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Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

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Thanks for sharing!

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture. You won’t know it’s gluten-free! It’s my favorite gluten-free chocolate cake recipe and it will be yours too.

And it makes the best gluten-free birthday cake!

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture. You won't know it's gluten-free!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Sometimes you just need a little gluten-free cake chocolate cake to get you through the day. We make this chocolate cake recipe at least once a month. It’s simple, uses minimal ingredients, and it bakes up quick.

I often find that gluten-free cake recipes are complicated or call for a kazillion ingredients (ok, not a kazillion – but a lot). I don’t have the time or the brain space to bake up crazy big recipes, or recipes that have tons of steps in them.

I need gluten-free cake recipes to be simple, have less than 15 ingredients, and require two bowl or less – otherwise my kitchen ends up a massive wreck. You know what I’m talking about right?

Piles and piles of dishes, all for one delicious thing – a gluten-free chocolate cake. You might be wondering why it has to be that way. Well, It doesn’t. There are amazing recipes out there, and they don’t take forever to make or require you to hire a housekeeper to clean up after you in the kitchen. You just have to look for them. Give this gluten-free chocolate cake a try and see what I mean. We often use this gluten-free cake recipe to make gluten-free birthday cake.

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture. You won't know it's gluten-free!

When we first switched over to a gluten-free diet we struggled. Gluten-free recipes were over-complicated and we got frustrated in the kitchen. We were tired of having to hunt down ingredients and even more tired of recipes failing.

Chocolate cake was one of the things we missed the most. Not flour-less chocolate cake, not chocolate cake made with nut butters, but regular old-fashioned gluten-free chocolate cake. The kind that is crumbly on the outside, and spongy in the middle.

We tried a couple of gluten-free chocolate cake mixes (mind you, this was seven years before this post) and weren’t satisfied. Most of them tasted like grass. It wasn’t until I started creating recipes from scratch that we found our perfect, easy gluten-free chocolate cake.

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture. You won't know it's gluten-free!

How to make gluten-free chocolate cake

There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cake. First, you have to follow the recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.

Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.

Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs you’ll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cake rise. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.

Can I make this gluten-free chocolate cake dairy-free?

Yes, you can make this gluten-free chocolate cake dairy-free. Simply use dairy-free milk in the gluten-free chocolate cake mix and use dairy-free butter in the frosting.

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture. You won't know it's gluten-free!

Can I make this gluten-free chocolate cake egg-free?

I haven’t tried using an egg substitute in this gluten free chocolate cake but a few others have tried it with flax-egg. If you make it egg free please stop back by and let me know which egg replacer you used. If you don’t want to experiment, you could always start with my Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes.

What causes a gluten-free cake to crack on top?

If your temperature is too high, or your cake is placed in the oven too high your cake may bake up into a high, cracked dome. The heat of baking activates the baking powder and causes it to release carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles and raises the cake. If your oven is too hot, that process is sped up. Make sure to place your cake in the center, and regularly check your oven’s temperature.

Some of my favorite gluten-free cake recipes:

If you are looking for cupcake recipes, just search cupcakes in the search bar on the right. Here is a video of my gluten-free chocolate cupcakes, which uses the same ingredient as this chocolate cake.

 

Why did my gluten-free cake sink?

There are several reason why cakes sink, one is from over beating the batter and adding too much air. Also, cakes often will sink when there is too much moisture. This is more common in humid climates where added moisture can collect naturally in ingredients such as flour. When this occurs, cupcakes may rise rapidly and then fall during baking. In higher elevations, the leavening agent works twice as hard and may cause the batter to rise rapidly and sink before it’s had a chance to set up.

All these tips are relevant to most cake and cupcake recipes, not just this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.

Wow! This easy, moist gluten free chocolate cake recipe is a must make for anyone who loves chocolate cake.

This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe is also in my cookbook, “Sweet & Simple Gluten-Free Baking; Irresistible classics in 10 ingredients or less!” I wanted to share it with you so you can find your happily-cake-ever-after. This gluten-free cake recipe is simple enough that anyone can make it (yes, even the non-baker folks).

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! If you like cake then you’ll also love my Gluten-Free Lemon Cake and my Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes.

If you make this gluten-free cake please stop back by here and let me know what you thought!

