Simple to make with only 8 ingredients this easy No Bake Chocolate Cake is intensely rich & fudgy, naturally gluten-free and can easily be made nut-free.
Ingredients
This healthy chocolate dessert is a breeze to make. Here are the ingredients you need:
And a few recipe notes:
- Chocolate – For this recipe you need some dairy-free chocolate chips to melt into the filling AND a bar of chocolate for making the chocolate curls.
- Nut or seed butter – You can use any variety of nut or seed butter in this recipe, but I think almond butter gives the tastiest results. To keep nut-free use sunflower seed or pumpkin seed butter.
- Espresso/instant coffee – This is recommended but optional. A hint of coffee really brings out the flavor of chocolate and makes the cake much richer and tastier. However, if you really don’t like coffee omit it.
- Light coconut milk – From a can. This makes the cake filling really rich and creamy. No coconut taste comes through in the finished dessert. Need a substitution? Any other creamy plant milk such as cashew milk or oat milk can be used if you prefer.
Chef’s Tip – For a fabulous Christmas dessert, omit the coffee and add ½ to ¾ teaspoon of peppermint or orange extract to the filling.
How To Make No Bake Chocolate Cake
No oven is required to make this No Bake Chocolate Cake recipe. It’s so simple! Here’s how it’s done:
- Process all of the crust ingredients together and press into the prepared pan.
- Melt the chocolate and non-dairy milk together then add to a food processor with the other filling ingredients.Process until smooth.
- Pour/spoon onto the crust. Level off the top then chill for a few hours or overnight.
- Remove the cake from the pan and scatter chocolate curls over the top.
How To Make Chocolate Curls
Chocolate curls on the top of your no bake chocolate cake make it look really special and they are really easy. All you need is a vegetable peeler or paring knife.
- Take a large room temperature rectangular bar of dairy-free chocolate. It must be plain chocolate with no nuts or other additions in it.
- Unwrap and with a vegetable peeler gently peel strips off the side of the bar (digging in hard with the peeler) onto a plate or small baking tray. If using a paring knife, scrape the knife carefully towards you along the flat edge of the bar, forming chocolate curls with the blade.
- Rotate the bar as it warms in your hands and if it gets too soft pop it in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Once you’ve got enough curls put the plate or baking tray into the fridge or freezer to make the curls firm up. Don’t handle them until you need them as they are very delicate and melt easily.
Serving Suggestions
No Bake Chocolate Cake can be served alone or with a dollop of vegan cream. It also works really well with a little fresh mint, chopped nuts (such as hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts or peanuts), date caramel or fresh raspberries (or other berries) which cut through the richness, adding a burst of flavor and color.
Making Ahead & Storing
This is a fantastic chocolate dessert for making ahead. It will easily keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge when stored in an airtight container, or wrapped in a good layer of plastic wrap.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this cake in a 9 inch pan instead of a 6 inch?
To make this cake in a 9 inch pan I recommend multiplying all of the ingredients (except the large chocolate bar for the curls) by 3.
More No Bake Recipes
- 1 cup (140 raw sunflower seed kernels
- fine sea salt
- , or finely ground coffee
- 2½ tablespoons (38
For the filling
- 1½ cups (300 semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (135 light canned coconut milk , or any other creamy plant milk
- natural nut or seed butter , I like to use almond butter
- ½ to 1 , or finely ground coffee
- fine sea salt
For decoration
- Line the bottom and sides of a 6-inch springform pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.
- To make the crust, add the sunflower seed kernels to a food processor or blender, and process until finely ground into a flour-like consistency. Add the salt, cocoa powder, and espresso, and process until combined. Drizzle in the syrup, and pulse until it comes together into sticky large clumps and holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- Press the crust mixture into the prepared pan, making a flat, even layer along the bottom but not up the sides.
- To make the filling, add the chocolate chips and milk to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir well, and then heat in 15-second increments until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir until completely smooth.If you don’t have a microwave melt the chocolate and milk together in a glass bowl over a pan of gently boiling water.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the food processor along with the nut/seed butter, vanilla, espresso (as much or as little as you like), cocoa powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Process for 2 to 3 minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape the sides, and process once more.
- Pour the filling over the crust, and smooth the top. Chill in the fridge until completely set throughout, at least 2 to 4 hours but ideally overnight.
- To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to shave the edges of a chocolate bar, creating long curls. Let them drop onto a plate. It’s easier if your chocolate bar is at room temperature and not cold. Refrigerate the curls so they firm up.
