How to Make Buckwheat Cake

This rich and decadent chocolate buckwheat cake is perfect for special occasions. It has a sweet, chocolaty glaze that drips down the sides of the cake for a pretty presentation. Serve this buckwheat chocolate cake as a birthday cake or whenever you’re craving an indulgent yet nutritious, gluten-free vegan treat.

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Main ingredients

Buckwheat flour is the star of this recipe. If you haven’t tried baking with buckwheat flour yet I highly recommend giving it a try. Buckwheat flour is one of my favorite gluten-free flours because it adds a satisfying texture and an earthy flavor without any hint of that “gumminess” that sometimes plagues gluten-free baked goods. It’s also quite nutrient-rich.

This cake is sweetened with maple syrup. You can substitute honey, agave syrup, or even date syrup instead if you prefer.

I used extra virgin olive oil as the fat in this recipe but any relatively neutral flavored oil will work. Avocado oil or melted coconut oil are good substitutes.

This buckwheat chocolate cake calls for cocoa powder. You can use any type of unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe (both dutch process cocoa powder as well as natural cocoa powder will work well).

I used coconut milk in this cake but you can use any type of unsweetened plant-based milk you prefer. Almond milk and oat milk are good options.

A small amount of vinegar or lemon juice activates the baking soda in this recipe which helps the cake rise. White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice all work well.

This recipe calls for unsweetened applesauce. You can use either homemade or store bought applesauce in this recipe (just be sure that it doesn’t contain added sugar). Or you can substitute very ripe mashed bananas instead of applesauce if you prefer.

The chocolate glaze calls for arrowroot starch (aka arrowroot flour). Arrowroot starch/flour is a gluten-free and grain-free ingredient that’s perfect for thickening sauces and glazes. I always have some on hand in my pantry and tend to order it online since it can be tricky to find at the grocery store. It adds a deliciously gooey consistency to the glaze.

How to make buckwheat cake

This cake is easy to prepare. Start by preheating your oven, then add the maple syrup, olive oil, unsweetened applesauce, unsweetened plant-based milk, vanilla extract, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and cocoa powder to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix those ingredients well.

Next you’ll add the buckwheat flour and baking soda and whisk once more to thoroughly combine those ingredients.

Pour the batter into a 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper, then bake the at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake looks clean upon removal).

While the cake is baking you can prepare the glaze. It’s very easy to make, but if you’re short on time you can serve the cake without the glaze (it’s delicious that way too, just a little less decadent and more of a casual dessert when served without the glaze).

To make the glaze, add the plant-based milk and arrowroot starch/flour to a saucepan or small pot stir to dissolve. Then you’ll add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt and place it on the stove set to low-medium heat.

Heat that mixture until it noticeably thickens, stirring constantly. Don’t walk away from the stove as this step doesn’t take very long and the glaze may burn quickly if left unattended. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the glaze has thickened.

Allow both the glaze and the cake to cool to room temperature before pouring the glaze on top of the cake. Once you’ve poured the glaze on top of the cake you can either wait a few hours to allow the glaze to dry or serve it immediately.

Optional additions

For an extra layer of flavor and texture, you can sprinkle some finely chopped nuts such as pecans, almonds, or walnuts on top of the glazed buckwheat chocolate cake while it’s still wet. Freshly grated orange zest is another delicious optional topping you can add if you’re a fan of the orange chocolate flavor combination.

Storage

Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. You can slice the cake before freezing so it’s easy to defrost the perfect amount for a quick dessert.

4.09 from 102 votes

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Buckwheat Cake Recipe

This decadent chocolate buckwheat cake is perfect for special occasions. It's gluten free, vegan, and made with nutritious ingredients such as buckwheat flour. This buckwheat chocolate cake is rich, sweet, and moist.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 233kcal

Author Jennifer Bell

Equipment

• 9 inch baking pan
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or substitute melted coconut oil)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened plant-based milk
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch (aka arrowroot flour)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a large mixing bowl, then use a whisk to mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add 2 cups buckwheat flour and 1 teaspoon baking soda, then whisk again until combined.
• Transfer the batter to a 9-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake looks clean upon removal.
• Let cool completely before pouring the glaze on top of the cake and serving.

For the glaze:

• Add 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch and 1 tablespoon unsweetened plant-based milk to a saucepan, then stir until dissolved.
• Add 1/4 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the saucepan and place on the stove set to low-medium heat.
• Stir the glaze constantly while heating until it noticeably thickens.
• Remove the pan from the heat immediately as soon as it has thickened, then transfer the glaze to a bowl.
• Allow the glaze to cool completely before pouring it on top of the cooled cake.

Notes

• Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
• Optional additions: sprinkle some chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, and/or freshly grated orange zest on top of the glazed cake while the glaze is still wet.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg