsweetened, or plant based milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
Chocolate Sauce
- ¼ cup dates
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot water
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add the almond flour, arrowroot flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, ancho chili powder and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk.
- Add the dates, soy milk and vanilla extract to a blender and blend until dates are completely pulverized.
- Pour mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients along with the hot water and stir well.
- Pour mixture into a parchment lined 6 inch springform pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Once baked let cake cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before removing it from the springform pan.
Chocolate Sauce
- Add the ingredients to a blender and let it soak while the cake is cooling.
- Blend until dates are completely pulverized.
- You can either pour it over the entire cake or pour it over individual slices. If the sauce thickens too much while it is sitting you can always add a little bit of water to get it to be pourable again.
- Store cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
If you don’t have a 6 inch springform, you could bake it in a 9 inch springform or cake pan. Just reduce the baking time by 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 309mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 8gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 147mgIron: 2mg
This looks like the deepest, richest, most lovely cake yet!
OMGoodness! quick question – do you think subbing tapioca starch for the arrowroot would work? (It’s what I have in the house).
Thanks for all the yum!
Yes, that will work.
Looks amazing, Jill!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day too! I can’t wait to make this. Thank you!
Just made this cake and iot might be a new all time favorite. Its super easy and sooo good!
Fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Plant-Based Mayan Chocolate Cake sounds delicious.
Can this be made into cupcakes?
350F for how long would you suggest baking the cupcakes?
I think cupcakes would work. My guess is that 20-25 minutes should do it.
Can you use carob powder in place of the cocoa powder in this recipe if a family member cannot have chocolate?
Yes, it will just taste a bit different.
How does one test for doneness? Temperature range, toothpick, jiggle test, or…? Thank you for this recipe!
It will feel pretty firm to the touch. Honestly, if it were even slightly under baked it will still be fine because the texture in the middle stays fudge-like no matter how long you cook it so the toothpick method doesn’t work.There also aren’t any dangers to it being underbaked.
Thank you! I baked it in a parchment-lined, 6″ ceramic crock because it’s what I have, lowering the temp to 325° F, for 55 minutes. I baked until firm, which brought it to just over 200°F. This was perfect! The cool, creamy sauce is a wonderful counterpoint to the warm, earthy chocolate of the cake. A wonderful recipe!
Absolutely incredible the depth and richness of flavor achieved with this recipe! Such deep fudgy flavor, I almost cannot believe that I’ve made this. This tastes like something I expect came from an high end bakery.
I made this for the family and overall it was a hit, except…I used 1 tsp ancho chili powder and it was super spicy. My wife (yea, she’s a spice wimp) struggled to get it down, but I’ll definitely make it again, the texture was great and the sauce was great. Thanks for another great recipe.
I really enjoyed this cake. Chocolate and chillies are 2 of my favourite things, and the combination is delicious. ? I also used tapioca starch instead of arrowroot flour. I confess to being slightly confused by a chocolate sauce instead of icing. But the cake definitely needs something. I treated it like a poke cake- I used the narrow end of a chopstick to make a few holes in the top, to help the cake absorb some of the sauce.
Great Idea!
This cake looks amazing, Im planning to bake it this weekend for the holiday. Wondering if you actually tried it with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder? That is one hot spice! I have seen smoked paprika + a pinch of cayenne as a good substitute.
I haven’t so maybe a 1/4 tsp would be a safer bet. You just need to taste it a little.
So much Yum in one cake! Thanks!
This was a great recipe thank you I even think it could use more of that ancho chili powder.
I left mine in the oven after the baking time, and it was a little dry, BUT GOOD. I will make it again.
can i use corn starch to replace arrowroot? Thanks for the recipe
Yes
Is white whole wheat flour not allowed in WFPB cooking?
I see that use only oat flour or gluten free flours, is this channel gluten free?
Yes, our channel is almost completely gluten free except for a couple recipes.
This cake is absolutely delicious. It feels like a decadent treat, so moist and chocolatey and the sauce is very yummy too! I’ll definitely be making it again soon, thanks for the great recipe.
before I tackle this recipe, would you please give an approximate number of dates used? I believe that when I made “Starbucks” Lemon Loaf, I used too many. The inside was mush.
Thank you,
Theresa
There are roughly 20 deglet dates per cup and 10 for medjool. This cake stays moist and brownie like in the center.