- Remove the chocolate cake from the pan, transfer to a serving plate, then garnish the top with the chocolate curls.
Store No Bake Chocolate Cake for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container (or wrapped well with cling-wrap) in the fridge.
To make this cake in a 9 inch pan instead of a 6 inch pan, I recommend multiplying all of the ingredients (except the large chocolate bar for the curls) by 3.
Chef’s Tip – For a fabulous Christmas dessert, omit the coffee and add ½ to ¾ teaspoon (or to taste) of peppermint or orange extract to the filling.
Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.
Reader Interactions
Lazy Cake or Chocolate Salami is a traditional and international dessert. It is an amazing party snack idea, delicious for any occasion, refreshing for a hot summer day, or only for typical day cravings. This Easy No Bake Lazy Cake Recipe can be prepared in no time. So, if you’re not a fan of baking cakes, this recipe will be perfect for you!
This cake is a no-bake cake, which means that you can give your oven a break. It is made of simple ingredients that you probably have at home now. You will need butter, tea biscuits, unsweetened cocoa powder, chocolate chips, water, espresso powder, and heavy whipping cream. That’s it!
Look How Wonderful It Looks!
Your ideal choice.
The Story Behind Lazy Cake
The name differs from one country to another, but the main ingredients stay the same. However, some countries use plain biscuits while others may use coarse whole-wheat flour biscuits or any other kind of crushed cookies. This No-Bake Lazy Cake became famous across Europe and the Middle East and is enjoyed by the whole family.
A Mouth-Watering Lazy Cake
Yummy and chocolaty.
How To Store Lazy Cake
Your lazy cake leftovers, even though I doubt that you will have any, can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container as they may last for days. Besides, you can freeze them for 2-3 months, but when you bring them out of the freezer, let them thaw for a couple of minutes and enjoy!
Sweet and Crunchy
You won’t get enough of this!
Tips and Tricks
Substituting sugar for condensed milk makes this recipe easier since sugar is always available in kitchen pantries.
You can adjust the taste to your desired sweetness.
Feel free to omit the semi-sweet chocolate or use dark chocolate or milk chocolate for a darker or sweeter taste.
You can try this recipe in a loaf pan, or shape it into a log-on plastic wrap to cut into salami-like slices.
What A Pleasant Dish!
Take a bite!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does chocolate biscuit cake last?
This cake will keep well for 5 to 6 days when wrapped and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I freeze this lazy cake?
Yes, you can. What you should do is wrap it in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Thrilling Flavor
This No-Bake Lazy Cake is gonna move your taste buds 😉
What Will You Need To Prepare This No-Bake Lazy Cake Recipe
Ziyad tea biscuits
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Ganache
Isn’t it a piece of art?
Steps to Prep
Start by crushing your biscuits into large pieces and place them in a bowl.
Now in a pot, on medium heat, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, espresso powder, water, and butter and mix until melted.
Then, let it come to a slight boil. Once bubbling, add the mixture on top of the crushed biscuits and mix them well together.
Next, spray and preferably line the bottom and sides of your 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Add the biscuit mixture and press down firmly to make it even.
Finally, place it into the fridge to cool while you prepare the ganache.
To a pot on medium-high heat, add the heavy cream.
Once you see the sides of the heavy cream bubble slightly, and steam comes out, remove it immediately.
Afterward, Pour on top of the chocolate chips do not stir, and let it sit for 3 minutes.
Then, once 3 minutes are up, stir with a metal spoon or fork until all the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.
Now pour on top of the cake evenly, and place into the fridge for 3 hours before slicing and serving.
Other Sweet Recipes You Must Try
No Bake Éclair Cake
Easy No Bake Knafeh Cups
Bakery Style Almond Croissants
Bagel Bites Recipe
Basbousa Bil Qishta (Semolina Cake With Cream)
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Qatayef Asafiri (Middle Eastern Cream-Filled Pancakes)
Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
No Bake Lazy Cake Recipe
An easy Lazy Cake Recipe that requires simple ingredients and can be done in no time. You won’t be able to resist it, so try it today!
Dessert, party meal, Side Dish
Europe, Middle Eastern
Biscuit Cake
- 500g (I used an entire package of Ziyad brand)
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- semi sweet chocolate chips
- heavy whipping cream
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Crush the biscuits into large pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Now in a pot, on medium heat, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, espresso powder, water, and butter and mix until melted.
