I know, right? This red velvet cake looks:
Insanely moist Crazy rich Oh so striking With a tangy and creamy frosting
It does not look:
Gluten free Paleo Grain free Dairy free Or healthy
But guess what, friends? This gluten free red velvet cake is all of those things. It’s one of the richest, most moist red velvet cakes I’ve ever had (And I make the best traditional red velvet cake, even if my photos look like they’re from a different lifetime), and it’s somehow made with all real, whole food ingredients, like almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, coconut sugar, cashews, maple syrup, cocoa powder, coconut oil, and coconut milk. Oh, with a helluva lot of red food coloring for that red velvet ker-pow.
Red velvet cake is so near and dear to my heart, because I’m pretty sure my husband married me over my recipe. I finally decided I was really into him, and I invited him over for dinner before he took me to a Pixies concert (We were cool back then). I made my famous shrimp and grits recipe and dotted a cupcake tower with my equally famous red velvet cupcakes and their tangy cream cheese frosting. I could see his face morph into veritable heart-eyes, and I knew it was over. Like, “mortgage, two car notes, two babies, and a joint retirement savings plan 8 years later” over. And that’s why this gluten free red velvet cake is positively perfect for Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re trying to keep up with your clean eating or paleo diet or simply feel lighter and better after dinner!
What makes this recipe so freaking good
The cake tastes as close to a traditional red velvet cake as I could possibly imagine! The gluten free red velvet cake is super rich, with just the right amount of cocoa, and a beautiful, airy texture, despite being super moist. The dairy-free cream cheese frosting is made with cashews, coconut cream, yogurt, maple syrup, and other healthy ingredients, making this refined sugar free and actually sort of good for you. I know… The whole cake is super striking and impressive, but it’s really quite easy to put together!
The method includes a few steps that make a big difference to the cake but aren’t difficult or involved. Here’s the deal:
Wrapping the baked cakes in plastic wrap keeps the gluten free red velvet cake oh so moist. Freezing the cakes until solid makes them really easy to frost. Whipping the dairy-free cream cheese frosting after blending incorporates air that makes the frosting fluffy. It’s the same method used to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!
Tips
This is not a quick recipe; we take advantage of lots of chilling to make the cakes super moist and the paleo cream cheese frosting fluffy and thick. Make sure you start baking either the morning of serving (for dinner) or the day ahead. Make your frosting and make and freeze your cakes ahead; frost them right before serving. It does not take long for cakes to thaw. Whip your paleo frosting after every 30 minutes of freezing for the first 60-90 minutes for a lighter and airier texture. Use traditional red food coloring for a really vibrant shade of red. Use natural food coloring for a healthier but darker, more mahogany shade. Line the bottom of your cake pans parchment paper for seamless removal of the cakes.
How to make this recipe
Preheat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit. Prepare your cake pans: grease them with refined coconut oil and place parchment paper rounds in the bottom. To do this, place your cake pans on top of a sheet of parchment and trace around the bottom. Cut out just inside the trade line. This part makes a big difference, so I highly recommend not skipping this step! Make your cake batter: in a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until very smooth. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until really smooth. You can’t really overmix here, since there’s no gluten! Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and gently tap on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 15 minutes then swap the pans’ positions: move the cakes on the lower rack to the upper rack and vice versa, and for the rack with two cake pans on it, move the pan on the left to the right and vice versa. Continue baking for another 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Then, if wrapping in plastic and freezing, place a sheet of plastic wrap about 3x the width of the cake centered on a large plate. Turn the lined plated upside down on top of the cake pan, then carefully invert. The pan should come right off. Carefully wrap the cake in plastic. Repeat this process with all cakes then freeze until solid, about 3 hours. If not wrapping and freezing, simply invert cakes out of pans and cool completely on wire racks. There should be absolutely not heat left in the cake before you frost it. While the cakes are baking, make your frosting: blend together all paleo cream cheese frosting ingredients until completely, totally smooth. Scrape into a large bowl and freeze until essentially solid or the texture of traditional frosting. After the first 30 minutes of freezing, beat on high with a handheld or stand mixer for 2 minutes. Repeat after the next 30 minutes of freezing, then freeze until thick. This will help the texture become airy. When ready to frost your cakes, remove cakes and frosting from freezer. With a serrated knife slice off any dome from the cakes to make them perfectly flat and even. Use a pastry brush to brush off excess crumbs from tops. Frost layers in between cakes then frost entire cake with a crumb coat, or relatively light coat of frosting. Chill cake for 30 minutes, then frost with another layer of frosting for a very clean coat. Crumble cut-off domes and decorate with red velvet crumbs. Slice and serve!
Can I use regular cream cheese frosting?
Absolutely! If you eat dairy, cream cheese frosting is the best. The dairy-free frosting here is wonderful, but it definitely isn’t real cream cheese, which I would argue is one of the most delicious foods, like… ever. If you don’t mind dairy and powdered sugar: My recipe is fantastic, though I’d suggest you increase the ingredients by 50% to have enough frosting for a 3-layer cake. If you eat dairy but don’t want refined sugar: I highly recommend trying this recipe and doubling it. Omit the ginger.
Other recipes you’ll love:
Molten Lava Cake Recipe (Paleo, Healthy, Gluten Free) Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting (Dairy-Free, GF) Healthy Cookie Dough Healthy Cake Batter Vegan No Bake Cookie Dough Cheesecake (Paleo)
