Not being able to eat peanut butter or nuts does not mean you can’t enjoy that peanut butter flavor!!! Meet the Chocolate Wow Butter Cake! This cake has layers of soft chocolate cake surrounded by creamy smooth wow butter buttercream. Topped with chocolate ganache and more wow butter buttercream…this cake is a dream. Best part is, it’s gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan!
As I’ve said in my other posts using wow butter, this product is truly wonderful.
We can’t have any nuts in my house so wow butter allows us to feel like we’re still enjoying that peanut butter flavor without any of the risk.
And the combo of flavors here. Chocolate and that peanut butter-like flavor??
Oh. So. Delicious.
For more Wow Butter Recipes, try my Peanut Free "Peanut Butter" Ice Cream, my Gluten Free No Bake Cookies, my Wow Butter Sandwich Cookies, Wow Butter Chocolate Tart and my Wow Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Ingredient Notes
- Wow Butter- For those of you that don’t know, Wow Butter is a nut free butter spread that is made in a gluten free, tree nut free, peanut free, egg free and dairy free facility. In addition, it also contains no seeds and is made of soy. Wow Butter is perfect for my household since my kids have issues will all those items aside from dairy (finally) and soy. I am lucky enough to have this product in my local grocery store, but you can also buy it on amazon.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
- Use a vegan heavy cream or if nuts aren’t an issue, I have used almond breeze almond milk (prior to my nut allergic son being born) and it worked beautifully.
- Wow Butter is gluten free and vegan but if using another product, make sure to read the label.
For Regular Peanut Butter
- Replace the Wow Butter in the recipe for equal amounts of creamy peanut butter
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Chocolate Wow Butter Cake
Here are the step by step instructions to make this cake!
For the Cake
Step 1: Grease the Pans and Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with vegetable oil, line with parchment paper and then lightly grease again with vegetable oil.
Step 2: Whisk together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
Step 3: Make the Wells
Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients.
In the first well, pour the vegetable oil.
In the second well, pour the white vinegar.
In the third well, pour the vanilla.
Step 4: Pour Cold Water and Whisk
Pour the cold water over everything and whisk together until just combined. If it starts getting thick, use a spatula instead of a whisk.
Step 5: Add the Batter to the Pans
Divide the batter evenly between the two 8 inch pans and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
Step 6: Bake
Bake in the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes.
Step 7: Cool and Cut Cakes in Half
Remove from oven and let cake cool completely in pans. Once cool remove from pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Slice both cakes in half horizontally to create 4 thin layers of cake.
For the Buttercream
Step 1: Cream the Butter
In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter or vegan baking stick and wow butter until just combined. Be careful not to over beat because wow butter has a tendency to seize up.
Step 2: Add Vanilla
Add in the vanilla and beat till combined.
Step 3: Add Confectioners' Sugar and Water
Add in the confectioners’ sugar and water and beat till combined and smooth and creamy.
Divide frosting into 5 equal servings.
Assembling the Cake
Step 1: Frost the Layers
Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ⅕ of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
Step 2: Frost the Sides
Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or an icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. This should be a semi naked cake. Save the excess for decorating if desired.
Step 3: Chill
Pop in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden.
For the Ganache
Step 1: Heat Chocolate Chips and Heavy Cream
Place chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Place heavy cream in a pan on the stove over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the edges begin to simmer. Immediately pour on top of chips and do NOT mix! Let sit 1-2 min then whisk until fully combined and smooth.
Step 2: Top the Cake
Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon almost all of the liquid ganache on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the ganache around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Work quickly since the cold cake will harden the ganache fast.
Step 3: Pipe Swirls and Chill
If desired, put the rest of the wow butter buttercream into a piping bag and pipe swirls or dollops all around the edge of the top of the cake. Pop cake in the fridge for 15 min so the ganache hardens before wrapping the cake.
Store cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to serve. When ready to serve, let the cake sit out for about 15-20 min prior to cutting. Wrap any extra slices in foil and store in the fridge.
I can’t get enough of this amazing cake. The flavors blended together so beautifully. You’d never ever know it’s gluten free, nut free, egg free, and easily vegan! Enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the cookies their dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. DO NOT use dark alone; it will make your cake too chalky dry and bitter.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks.
