Ready to make my easy gluten-free chocolate cake? It's super simple, and has the perfect texture. So you won't know it's gluten-free!
It's my favorite gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, and I hope it will be yours too.
And it makes the best gluten-free birthday cake!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Sometimes you just need a little gluten-free cake chocolate cake to get you through the day. That's why I make this chocolate cake recipe at least once a month.
It's simple, uses minimal ingredients, and it bakes up quickly.
I often find that gluten-free cake recipes are complicated or call for a bajillion ingredients (ok, not a bajillion - 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. That's why I made this gluten-free chocolate cake recipe.
It's simple.
And I need gluten-free cake recipes to be simple, have less than 15 ingredients, and require two bowls 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.
Note: Now that the autumn season is here, I recommend checking out our 20 Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes!
Do you love whipping up delicious desserts in the kitchen, but want to improve your skills? Take this Raw Vegan Desserts Course to become a gluten-free, dairy-free dessert pro!
When my family first switched over to a gluten-free diet, we struggled. Gluten-free recipes were over-complicated, and I got frustrated in the kitchen.
I was tired of having to hunt down ingredients and even more tired of recipes failing.
Chocolate cake was one of the things my family missed the most. Not flour-less chocolate cake, not a 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.
I tried a couple of gluten-free chocolate cake mixes (mind you, this was seven years before my original recipe debuted here), and I wasn't satisfied. Most of them tasted like grass.
It wasn't until I started creating recipes from scratch that I found my perfect, easy gluten-free chocolate cake.
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, make sure to follow along with my recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out. Follow my steps, and you shouldn't have a problem.
Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, understand that you're starting your very own experiment.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs, please make sure 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. That's one of the most common issues, and I find it pretty easy to avoid by sticking with the recipe.
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.
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. That's a common issue with any gluten-free chocolate cake recipe. It's also pretty simple to avoid.
Here's why you may see a crack on top of your cake: 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. That will reduce cracking on top, so your dessert looks as delectable as possible once it comes out of the oven.
Some of my favorite gluten-free cake recipes
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Grain-Free Hummingbird Cake
- Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Ganache Cake
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
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 use the same ingredients as this chocolate cake.
Why did my gluten-free cake sink?
There are several reasons why cakes sink; one is from overbeating the batter and adding too much air. Also, cakes often will sink when there is too much moisture. I see this most often 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.
Note that these baking tips are relevant to most cake and cupcake recipes, not just this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.
This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe is a family favorite. It's the result of a bunch of attempts, and I'm delighted with how it turns out.
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). Serve it with Gluten Free Ice Cream for an extra special treat.
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 by here and let me know what you thought!
Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is super simple, and has the perfect texture.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups (320g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (285g) all purpose gluten-free flour blend (see note about flour blends below)
- ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) gluten-free baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (8g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
- 2 large eggs (110g), room temperature
- 1 cup milk (260g) (or dairy-free milk)
- ½ cup (110g) vegetable oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4g) gluten-free vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (150g) boiling water (for activating the cocoa)
For the frosting:
- ½ cup (115g) butter (or dairy-free butter)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4g) gluten-free vanilla extract
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ½ cups (450g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (40-60g) milk (or dairy-free milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Stir in boiling water.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
- 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.
- Frost cakes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- Flour Blend: I used my gluten free blend in this recipe and I've used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I do NOT recommend using Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour blend has chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour) in it. Chickpea flour goes rancid rather fast and when it does it creates a dry and sour/bitter flavor. It also does something funny to this recipe.
- 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.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. They never cost you extra.
