ULTRA rich and decadently chocolatey dark chocolate eclipse cake – the perfect recipe for next week’s solar eclipse.
What are you doing for the eclipse next Monday?
If ever there were a good excuse to throw your own eclipse watch party, this dark chocolate eclipse recipe is it! The homemade cake is extra dark and fudgy – darker and richer than traditional chocolate cakes, thanks to one special (and easy-to-find) ingredient.
Adding even more dark chocolate is the thick layer of Chocolate Avocado Frosting on top.
Chocolate on chocolate is always a good idea.
(View the video, above)
This recipe was adapted from my Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe and has one crucial difference: because Dutch cocoa is used here, the recipe calls for baking powder instead of baking soda.
Dutch cocoa, also sometimes called “dark cocoa” or “black cocoa,” won’t react with baking soda due to the lack of acid in the cocoa, meaning it’s important to use baking powder in this recipe. You should be able to find Dutch cocoa easily at a regular grocery store; just look for the word “alkali” in the ingredient list.
If you aren’t able to find it for some reason and want to make this cake with regular cocoa powder instead, just switch the baking powder in the recipe for an equal amount of baking soda. The cake will be lighter in color but still delicious.
The August 21st solar eclipse is scheduled to pass through Washington DC at around 2:42 in the afternoon on Monday, so I’m not sure I’ll get the chance to make this cake as “eclipse food” for a watch party.
Most of my friends will probably be at work.
Maybe I can convince them to skip work to hang out with me and eat chocolate cake all afternoon.
If you live in Oregon, the eclipse is getting to you at 10:15 in the morning.
So… ummm… chocolate cake for breakfast???
Chocolate Eclipse Cake
Dark Chocolate Eclipse Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup spelt or white flour
- 6 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar of choice or xylitol
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
- 1/3 cup applesauce or yogurt of choice, such as coconutmilk yogurt
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup oil or almond butter, OR allergy-friendly sub
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
*If you want a double layer cake, simply double all ingredients and bake in two pans.
Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease an 8-in square or round pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, optional chips, and sweetener, and stir very well. (If nut butter is not stir-able, gently heat until soft.) In a new bowl, whisk nut butter, yogurt, water, and vanilla. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined (don’t over-mix). Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until batter has risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean. (I like to take it out when still a little undercooked, let it cool, then set in the fridge overnight. This prevents overcooking, and the cake firms up nicely as it sits.) If you can wait, I highly recommend not even tasting until the next day… the cake is so much richer and sweeter after sitting for a day. Frost with your favorite frosting recipe. I linked one of my favorites earlier in the post – you’ll need about 3/4 cup for the entire cake.
More Dark Chocolate Recipes:
This cake looks wonderful, Katie! Thanks for sharing it and the pictures are so tempting.
Does this nutritional info Included the frosting? Just curious. Looks, dark, rich, chocolateie!
Um…. YES! totally need this in my life!
Paige
This looks delicious! I’m so excited to see the eclipse! I should make this cake for work.
i’m so bummed we won’t be able to fully see the eclipse from Southern California, but you best believe that won’t stop me me from making this cake!!!! it look so decadent but when i read the ingredients i was super impressed! can’t wait to try this – thanks for sharing 🙂
I cannot wait to try this recipe out, thanks for the share. Love checking out your blog, keep up the posts!
Love the theme! Your Eclipse Cake looks sinfully, dark delicious Katie! I want to totally take a bite or five out of that right now! 😀
I love chocolates cakes more than other flavors, this eclipse cake perfectly mouth watering.Chocolate can help you lose weight as well as The flavonols in dark chocolate can protect the skin against sun damage.
This recipe looks to be basically the same as the Epic Vegan Chocolate Cake you posted on July 24, just half the amounts of everything and using dark cocoa powder rather than regular cocoa powder. This recipe calls for baking powder, and the other recipe uses baking soda. Are they interchangeable?
Hi! As she mentions in the post, they are similar recipes but the two are not interchangeable here. Definitely be sure to use the listed baking powder if using the dark cocoa here.
Jason (media relations)
Can this be made gluten free??
Maybe try Bob’s gluten free flour blend? We have had good results with that in similar recipes, not even needing to add xanthan gum.
Oh, I was so excited to pin and share this, but then realized your frosting is made with Avocado. I have a severe allergy to avocados and recently ended up in the ER for Anaphylactic Shock. Thank you for listing that the frosting was made with Avocado, so now I know not to bother. Looks delish though! I love Chocolate, and a friend of mine told me people were making recipes for chocolate cakes now with Avocado as a “healthier” substitute or “gluten-free” option, which scares me because I am GF as well! Again, thanks for the heads up!
The post says that she used avocado frosting but that you can use any frosting you choose and you will need about 3/4 cup.