- Then, let it come to a slight boil. Once bubbling, add the mixture on top of the crushed biscuits and mix them well together.
- Next, spray and preferably line the bottom and sides of your 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Add the biscuit mixture and press down firmly to make it even.
- Place it into the fridge to cool while you make the ganache.
For the Ganash
- To a pot on medium-high heat, add the heavy cream.
- Once you see the sides of the heavy cream bubble slightly, and steam comes out, remove it immediately.
- Afterward, Pour on top of the chocolate chips do not stir, and let it sit for 3 minutes.
- Then, once 3 minutes are up, stir with a metal spoon or fork until all the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.
- Now pour on top of the cake evenly, and place into the fridge for 3 hours before slicing and serving.
- You can substitute the sugar for condensed milk and adjust the taste to your desired sweetness since condensed milk is sweet.
- You can omit the semi-sweet chocolate or use dark chocolate or milk chocolate for a darker or sweeter taste.
- You can make this in a loaf pan, or shape it into a log-on plastic wrap to cut into salami-like slices.
biscuit cake, Chocolate lazy cake, No bake lazy cake
This easy no bake chocolate banana cake is just 2 ingredients. It is very rich and full of chocolate and banana flavor. It doesn’t contain any flour, eggs, or oil. It is best served chilled and can be made ahead of time, making it an especially great dessert in the summer, though it can be enjoyed year-round.
I love making no-bake desserts this time of year. No need to turn on the oven and the desserts are usually best served cold, which is perfect on a hot day. This easy dessert takes only about 15 minutes to prepare.
- Bananas
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Bananas: This recipe works best with ripe bananas. They do not need to be overripe, though overripe bananas will also work. The bananas will need to be mashed until no lumps remain.
Semisweet Chocolate Chips: If you prefer a less sweet dessert, you can also use bittersweet or dark chocolate. The chocolate will need to be melted either on the stove or in the microwave. I prefer the microwave since it is faster, but either way will work.
No Bake Banana Cake Texture
This cake is creamy, almost like a cheesecake texture. It is very rich and decadent.
When the bananas are mixed with the melted chocolate, it prevents the chocolate from turning back into its solid form. Instead, the chocolate stays in a semi-solid state. So you end up with a rich, fudgy cake that is similar to a flourless chocolate cake.
How to Make No Bake Banana Cake
First, you need to mash the bananas and then you need to melt the chocolate until smooth. The two are then stirred together until evenly combined. Your batter is then ready to be poured into a cake pan and placed into the fridge to set.
- cup (232 g)
- semisweet chocolate chips
- Grease the interior of a 6 or 7 inch springform baking pan. Line the bottom and inner sides with parchment paper.
- Mash bananas with a fork, whisk or potato masher until no lumps remain. Set aside.
- Add chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat at full power in 1 minute intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. (I needed 2 minutes total cooking time). Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate on the stove using the double boiler method.
- Once you have a smooth chocolate batter, add in the mashed bananas. Stir with a whiks until bananas are fully incorporated and no banana streaks remain.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Place into fridge until set. I recommend refrigerating for at least 1 hour though it may be ready in less time. You can also let it sit in the fridge overnight. If you are decorating the cake, wait for it to set before adding the frosting.
- For a taller/thicker cake, use a 6-inch cake pan. If you don’t mind that the cake is not that tall, you can use a 7-inch cake pan.
- I find this easiest to make in a springform pan but it can be made in a regular round cake pan. It will just be more difficult to remove the cake from the pan.
- If you want to make the cake less sweet, you can use dark chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate.
- You will need approximately 3 bananas to yield 1 cup of mashed banana.
- Make sure you mash the bananas and don’t puree them. Pureeing them in a food processor or blender will make them too liquidy. While the recipe will still work with banana puree, your cake will not be as set.
- Mash the bananas before measuring them if you are using a measuring cup.
- This recipe does not work well with frozen bananas because frozen bananas contain more liquid.
- I decorated the cake with a chocolate ganache frosting and some shaved chocolate on top.
- Optional Frosting: To make the chocolate ganache frosting you will need 2 oz heavy cream and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Place chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream until it reaches a simmer. Pour the heavy cream over chocolate. Immediately start stirring until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Pour ganache over cake and spread it over the cake.
- Cake can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Keep cake in the fridge until ready to serve.
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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This No-Bake Chocolate Cake is the kind of dessert that nobody can resist!