Happy Baking and Cooking,

Chrystal

Yield: 1 2-layer cake

Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 38 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the frosting:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans; set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
  3. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
  4. Stir in boiling water.
  5. Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
  7. For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Slowly beat in milk. Beat in additional milk if needed, to obtain desired consistency.
  8. Frost cakes.
  9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weight it but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16 slices

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 407 Total Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 40mg Sodium: 347mg Carbohydrates: 66g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 49g Protein: 4g
This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.
© Chrystal
Cuisine: Dessert
Wow! This easy, moist gluten free chocolate cake recipe is a must make for anyone who loves chocolate cake.

Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake that's tender, chocolaty, and delicious.

Wow! This easy, moist gluten free chocolate cake recipe is a must make for anyone who loves chocolate cake.

 

Comments

  1. I just made this with King Arthur gluten free flour which is my favorite. It came out beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I have celiac disease and have tried many recipes and this is the best!!

    Reply

    • Hi Helen,
      I am so glad you like this cake! Thank you for letting me know, and for sharing which flour blend you used.

      All my best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  2. I was able to print out gf chocolate cake, don’t have 2 round pans, can I use 9×13 greased, floured pan, serve Fromm that And 1/2 frosting, what temp and time, thanks so much

    Reply

    • Hi Terry,
      You can bake this cake in a 9×13. Grease the pan, bake at the same temperature but start with 35 minutes. Watch for doneness from there. You can half the frosting recipe.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

      • I also used coconut sugar and this is the best gluten free cake I’ve ever tasted! I followed the recipe exactly. I used gf mama almond blend flour (the best. for reals!), which contains no xantham gum. So, my only addition was 1tsp of ground chia seeds, to replace the xantham gum. I used melted coconut oil. I did not make the icing and just used a store bought vanilla icing. Thanks!

        Reply

  4. I am doing this gluten free cake for my granddaughter it’s my first time trying something like this I must have done something wrong it’s very liquid putting it into the tin please
    Advise

    Reply

    • Hi Colette,
      The batter should be a little runny, but not super runny. How did you measure your flour? How did it turn out?

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • Hello Angela,
      Sorry for the late reply, I was traveling. I haven’t personally tried this recipe with Fondant. If you decide to experiment and use fondant please let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  7. I didn’t have very good luck with this recipe. It is absolutely delicious and the texture was good but it fell to about an inch high but the edges were high.

    I tried again and the same thing happened, it overflowed in my oven, rose wonderfully and fell in the middle. After it cooled, it broke on me and crumbled like crazy.

    I do live at 6200 feet and wonder if altitude had anything to do with it. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

    Reply

    • Hi Lydia,
      I absolutely think it’s your elevation. I talk about this above the recipe, in my post for the gluten-free chocolate cake. In higher elevations, the leavening agent works twice as hard and may cause the batter to rise rapidly and sink before it’s had a chance to set up. If you want to give this recipe a try again I suggest cutting down on the baking powder and baking soda. With that elevation, I’d do a 1/2 teaspoon of each.

      I hope that helps,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  8. Usually, my gf cakes turn out just too heavy!
    This recipe, however, create the perfect cake that I know I’ll make again and again!
    Thanks so much, Chrystal!

    Reply

    • Hi Lynn,
      I am so glad you like it! Thanks for taking time to stop by and let me know 🙂

      All my best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  10. This was an awesome recipe- needed a last minute cake!! Only thing I changed was 1/2 cup coconut milk mixed with 1/2 cup water- I needed a cup of the milk for the icing I made and I made 2 shots of espresso and then added boiling water to it to 3/4 cup. It was fantastic!!! I also used the president choice gf flour blend (I’m in Canada) from superstore!
    Thanks again

    Reply

    • Hi Casey,
      So glad you like it! Thanks for sharing what flour blend you used. I sometimes add espresso too 😉 So good.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  11. I made this for my husbands birthday today and it was amazing. I am not gluten free and I don’t think I would have been able to tell that this was gluten free if I hadn’t been the one to make it. We loved it and it is for sure a keeper for sure. I used namaste flour. Thank you for such a great recipe.