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Top Shelf Elements Round Cake Carrier Two Sided Cake Holder Serves as Five Section Serving Tray, Portable Cake Stand Fits 10 inch Cake, Cake Box Comes With Handle, Cake Container Holds Pies (Green)
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KitchenAid KSM150PSAQ Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield - Aqua Sky
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HIWARE 8-Inch Round Cake Pan Set of 3, Nonstick Baking Cake Pans with 90 Pieces Parchment Paper, Dishwasher Safe
-
Rodelle Organics Baker's Extract 16oz
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Clabber Girl Baking Powder, 8.1 Ounce (Pack of 12)
-
Rodelle Organic Baking Cocoa Powder Dutch Processed 25 Oz.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16 slicesServing Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 347mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 2gSugar: 49gProtein: 4g
Kristy @ Southern In Law
Ohhhhh, this looks absolutely perfect! Chocolate cake tends to be my all time favourite 😉
chrystal
It'd definitely one of mine too 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Just in time for my birthday in a few weeks 😉
chrystal
Yay! You need birthday donuts and birthday cake!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
Get. In. My. Belly. This looks so good!!! I really wish I had a piece of this today.
chrystal
Me too! So sad that it's gone already. I'd make another but I'd eat it too 😉
Raia
Hmm... I need naptime so I can make this and not have to share. 😉 It looks SO delicious. 🙂
chrystal
Thank you!
Megan
Love your cake stand. Where did you get it??
chrystal
Hi Megan,
I can't remember if I got it at Target or Cost Plus World Market.
Thanks for stopping by!
Chrystal
jules
I haven't had breakfast or lunch yet today, and now you show me THIS!??! Now Chocolate Cake is all I want! LOL! Gorgeous cake (even if I wasn't hungry I'd say that!).
oxxox
~jules
chrystal
I know, right? That's me every morning when I look through my FB feed 😉
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog
I love Rodelle's baking cocoa in chocolate cake - I won't use anything else!
Sarah
gotta love a classic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting! beautiful!
chrystal
Thanks Sarah!
Raia
Thanks for sharing your delicious cake with us at Savoring Saturdays, Chrystal! 🙂
Laurie
Does your GF blend include xanthan gum? Can't wait to try this.
chrystal
Hi Laurie, It does not. Any recipe requiring xanthan gum shows it in the list of ingredients. Xanthan Gum is not needed in recipes like cupcakes, cakes, quick breads, etc. when they have the right ratio of ingredients.
Best,
Chrystal
Rachel
This turned out well for me 🙂 It was delicious! First time making a successful gluten free version of a well loved dessert. I used a 13x9 pan & no issues. Instead of making a chocolate frosting I used the butter vanilla base & added PB along with powered sugar & I couldn't be more happy with the results. Give this recipe a try (even if you decide to adapt it)!
chrystal
Thanks for letting me know Rachel. This cake recipe is super easy and works well in most pans. Love your frosting idea!
Best,
Chrystal
Farheen
Chrystal, I am going to try your recipe this weekend hopefully! It's for my friend's birthday and we are going to a reservoir park to have a brunch picnic. IT sounds so doable and yummy! And like you, I've struggled with gluten free recipes until I've almost given up. As in I just do them more for myself now cos friends don't seem to like the taste. U can see it on their faces. Sigh. So I'm really keen and hopeful for this one! Thanks for sharing 🙂 - From Singapore
chrystal
Hi Farheen,
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note. Do you currently live in Singapore? I'm curious to know what gluten-free flour blends they have available there.
Let me know how your cake turns out.
Best,
Chrystal
A
It tasted really amazing and I liked the texture, but my problem is that it was falling apart... 🙁 I used the recipe as it is and let it cool completely but it was just falling all over the place. What did I do wrong?!
(and an advice: use coffee instead of water, it really makes the flavour so much better!!)
I've made some simple chocolate ganache with red wine and poached pears. It was a hit.
chrystal
I'm so sorry to hear that. What flour blend did you use? Was it in the freezer at any point? Any chance an ingredient could have been left out? I'll help you figure this out. This is one of my most popular recipes and I make it all the time. 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Margie
Tastes good, but mine fell completely apart as well. Used King Arthur all purpose GF flour and all other ingredients. Bake a shorter time?
chrystal
Hi Margie,
I'm sorry that you didn't have luck with this recipe using King Arthur flour. This recipe doesn't call for that flour, and I've never tested it with this flour. Also, oven temperatures can vary, so cooking time should start with the lowest time.