It requires only six ingredients and some fresh strawberries for decoration. Besides having an incredible taste and velvety texture, it is low-carb, sugar-free and gluten-free!
Read on to learn how to prepare this amazing cake. With the useful tips in the post you can easily make it even if you are a newbie in the kitchen!
The detailed recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom.
What kind of cake is this
This is a decadent chocolate cake with almond crust and mascarpone filling. You don’t need an oven to bake it but just a fridge to cool it. It is very simple and incredibly delicious!
This recipe is suitable for people on a keto diet because it does not contain sugar and has very few carbohydrates. But I guarantee you, even people who are not concerned with carbs will be raving about it!
For the ones who find unnecessary bothering with sugar substitutes, I’ve included versions with classic sweeteners.
Recipe ingredients
You need six main ingredients for this cake: mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, butter, raw almonds, dark chocolate and erythritol for sweetening.
The decoration is entirely made of chopped fresh strawberries which are complementing wonderfully the chocolate taste.
Preparation summary
- First prepare the base: mix the ground almonds with the melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a spring-form pan, covered with a circle of baking paper.
- The second step is to make the filling: whip the mascarpone with the sweetener and the heavy cream. Then add the chocolate, melted with the butter: very carefully, in order to obtain a smooth texture.
- When the filling is uniform, pour it over the base and smooth it out with a spatula.
- Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours.
- Decorate with strawberries and serve.
Expert Tips
- The mascarpone should not be too cold when you whip it: it is best to take it out from the refrigerator 15-30 minutes in advance. The cream, on the other hand, should be cold.
- After beating the mascarpone with the cream, leave the mixture at room temperature while melting the chocolate. The latter should not be too hot when adding it to the filling. Otherwise it might harden quickly from the temperature difference. This would lead to a grainy structure of the filling that is not quite pleasant for the palate.
- But don’t worry if the chocolate hardens and creates lumps. Just place the whole mixture in a double boiler for a few minutes. Mix gently with the spatula until the chocolate softens. But don’t keep the filling for too long over the hot water!
- If you do not have any experience with melting chocolate, the article Working with chocolate: a guide for beginners will give you the most important information.
Why is the refrigerator important
When preparing no-bake desserts it is important to store properly each ingredient. Cream and mascarpone should be kept on the upper shelves of the fridge, and fruits – in the lower drawers.
I know from experience that the fruits do not stay fresh for long in the refrigerator if we don’t place them in the right compartment or if our cooling appliance does not provide good temperature conditions.
I had the great pleasure of preparing this cake in the LIEBHERR showroom where I experienced the qualities of their refrigerators. The LIEBHERR fridges’ distribution is very convenient as they allow a great view of all the stored products. I am sure you would agree that the best refrigerators are the ones where every product has its place!
But what impressed me the most about LIEBHERR is their unique BioFresh technology: it ensures the optimal balance between temperature and air humidity in the drawers. As a result, fruits, vegetables, cheeses or fish stored in these compartments retain their qualities significantly longer.
To speed up the process of preparing the cake, we placed it first for about 40 minutes in the freezer. Then we moved it for about an hour in the refrigerator. So in less than 2 hours of cooling we had a perfectly good no-bake dessert! I’m not sure that this method works with all kinds of refrigerators, but with LIEBHERR it worked really well!
Variations
One of the best things about this cake is that you can make it in different variations:
- Instead of almonds, you can use walnuts or hazelnuts for the base.
- For a keto cake the chocolate must be with over 80% cocoa content. But if you’re not on a diet, that percentage isn’t important.
I’m sure this cake will become a new favorite of yours if you try it!
📝 Recipe
Simple and decadent no-bake chocolate cake made with only 6 ingredients and decoration.
For the base
- Cover the bottom of a 7 inch/ 18 cm spring form pan with a circle of parchment paper.
- Melt the butter on a double boiler (or in the microwave at a low power).
- Mix very well the butter with the almond meal. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pan in the fridge while preparing the filling.
- 15-30 minutes before starting to prepare the filling take the mascarpone out of the fridge.
- In a large bowl whip together the mascarpone, erythritol and heavy cream until thick and fluffy. Leave the mixture at room temperature while melting the chocolate.
- Break the chocolate into pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (double boiler). Mix gently with a rubber spatula until most of the chocolate melts and just a few small piecer remain.
