You will not believe how super delicious this easy gluten-free chocolate cake tastes! I made this exact cake for a birthday this weekend and no one even knew it was gluten-free and dairy-free. It’s seriously the best! My husband, who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free loves it better than the “regular” version!
Pin this post so that when you want to make a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe from scratch, you know right where to turn. It’s a go-to recipe for our family.
Ingredients for the GF Chocolate Cake
Dairy-Free Butter. Yes! This gf chocolate cake is also dairy-free.
Sugar. Granulated white sugar is what we use.
Eggs. Large eggs will work perfectly for this recipe.
Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract will work much better than imitation vanilla extract.
Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour. Purchase the Great Value Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour from Wal-mart or make our gf all-purpose flour recipe.
Xanthan Gum. Bob’s Red Mill makes one you can find in most grocery stores and you’ll need it for more than just this gluten-free chocolate cake recipe.
Baking Powder. Always make sure your baking powder has not expired. If it is not fresh, the cake won’t rise properly and will be flat.
Baking Soda. Have you ever noticed your baking soda has an odd smell? That’s because it absorbs odor. If you can smell it, throw it out and replace.
Salt. For baking, use regular table salt.
Cocoa Powder. Any powdered baker’s cocoa will do, but make sure you are using baking cocoa and NOT chocolate milk powder. They are not the same thing!
Dairy-Free Milk. Rice or Soy Milk works best.
Vinegar. You’ll just need a tablespoon to add to the milk. Adding vinegar makes the df milk a dairy-free buttermilk substitute.
Boiling Water. Put the water on to boil when you begin mixing, and add more to the pan than you need. Measure the water when it is time to pour it over the cake batter mixture.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Eating gluten-free gets easier with time, but baked goods are the hardest temptation to resist. That’s why having an excellent gf chocolate cake recipe is essential. When you need chocolate, nothing fulfills that chocolate craving better than this cake. And it’s easy enough you can throw one together last minute if needed.
Make sure to preheat your oven to 350º before you start mixing. This gives the oven time to fully reach the right temperature. For gluten-free recipes, I do recommend that you prepare the pan in two ways. 1) line the pan with parchment paper and 2) spray the pan with regular cooking spray. Do not use “baking” spray since it contains flour.
My gluten-free dairy-free chocolate cake uses the creaming method to blend the df butter with the sugar first using a mixer. Next you will add the eggs and vanilla and mix again thoroughly. The dry ingredients can be added to this all at once and should be incorporated very well. To this mixture, you will add the boiling water and mix again. Then the gluten-free cake batter is divided evenly between the two pans and baked for 30-35 minutes. Don’t forget to let it cool down all the way before adding your frosting!
The result is a moist gluten-free chocolate cake your family is going to ask for over and over again.
Equipment You’ll Need
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting
Dairy-Free Butter.
Salt.
Cocoa.
Dairy Free Milk. I use rice milk or soy milk.
Vanilla.
Powdered Sugar.
How to Make the Chocolate Frosting
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Frosts one 9×13 inch cake.
Is Flourless Chocolate Cake Gluten-Free?
Gluten is found in wheat and other glutenous grains like barley or rye. As long as your cake recipe doesn’t use any flour from these grains, your cake should be gluten free. However, wheat flour is used to make many different products you might not expect, so if you are eating a flourless cake someone else made, its best to find out the ingredients so that you don’t get sick. Our gluten-free dairy-free cake is definitely a flourless chocolate cake that is gluten free.
So I guess the answer is — all gluten-free cakes are flourless, but not all flourless cakes are gluten-free necessarily.
One time a restaurant answered “Well it says flourless, but we actually do put a little bit of flour in the cake for structure.” I think that approach is less frequent now as more and more people become educated about the gluten-free population, but its always better to ask and be safe!
Or better yet, make your own easy gluten-free chocolate cake using our recipe! You can even take your own dessert with you when you go out to eat.
More Gluten-Free Recipes to Try
Gluten-Free No-Knead Bread Recipe. When you want fast, easy bread. My kids actually prefer this over regular bread!
Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies. Because sometimes a gooey brownie is a necessity in life.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Lava Cake that actually tastes good!
Gluten-Free Pound Cake. Serve it with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. So good.
This easy gluten-free chocolate cake recipe is in our Dining On A Dime: Gluten-Free Cookbook.
Easy Gluten Free Recipes That Actually Taste Good!
Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Gluten Free Dairy Free edition 25% Off NOW, with tasty GFDF recipes and great tips to make your life easier and save you money!
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. butter-flavored shortening or dairy-free butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum (if not in flour)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup dairy-free milk (rice or soy) with 1 Tbsp. vinegar added
- 3/4 cup boiling water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 8 inch baking pans with parchment paper and spray them with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer. Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Add flour, xanthan gum (if using), baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Mix until fully combined, scraping down sides as needed.
- Add the milk and mix until fully combined.
- Add the boiling water to the batter and mix until fully combined.
- Pour half of the batter into each pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes.
- Check the center of the cake by inserting a toothpick or knife to make sure it is done. You will also see the sides of the cake pulling away from the side of the pan.
- Allow the cakes to cool fully before frosting.
Notes
For the chocolate frosting:
- 1/4 cup dairy-free butter, melted.
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/4 cup dairy-free milk (rice or soy)
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Frosts one
- 9×13 inch cake.
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