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Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

I’m planning to make a cake for my gluten-free friend’s wedding this spring. This is the catalyst behind my recent gluten free baking spree, and the inspiration for this gluten free chocolate cake recipe.

Gluten free baking is unique in a lot of ways, and really throws the rule book out when it comes to baking.

It’s a totally different animal, which has taken a lot of trial and error for me to get comfortable with.

What’s In Gluten Free Flour??

There are a lot of gluten free flour blends out there. Each brand uses a unique mixture of wheat flour alternatives, like rice flour, brown rice flour, and even almond flour!

It can be difficult to get the texture of gluten free flour just right for baking. A lot of these alternative flours have a finer texture than all-purpose flour.

Some type of starch is usually added to help give the mixture better structure, and a bit of binding power. Tapioca and potato starch are the most commonly used starches.

image of ingredients mise en place for a gluten free chocolate cake batter being made from scratch

One other ingredient in gluten free flour that might sound a little strange is xanthan gum. It’s a key ingredient in gluten free baking. Xanthan gum has a big impact on the texture of gluten free baked goods too.

Gluten adds elasticity and stickiness to dough and batter. Xanthan gum emulates these characteristics in gluten free baking, and helps lock in moisture.

Does It Matter What Brand of Gluten Free Flour I Use?

I’ve tried this recipe with a few different brands of gluten free flour, and so far each of them has worked great:

My favorite brand of gluten free flour for this recipe was King Arthur. However, any brand of gluten free flour you can find at your grocery store should work.

image of a slice of gluten free chocolate cake with chocolate sprinkles all around it

My only word of caution is to be sure you use some sort of gluten free flour blend.

Using a single type of gluten free flour like almond flour or cassava flour in this recipe will not yield the same results!

Most grocery stores carry at least one blend of gluten free flour. Stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s also have lots of great options.

If all else fails, Amazon is another easy way to get your hands on a gluten free flour blend. I order a majority of my baking supplies on Amazon, including most of my specialty ingredients.

Why This Recipe Works With Gluten Free Flour

This gluten free chocolate cake recipe is based on my moist chocolate cake recipe.

image of gluten free chocolate cake layers stacked with dark chocolate buttercream

Gluten free baked goods have come a long way in the past few years, but a lot of people still think of them as gritty, dense, and even gummy.

Using a good gluten free flour blend can fix most of these issues.

However, I found that the gluten free batters have a hard time incorporating butter. Gluten free flour blends can’t absorb liquids as well as regular flour, and they also can’t absorb fat as well.

I tried using gluten free flour in my go-to chocolate layer cake, and the texture wasn’t quite right.

That’s when I decided to try making a gluten free version of my moist chocolate cake recipe. It uses oil as a fat instead of butter, which is easier for the gluten free flour to absorb.

The texture was spot on, with the help of the following gluten free baking tips.

image of moist, 6-inch dark chocolate cake layers that are cooling on a wire rack

Tip #1: Over-Mix the Batter

While I strongly advise against over mixing batter in other recipes, and even design my recipes to have as little mixing as possible, gluten free batter is different.

The whole reason you don’t want to over mix your batter is that it develops thick strands of gluten, which can lead to dense, tough cake layers. But when you’re using gluten free flour, this isn’t a problem.

In fact, overmixing gluten free flour can actually give the cake layers better structure! This helps cake layers rise better as they bake, and gives the cake a more tender crumb.

The additional mixing can also make it easier to slice into a tall layer cake like this. The incremental structure helps prevent the cake layers from crumbling as they’re cut.

image of moist chocolate cake batter being mixer together

Tip #2 Let the Batter Rest

Remember earlier when I said that gluten free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats?

If you let the batter sit for a bit before baking it, you give the flour more time to absorb all that goodness. This helps thicken the batter, and prevents your cake layers from having a gritty texture.

I unintentionally did this as I was photographing and filming this gluten free chocolate cake batter. You’d be surprised how long it takes to get a perfect shot of pouring cake batter into a pan!