- Remove the bowl with the chocolate from the double boiler and add the butter. Continue mixing with the spatula until everything is melted and smooth.
- Add some of the mascarpone to the chocolate and mix quickly until smooth. Continue the same process 1-2 more times. Then fold gently the whole chocolate mixture to the mascarpone. Mix carefully just until smooth: overmixing might curdle the mascarpone.
- Pour the filling over the crust. Smooth it out with a spatula.
- Leave the pan in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Store the cake 3-4 days in the fridge.
- If your spring-form pan is larger, use the below calculator to increase the ingredient quantities.
The nutrition information is approximate. The carbohydrate content depends mostly on the type of chocolate used. For keto it should be over 80% cocoa content.
Adapt any cake recipe to your pan with this calculator!
More recipes
This layered gluten free chocolate pistachio cake is like a fancy ganache tart that requires no baking!
An almond and pistachio shell filled with a dreamy pistachio cream layer, topped with a thick vegan chocolate ganache and finished with a sprinkle of pistachio nuts.
It’s hard to believe that a dessert this creamy and delicious can be gluten free and vegan – but this chocolate ganache and pistachio cake is exactly that!
Dreams of a pistachio cream cake
One day I was strolling through my neighbourhood Costco when I had an epiphany in the form of Sicilian pistachio cream.
This Italian product was sitting there innocuously on the shelf, shyly winking at me as I walked past. I always make it a point to look at new products, and this one caught my eye.
With a very short ingredient list, no unidentifiable thickeners, and an Italian provenance, it looked like a dream product – a pistachio spread that seemed even better than nutella.
Naturally, I immediately felt inspired to bake a gluten free pistachio cake. From there, the thought of adding chocolate was not far off – and thus, this no-bake chocolate pistachio cake was born!
Is it a Pistachio Cake? Is it a Pistachio Tart? It’s a Pistachio Chocolate Cake Tart!
Now, I’m going to be honest with you guys: I struggled long and hard on how to name this chocolate pistachio dessert.
First off, if you make it in a 6-inch cake form, you end up with a very tall layered chocolate pistachio cake that’s great for 6 people. Each slice is very rich, so you really only want a smaller slice.
But if you make it in a 9-inch cake form or pan tart, it’s more spread out and less tall – and therefore, it’s more like a chocolate and pistachio tart.
You make a no-bake chocolate crust for it – so that’s another point for a pistachio tart.
But with the layering that happens between the base, the pistachio cream layer, and the vegan chocolate ganache, it ends up like an incredible, beautiful layered cake! So that’s it, it’s gotta be a chocolate pistachio cake.
But in the end, I’ve decided it doesn’t really matter how you call this gluten free, vegan-friendly pistachio and chocolate creation.
The most important thing is, you’ve gotta taste it to believe how good it is – while being good for you!
Allergen-Friendly Chocolate Pistachio Tart
The main reason I love this flourless chocolate pistachio tart is because it is gluten-free, and can easily be made vegan.
Gluten and grain free flourless chocolate pistachio crust
The crust for this pistachio chocolate tart is made up of an equal mix of ground almonds and ground pistachios. It is sweetened with maple syrup (or another sweetener of your choice) and tinged with a touch of sea salt for contrast.
Making this into a vegan chocolate pistachio cake
In fact, the only dairy in this cake is the Sicilian pistachio spread itself – and I’ve found that you can easily replace it with vegan pistachio butter.
If you prefer to go the DIY route, you just need to soak and then grind 1 cup of shelled pistachios with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. If you want to amp up the green color, you can add a teaspoon of matcha powder.
Why make this chocolate pistachio tart?
I can’t tell you how rich and satisfying this chocolate pistachio cake recipe is! I love it because:
- Easy – no baking required, and the food processors does most of the work. You can also use store-bought ingredients for the pistachio layer, or make it yourself with ground pistachios
- Healthy – this chocolate pistachio recipe has mostly wholesome ingredients – nuts, cocoa powder, coconut milk, dark chocolate. The silky vegan chocolate ganache is only two ingredients, too! The only added sweeteners are maple syrup and the pistachio cream – and if you want to go all the way healthy, I have an easy DIY adaptation for that!
- Grain-free and gluten-free – The crust and filling are completely free of starches and flour except ground almonds and ground pistachios.
- Tasty – chocolate and pistachios make for a beautiful flavor combination, and the color contrast can’t be beat, either!