    Reply

    • Hi Amber,
      I am so glad you and your husband liked this cake (happy birthday to him). Thank you for stopping by and letting me know.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  12. I’m planning on making this cake for a friend this weekend but cannot find the king Arthur blend thats been recommended I am not gluten free so I dont want to buy a large quanity of ingredients for a one time use, do you have suggestions on what flour blends would work with this recipe I live in CA…
    TIA

    Reply

    • Hi Lexi,
      Some readers do use King Arthur, but I developed this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend (not gf all purpose). Can you get the 1-to-1 in your area?

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  13. Can I bake this is one 8″ pan and layer it myself? I usually do that with all my cakes. Please let me know when you get a minute. I can’t wait to make it for my daughter’s bridal shower next weekend.

    Reply

    • Hi Angel,
      Yes, you can bake it in two 8″ pans, it won’t fit into one. Just watch the time for doneness.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • Hi Kelly,
      Just lower the time by about 6-8 minutes and watch for doneness from there.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  15. Outstanding, moist and just enough sweetness, not too much.

    I’ve never had better chocolate cake, gluten free or not. I made a half batch, using King Arthur gf flour blend and a 9″ cake pan because I didn’t have 8″.

    I did not make the icing, perhaps next time as this is now my go-to gf cake recipe.

    Reply

    • Hi Whistler,
      I am so glad you like it. Thank you for taking time to stop back by and let me know, and share which flour blend you used.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  16. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the well written instructions. The cake turned out phenomenal and was a huge hit with our gluten intolerant daughter.

    Reply

    • Hi Donna,
      I am so glad you liked this cake recipe! We made it this weekend for my daughters birthday. It’s always a favorite.

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving a review!

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • Hi Erika,
      I haven’t used coconut oil in this recipe, but I have in other cake recipes. It should come out nice, just make sure the coconut oil is melted and cooled (so it doesn’t cook the eggs).

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  18. Made this yesterday for my daughter’s bday (she eats gluten free). I followed the reccipe exactly. Cake taste was great! however, slightly over baked. Next time I will try 3-4 minutes less in oven. I realize all ovens are different! thanks for a great chocolate cake recipe.

    Reply

    • I’m glad you liked it! Yes, oven temperatures vary and sometimes you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. I’m happy you were able to still enjoy it.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  19. Hi there, I was wondering what you used as your dairy free substitute? I’m looking forward to trying the recipe!

    Reply

    • Hi Alice,
      I used bob’s red mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour in this recipe (it’s in a blue bag). I don’t recommend their gluten free all purpose that’s not the 1-to-1 (the one with chickpea/garbanzo flour in it).

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • Hi Brenda,
      I haven’t tried making my chocolate cake without cocoa. If you’d like to make a vanilla cake, I have an amazing recipe.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • Hi Sanaya,
      Yes, you can wrap them individually and freeze them. Bring them to room temperature before you frost.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

    • You can use dutch processed OR hersheys in this recipe. I’ve used both and they both give a good chocolatey flavor.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  25. Best cake ever!! I used Bob’s One to One flour, and non dairy margarine and almond milk. I did find I needed to thin the frosting with more almond milk.
    Question: Have you tried reducing the fat in any of your cake recipes by substituting either applesauce or banana puree? I know some fat is needed, but the vanilla cake calls for a full cup of oil I believe.

    Reply

    • Hi Libby,
      I am so glad you like it! I haven’t tried reducing the fat with applesauce or banana. I’d try to use half applesauce first. Hope that helps.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  26. I am so excited to try this recipe. I bake for my Ladies Lifting Night. Our trainer is gluten free, so I make all our treats gluten free. I always use a combination of rice and almond flour when making muffins. Think it will work for this cake?

    Reply

    • Hi Sophia,
      Yes, you can. It’s been a while since I made it in a pan, but you can use a 9X13 pan. Start with 32 minutes, and watch for doneness from there.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  28. I needed to make a birthday cake and found this recipe. I have always been reluctant to try these gluten free recipes as they usually dont turn out being very good.. However this cake was wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It was the best tasting cake that I have made and it turned out perfect!

    Reply

    • Hi Cherie,
      I am so glad you like my gluten free chocolate cake recipe. Thank you for stopping by to let me know.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  29. This was the best cake I ever tasted, despite being gluten free (and in my case dairy free.) Not hard to make, but impressively delicious!

    Reply

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