Letting the batter sit for about 30 minutes drastically improves the texture of these cake layers, so be sure you don’t skip this step!!

image of dark chocolate batter being poured into 3 8-inch pans

Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake:

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure the gluten free flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Don’t be afraid to over-mix your batter! Vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made, to help give it structure.
  • Let your batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking to help the gluten free flour absorb more moisture from the batter.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake, to make it easier to stack and frost.
image of a slice of a moist and delicious gluten free chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream

Making This Cake In Advance & Storage Tips:

  • Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
  • Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
  • A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
  • If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.
image of gluten free chocolate cake from overhead, decorated with a chocolate swirl and buttercream dollops

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try my gluten free chocolate cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so I can see your delicious creations!

Other Gluten Free Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 20

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

image of gluten free chocolate cake with slice cut out

This gluten free chocolate cake recipe comes together so quickly, and is incredibly moist and fluffy! It's just as delicious as it is easy to make.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

  • 2 cups gluten free flour (240g)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
  • 3/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (75g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (9g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 1 tsp instant espresso of coffee (2g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
  • 1 cup very hot water (240g)
  • 1 tsp vinegar (4g)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (112g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (452g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla (4g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar (625g)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream (160g)
  • 2 cups of melted dark chocolate, cooled (360g, 16 oz.)

Instructions

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Layers

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Line and grease three, eight-inch cake pans or four, seven-inch pans. Set aside.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients (gluten free flour, granulated sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso) in a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
  3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, add the water, buttermilk, vinegar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together until combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk the batter for several minutes to give it some additional structure. Don't be afraid of over mixing, there's no gluten!
  5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter sit for 30 minutes. This gives the gluten free flour time to absorb the liquids in the batter which can help prevent a gritty texture.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-27 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and let the layers cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them. 
  8. Place the cake pans in the freezer to speed up the cooling process and to trap in additional moisture.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the chocolate buttercream frosting. Beat the unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth. 
  2. Add in the vanilla extract and salt and mix on a low speed to combine.
  3. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar on the lowest speed. Halfway through add in the heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
  4. Mix in the cooled, melted chocolate. Scrape around the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  5. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.

Assembling This Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

  1. Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board. Use a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  2. Add an even layer of chocolate buttercream between each cake layer.
  3. Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.
  4. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  5. Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. Then decorate as desired!
  6. I brushed some melted dark chocolate around the bottom of the cake after chilling it for another 10 minutes in the freezer and used an Ateco 869 to add some fun dollops of buttercream around the top of the cake.

Notes

Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Don't be afraid to over-mix your batter! Vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it's made, to help give it structure.
  • Let your batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking to help the gluten free flour absorb more moisture from the batter.
  • Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. Make sure each pan has the same amount of batter will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
  • Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting them in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
  • Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake and before adding the simple syrup. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making this Gluten Free Chocolate Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

  • Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
  • Make your chocolate frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
  • This frosting can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again.
  • A frosted cake can last in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for a month. The buttercream locks in the moisture and keeps the cake fresh and delicious!

Nutrition Information

Yield

20

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 420Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 33mgSodium 366mgCarbohydrates 64gFiber 2gSugar 59gProtein 3g

Stevie

Monday 2nd of October 2023

Does this taste ok without the espresso coffee?

Chelsweets

Monday 9th of October 2023

Hi Stevie,

Great question! The espresso just enhances the flavor of the chocolate in this cake, but it still tastes great without it! If you don't want to add the espresso powder, it can totally be omitted :) Hope that helps, happy baking!

Kike

Monday 11th of September 2023

Can I use dairy free milk plus vinegar as a buttermilk substitute? Also, do I still need to add additional vinegar 1tsp vinegar the recipe calls for?

Chelsweets

Thursday 14th of September 2023

Hi Kike,

You totally can! That should work just fine. You can omit the vinegar the recipe calls for. Happy baking!

Natalie

Thursday 27th of July 2023

hiii can i use almond flour instead of gluten free flour?

Chelsweets

Sunday 30th of July 2023

Hi Natalie,

Sadly the texture and flavor of the cake will be drastically different if you use almond flour instead of a gluten free baking flour. So sorry!

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