- Freezer-friendly – I have frozen the leftover of this cake to great results. It needs only a couple of hours in the fridge to return to regular temperature, and being cold is actually great for this creamy pistachio cake.
- Can be made ahead – All the layers of this cake can be made separately. It requires some cooling though, so take that into account!
- Beautiful – the green and black of the chocolate-pistachio makes for a gorgeous contrast!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED to make this easy chocolate and pistachio cake
- almond flour – the no-bake chocolate crust we will use in this cake uses both almond flour and pistachios. You can use any commercial almond flour you like, or grind your own almonds.
- Pistachios – as this is a pistachio cake, we will use pistachios for the crust, the filling and the topping. You will need both ground and chopped pistachios for this. You can simply buy whole shelled pistachios and then grind them or chop them, depending on the stage of the cake. If you only have pistachios in the shell, that’s fine too – but you will need to shell them to use in this cake!
- cocoa powder – use high quality, unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder for the best taste and color. I love to use organic cocoa powder.
- maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice – if you want to ensure your crust is paleo, you can use maple syrup or agave syrup. To get a keto chocolate crust, use a sugar-free liquid sweetener of your choice.
- Pistachio spread – what inspired me to make this cake is this Italian pistachio spread. It is so creamy and delicious! If you can’t find it, you can use jello pistachio pudding. If you are making this a vegan chocolate pistachio cake, feel free to use vegan store-bought pistachio butter.
- coconut oil – I love coconut oil for the texture and delicate fragrance it gives to this chocolate tart crust.
- full-fat coconut milk – for the chocolate ganache layer, we will use the fattier part of regular full-fat coconut milk. Place it in the fridge for a couple of hours to separate the layers more easily.
- dark chocolate – You can use vegan or dairy-free chocolate; just make sure it’s a good quality dark chocolate, as this will set the tone for the whole cake.
Equipment
6 or 9 inch springform cake form or Tart pan
How To Make The Best Chocolate Pistachio Tart
Prepare the chocolate pistachio cake crust
Line the base of a cake or tart pan with a removable bottom with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, ground pistachios, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt, until you get a soft dough.
Press the dough into the bottom of a cake tin covered with parchment paper, using a measuring cup to flatten it.
Pour pistachio ganache layer
Pour pistachio cream into the bottom of the chocolate tart crust. Transfer to fridge to cool for at least 1 hour.
To make vegan chocolate ganache
Open coconut milk without shaking. Remove the coconut creamy part up top, then top with enough of the coconut water to get to 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) in total volume. Microwave the coconut milk in 30 second batches until it is hot and simmering, about 1 ½ minutes in total.
Transfer chocolate to heatproof bowl. Top with heated coconut milk and set aside for 5 minutes until chocolate has fully melted.
Gently whisk the vegan ganache, working in small circles from the center and spreading outwards, until the whole ganache is glossy and dark. Do not rush or whisk overly vigorously, or your ganache will not be be evenly tempered.
Assemble chocolate pistachio cake
Pour ganache into chocolate tart crust, right above the pistachio cream layer. Top with crushed and ground pistachios.Transfer to fridge to cool completely, at least 4 hours.
Storage
This chocolate pistachio cake will keep in the fridge for 4 days. It can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 6 months.
Top Tips for the Best Pistachio Chocolate Tart
- Like most healthy chocolate desserts, the key here is using good quality chocolate. You can use regular dark chocolate, or use vegan or non-dairy chocolate – but then make sure it is really devoid of dairy products.
- If making this vegan, make your own pistachio spread or buy a vegan pistachio butter.
- Put your coconut milk can in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight prior to making this pistachio tart. This will make it easier to extract the creamy, fattier layer of the coconut milk.
- You can use either a tart or a cake pan to make this dessert – just make sure it has a removable bottom or springform mechanism to make it easier to take it out!
- To prevent your cake from sticking, layer the bottom with parchment paper.
Variations on this Chocolate and Pistachio Cake
This recipe is for a gluten free, grain-free chocolate and pistachio cake. It can be made into a vegan pistachio cake with a few easy adaptations. Here are other adaptations you can make:
- Chocolate hazelnut cake – Sub the pistachios from the crust for hazelnuts. Top the cake with hazelnuts. Use nutella, a hazelnut spread or hazelnut butter in place of the pistachio layer.
- Strawberry pistachio tart – You can add a thin layer of strawberry jam or strawberry coulis above the pistachio layer. Decorate the top of the cake with fresh strawberries.