- Drip the Ganache Quickly- Work quickly because the cold cake will quickly stop the ganache from dripping too much.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you don’t have any nut allergies, you can use creamy peanut butter in place of the wow butter.
Simply replace the wow butter in the recipe for equal amounts of creamy peanut butter and there you have it!
I can’t get enough of this amazing cake. The flavors blended together so beautifully. You’d never ever know it’s gluten free, nut free, egg free, and easily vegan! Enjoy!
Other Chocolate Cake Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Wow Butter Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups gluten free flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder I use ¼ cup Dutch or Natural Unsweetened and ¼ cup Dark
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons, vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold water
For the buttercream:
- 2 sticks 1 cup softened unsalted butter or vegan baking stick
- 1 cup room temperature wow butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
For the ganache drip:
- 6 oz about 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream * see note
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with vegetable oil, line with parchment paper and then lightly grease again with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
- Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients.
- In the first well, pour the vegetable oil.
- In the second well, pour the white vinegar.
- In the third well, pour the vanilla.
- Pour the cold water over everything and whisk together until just combined. If it starts getting thick, use a spatula instead of a whisk.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two 8 inch pans and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
- Bake in the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cake cool completely in pans. Once cool remove from pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Slice both cakes in half horizontally to create 4 thin layers of cake.
- Make the buttercream: In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter or vegan baking stick and wow butter until just combined. Be careful not to over beat because wow butter has a tendency to seize up. Add in the vanilla and beat till combined.
- Add in the confectioners’ sugar and water and beat till combined and smooth and creamy.
- Divide frosting into 5 equal servings.
- Assemble the cake: Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ⅕ of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
- Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or an icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. This should be a semi naked cake. Save the excess for decorating if desired. Pop in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden.
- Make the ganache: Place chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Place heavy cream in a pan on the stove over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the edges begin to simmer. Immediately pour on top of chips and do NOT mix! Let sit 1-2 min then whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon almost all of the liquid ganache on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the ganache around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Work quickly since the cold cake will harden the ganache fast.
- If desired, put the rest of the wow butter buttercream into a piping bag and pipe swirls or dollops all around the edge of the top of the cake. Pop cake in the fridge for 15 min so the ganache hardens before wrapping the cake.
- Store cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to serve. When ready to serve, let the cake sit out for about 15-20 min prior to cutting. Wrap any extra slices in foil and store in the fridge. Enjoy!
Esther
Hi Lee! Thank you for such delicious recipes. May I ask which ingredients replaced the eggs?
Lee
Hi Esther! Thank you! Actually this recipe does not have your typical "egg replacer." It is made without eggs or dairy naturally!
Usha
Canni make this using AP flour
Lee
Hi you can, yes! However I cannot test the recipe using regular flour as my daughter has celiac disease and my entire house is gluten free.
Rocío
Hola! Que Harina usaste? Porque hay varias!
O usaste premezcla para pastelería?
Muchas gracias
Lee
Hola! Use cup4cup en esta receta. Es seguro para mis hijos porque no contiene gluten ni nueces. Sin embargo, contiene lácteos.
Ellen
I have a question . I am going to make this . It looks so delicious. If someone has a nut allergy can you use Almond milk? If not what kind
Thank you
Lee
Hi Ellen! Thank you for the kind words! Definietly don't use almond milk if there is a nut allergy. If the person can have dairy, you can just use regular whole milk. If the person is dairy free, use another non dairy milk of choice that does not contain nuts. Let me know if the person is dairy free. I'm working on another chocolate ganache that does not need heavy cream or vegan heavy cream. xox
Jenny
Would I use smooth peanut butter instead of wow butter ?
Lee
Hi Jenny! Yes...you can replace the wow butter with smooth peanut butter!
Patel
Hey what other flour can be used instead of gluten free flour?
Lee
Hi there! You can use regular all purpose flour. If doing so, only use 3/4 cup vegetable oil and not the amount that the recipe calls for. Hope that helps!
John
Chocolate Wow Butter Cake sure does look amazing! What an easy recipe to follow!
Lee
Thanks so much!