This Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake is rich, decadent, and fudgy as the name suggests. It’s super easy to make in less than 30 minutes with only 8 wholesome ingredients. Plus, it’s free from dairy, gluten, eggs, and refined sugar.
I wanted to make something special for my little boy’s 3 month birthday. But, as a new mom with almost no free time on my hands, it had to be quick, easy, and fuss-free. Since I’ve been on a massive chocolate kick lately, I decided to make a raw chocolate fudge cake. No regrets there!
The texture of this cake is unreal! Smooth, velvety, and melt-in-your-mouth, just like dark chocolate fudge. It’s much better than fudge though as it’s free from refined sugar and dairy and not overly sweet. The filling is made from wholesome ingredients such as cashews, cacao butter, and pure maple syrup. You can substitute cacao butter with coconut oil, but I highly recommend not doing so for two reasons: First, the coconut flavor would outshine the rich cacao flavor unless you used refined coconut oil, which is not as nutritious as unrefined cold-pressed coconut oil. Then there’s the texture problem. Because coconut oil melts at warmer temperatures, desserts made with coconut oil have to be frozen for the most part and can’t sit outside for too long. Otherwise, they’d turn into a messy mush. That’s why I prefer to use cacao butter, which is solid at room temperature and won’t melt when left outside. To use it in recipes, you have to melt it first. I’ve learned the hard way that heating cacao butter directly on the stovetop–even on the lowest setting–does not work well, as it tends to alter its delicate flavor. So, it’s best to use the double boiler method explained in the recipe notes below and melt it over steam. You can find cacao butter at most health food stores or order it online.
If you like healthy no-bake cakes as much as I do, you need to check out my Mango Vegan Cheesecake, Raspberry Chia Cheesecake, Matcha Lime Vegan Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Mousse Cake. All dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free. Please leave a comment below if you try any of these recipes or better yet, tag me in your photos on Instagram or Facebook @nutriholist #nutriholist. XO
Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake (V,GF)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cups walnuts
- 1/4 cup (~3) Medjool dates , pitted
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Filling:
- 2 cups raw cashews , soaked for 2+ hours {See Notes}
- 1/4 cup cacao butter or coconut oil , melted {See Notes}
- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2-6 tablespoons water {See Notes}
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- For the Crust: Add the oats and walnuts to the blender and blend until you get a flour-like consistency. Add the rest of crust ingredients and blend to thoroughly combine until you get a sticky mixture. Press onto the bottom of a 7-inch spring-form pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the filling.
- For the Filling: Soak and drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-powered blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients. For best results and an intense chocolate flavor, I recommend using cacao butter, but if you can’t find it, coconut oil also works. Keep in mind that the cake would have a coconut-y flavor if you use unrefined oil. If using soaked cashews, add only 2 tablespoons of water. If you have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec), you can skip the soaking step, but make sure to add 6 tablespoons of water. Blend until completely smooth and pour over the crust.
- Place back in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight until completely firm. Take the cake out of the freezer once it has set, decorate with coconut flakes, shaved dark chocolate, or berries and transfer to the fridge until ready to serve. Store leftovers in the fridge for about 2 weeks or in the freezer for months.
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