- Chocolate pistachio tartlets – make this cake into individual chocolate pistachio tartlets for a unique mini tart treat.
- St. Patrick’s Day Chocolate and Pistachio Cake – the beautiful green color of this cake is perfect for a Saint Patrick’s Day dessert! You can sprinkle the entire top of the cake with pistachios and even powdered matcha to ensure it looks totally green up top.
Products
You need a few special ingredients to make this gluten free pistachio cake extra special:
If making this into a flat chocolate and pistachio tart, I love this tart pan with a removable bottom. I also have the mini tart forms, and the rectangular tart form.
If making this into a pistachio cake, I use this 6-inch springform pan.
If making this for Valentine’s, you can use this heart-shaped cake form.
This is the pistachio cream spread that inspired this cake. I also love this pistachio butter if I need a vegan alternative.
For the chocolate filling, I recommend a high quality dark baking chocolate like this one.
When I need to be sure my coconut milk ganache is vegan, I use these vegan chocolate chips.
When to serve this Chocolate Pistachio Tart?
You can serve this chocolate pistachio tart anytime you want, really! I think it’s fancy enough for a birthday cake, and yet easy enough to make for a weekend treat.
With its beautiful green color and decadent taste, this pistachio cake would be a wonderful Christmas dessert.
I also think it makes for a beautiful Valentine’s Day dessert. You can make this into a heart-shaped chocolate pistachio cake by using a heart shaped cake pan, and spreading the pistachios in the shape of little hearts up top.
And finally, the beautiful green color of this cake makes it for a surprising and unusual Saint Patrick’s Day dessert! You can top the cake with pistachios and even powdered matcha to ensure it looks totally green up top.
Can you make this chocolate and pistachio cake ahead?
This chocolate and pistachio cake is easily made over a few days. You can make the crust on one day, and the chocolate ganache the next. Then just leave it in the fridge to cool.
Can you make this pistachio cake gluten free?
It already is! The crust is entirely grain free, in fact, made with nothing but ground almonds and ground pistachios.
Can you freeze this pistachio tart?
Yep. You can make the crust and freeze it, wrapped in plastic wrap. The dairy-free chocolate ganache can be frozen in a sealed container. Or you can assemble the full tart and freeze it as it is, kept in the springform pan.
Is this chocolate pistachio cake recipe vegan-friendly?
Yes! The coconut milk chocolate ganache is already vegan, as is the chocolate pistachio crust. You just need to replace the pistachio cream layer with pistachio butter, store-boughr or homemade (see instructions in the notes section of the recipe).
Can you omit the salt from this pistachio tart recipe?
Can you omit the sugar from this pistachio tart recipe?
This recipe uses maple syrup in the crust, and the pistachio cream has sugar. You can use a liquid sweetener of your choice in the recipe, and make your own pistachio butter layer with no-sugar liquid sweetener.
Accompanying Dishes
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If you are looking for more chocolate desserts, try these chocolate recipes
No-bake chocolate pistachio cake {gluten free chocolate pistachio tart, vegan option!}
This layered gluten free chocolate pistachio cake is like a fancy dark chocolate pistachio tart that requires no baking! An almond and pistachio shell filled with a dreamy pistachio cream layer, topped with a thick vegan chocolate ganache and finished with a sprinkle of pistachio nuts.
Low carb chocolate tart crust {gluten-free}
- 300 ml, full-fat, chilled if possible
- a pinch of sea salt
For topping
- Line the base of cake or tart pan with a removable bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, ground pistachios, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt, until you get a soft dough.
- Press the dough into the bottom of a cake tin covered with parchment paper, using a measuring cup to flatten it.
- Transfer chocolate to heatproof bowl. Top with heated coconut milk and set aside for 5 minutes until chocolate has fully melted.
- Gently whisk the vegan ganache, working in small circles from the center and spreading outwards, until the whole ganache is glossy and dark. Do not rush or whisk overly vigorously, or your ganache will not be be evenly tempered.
To make this into a vegan chocolate pistachio cake, replace 1 cup of pistachio cream filling it with 1 cup of store-bought pistachio butter.If you prefer to go the DIY route, you just need to soak and then grind 1 cup of shelled pistachios with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in the food processor for 5-10 minutes. If you want to amp up the green color, you can add a teaspoon of matcha powder.
almond flour, almonds, chocolate, coconut milk, dairy-free, gluten-free, pistachios, Sicily, valentines day, vegan option
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