Best,
Chrystal
Carl
Hey there! Im literally about to start this recipe for my wife as a surprise. Everything i've researched online has said to put wax paper on the bottom so the cakes come out easier once they've cooled. Did you do that in the bottom of your circle pans? Also after letting them cool did you put them in the freezer to make it easier to take out/cut?
Thanks, any advise here would be much appreciated
chrystal
Hi Carl!
My no-stick pans work well when I release the cake. You are welcome to use parchment paper on the bottoms, as it does help the cakes slide out with ease. I have put them in the freezer before, depending on what I am doing with them or how I am decorating them. When I just make a quick layered cake, I don't put them in the freezer.
Hope that helps!
Chrystal
Carl
I appreciate the speedy reply! I'm just using some glass pie pans I have....no idea if i should spray them or put a piece of paper on the bottom. My fear is that putting parchment paper on the bottom would make them bake uneven/soggy on the bottom. maybe Like you said i'll just throw them in the freezer after they cool completely for an hour or so then try flipping. You didn't say anything about Cutting the cakes before stacking...or else you'd put a round cake on top of another round cake. Would you mind elaborating on that? not sure how "high" it's supposed to be in total or if you just barely cut the top off one cake to make it easier for the other to stack on top!
chrystal
Hi Carl,
I haven't made cake in a round glass pan, it may cook differently since heat conducts differently through glass vs. metal. I'm sure its fine though. You can still use parchment paper, it won't cause it to be soggy or cooked unevenly. The only reason I would put them in the freezer is "IF" I am going to cut them. I don't usually cut them. I put a small bit of frosting in the center of the plate and place the first cake on it. The frosting helps keeps the cake from slipping off while you frost. Then I frost the center of the cake, place the second cake on top, then frost the top and sides. An easy trick is to put frosting in a large zip lock back, cut the tip of the bag off, and pip it on, then use a knife to spread it. It helps keep crumbs from getting in the frosting.
Hope that helps!
Chrystal
Sherri
Hi! Could I use a 9x13" glass pan?
chrystal
Hi Sherri,
Yes, but I'm not sure what the baking time would be.
Best,
Chrystal
Avery
Hi, when I tried this recipe, it tastes great!! The one weird thing is that when they finished baking, they cane out squished and my daughter decpscribed it as an “alien”. I used Namaste flour and I was wondering if this flour effected the texture of the cake. Thank you,!
chrystal
Hi Avery,
Are you saying it came out squishy? It could have been the flour blend you used, as it has sourgum and arrowroot flour in it, which both can lend a different texture. Also, is it possible that it didn't cook all the way?
So sorry it didn't turn out quite right. I've made this cake for over 10 years, and haven't had this problem myself.
Feel free to reach back out.
Best,
Chrystal
Margaret
Hi, if I want to cut this recipe into smaller shapes, should I put it into the freezer first and if so is there a specific amount of time? Thanks, Margaret
chrystal
Putting it in the freezer would help with less crumbs when you cut them into shapes. An hour should be enough. You can always check it to see how hard it is.
Best,
Chrystal
MELISSA
This recipe is perfection! I had all the ingredients when I found your recipe spontaneously. It was so moist, and I had no issues removing the cakes from the pans. I used unsweetened cocoa, and it was still delicious. Thank you! I now have my “Go to” dessert.
chrystal
So glad you like it! Thank you for stopping back by and letting me know 🙂
Chrystal
Tatiana Zaidi
This is the best gluten free cake !!!!!
chrystal
So glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Lisa
Hi, I am substituing sugar with maple syrup.Any help or thoughts on this would be helpful. My daughter can't have sugar. Its for the cake part.
Thank you!
Lisa
chrystal
Hi Lisa,
I haven't done this myself yet, but when baking with maple syrup, you use less than you would for sugar, and you reduce the liquid as well. For this recipe I would reduce it to 1 cup of maple syrup and reduce the milk to 3/4 of a cup. The texture will be a little different as sugar not only helps the moisture in the cake (which maple syrup does as well) but it also creates the crumbly cake-like texture in conjunction with the flour. Let me know how it turns out!
Chrystal
Diane
I was alittle skeptical when I saw there was no xanthan gum in it & the batter was quite thin. BUT it baked up perfectly, moist &
not crumbly. Best chocolate cake I’ve made by far. Recipe is a keeper. Thanks
chrystal
Thank you for letting me know you like it!
Best,
Chrystal
Randi
Is there nutritional facts on this recipe by any chance please ?
chrystal
Hi Randi,
Sorry, there's not. Depending on the exact flour blend you use (if not mine) and which dairy-free milk, the nutrition could be different. There are lots of nutrition calculators where you can plug in the exact brands you like to use.
Hope that help,
Chrystal
Ana Maria leiguarda
Great Recipe. I prepared it for my dad. Greetings and blessings from Argentina!
chrystal
Hi Ana!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I'm glad you loved the cake.
All my best,
Chrystal
Suzanne
You you make this as a vanilla cake by just leaving out the cocoa and boiling water or do you have another vanilla cake recipe. I made the chocolate cake and it turned out great. Thank you.
chrystal
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for letting me know you liked it! I have a vanilla cupcake recipe that is phenomenal, but it doesn't transfer to a cake perfectly. I haven't tried leaving out the cocoa on this recipe yet.
Best,
Chrystal
Tia
I just made this cake and it was probably the best cake I've had going gluten-free. I used the exact ingredients you did, but next time I think I am going to fold in some mini chocolate chips. Thank you!
Carol
Can you use cacoa instead of cocoa?
chrystal
Hi Carol,
I haven't tried it in this recipe, but it should work. Let me know how it turns out!
Best,
Chrystal
Elizabeth
Hi! I'm making a cake for my parents wedding anniversary and my mom can't have eggs. I've seen a lot of recipes where people substitute mashed bananas for eggs. Could I try that with this recipe? Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Elizabeth,
I haven't tried this recipe without eggs, or used mashed banana instead of eggs. Sorry! I would imagine it would work, but wouldn't rise as much and be a bit on the fudgy side.
Best,
Chrystal
Laura B Owens
I made your chocolate cake tonight and it is AMAZING! I tried some GF recipes last Thanksgiving bcuz I’ve got a lot GF relatives who are gluten/grain intolerant. Even when I buy expensive brands of pre-made baked goods or flour mixes, everything seems gritty to me. I made a nice GF banana bread, but wasn’t impressed with the other things I tried.
About 6 weeks ago I discovered I’m gluten, dairy, and cane sugar intolerant. Since I LOVE to bake and decorate cakes, I started experimenting. I haven’t had actual cake in months and my “hater-of-healthy-food” chef-husband hinted chocolate cake would be good about now.
Despite what you said about following the recipe, I had to go rogue and substituted coconut sugar for cane sugar. I used Kroger brand GF flour and cocoa. The recipe cane out FANTASTIC! I am SO THANKFUL I found your recipe.
I hadn’t heard of using hot water to activate the cocoa before. Does that also smooth out the texture? I made one 8-in round cake and 8 mini loaves. I cut the mini loaves in half horizontally and spread one side with a chocolate coconut mixture, the other with peanut butter, then put them back together like a sandwich. These little laves would make great stuffed with whipped cream or marshmallow filling.
I’ll try to post a pic on my Instagram acct when I get my 1 layer cake iced! (@kycraftbeer)
chrystal
Hi Laura,
I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know.
All my best,
Chrystal
Sandra
I made your cake with coconut flour. I’d actually call it more a brownie than a cake. What matters is that it was delicious.
chrystal
Hi Sandra,
I've never made it with coconut flour. How much did you use? Sounds yummy. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Kandla
This came out marvellous ! Thanks ! Can I bake this with a sweetener for a kid who's diabetic ?
chrystal
Hi Kandla,
I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for stopping back by and letting me know and leaving a review. I haven't made it with a sweetner, sorry!
Best,
Chrystal