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
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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
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Rodelle Organics Baker's Extract 16oz
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Clabber Girl Baking Powder, 8.1 Ounce (Pack of 12)
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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
Ana
I used the Bob's 1 to 1, checked the date for freshness (expiration date well into 2021 and proceeded with just the tweaking for high elevation. I like the texture, I love the aroma. What remains perplexing are two things: the existence of aftertaste which I can't quite put my finger on how to describe it and the really weird experience of the chocolate taste not coming through. I have had both these experiences with every single GF chocolate cakes I have tried (not once using a bean or pea source flour) and having confidence that flours are fresh. Any ideas? I use high quality chocolate products so that isn't an issue. The frosting is great though!
chrystal
Hi Ana,
I haven't personally had a aftertaste but it could be that there's a flour in the blend you are more sensitive too. The hot water in the recipe is suppose to help the cocoa disperse through the batter, making it stronger. You could try adding more cocoa.
Best,
Chrystal
Peggy
Maybe try using strong hot coffee, in place of the water. I'm not a coffee drinker, but this can boost the chocolate flavour. Alternatively, you can toss a tablespoon of instant coffee into the batter. I've had great success with this.
chrystal
Thanks for sharing Peggy! Yes, coffee is a great option to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Best,
Chrystal
Danabee
Hi! I would take a hard look at your cocoa powder. They are not all created equal. I like the Ghirardelli or Scharffenberger. Even Whole Foods 365 organic cocoa powder is pretty good. I find that cheaper brands don’t cut it. Specifically Trader Joe’s and generic brands. And make sure it’s fresh! I also love the hot coffee in place of water. It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee it just makes it richer.
chrystal
Thanks for sharing!
Tanja R Dickson
I tend to have an aftertaste with Bob's, I'm not sure why, when I use another brand I don't get the aftertaste.
chrystal
Which blend is it? The 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour (blue bag) or the all purpose gluten free flour?
Christine
I have been searching for about 10 years for the perfect gluten free chocolate cake recipe! This is it! So moist and fudgy! I used 1/2 milk, 1/2 buttermilk~WOW! Thank you for your delicious recipes!
chrystal
Hi Christine,
I am so glad you like it. Thank you for sharing what you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Christine
Since I started using Cup 4 Cup flour for baking, I haven’t noticed that odd gluten free flour aftertaste.
chrystal
We love cup 4 cup. I haven't tried it in this recipe yet, but several of my readers have.
Best,
Chrystal
Judy Hammond
This is my first time commenting but I did have an interesting experience making this cake! I made the cake for my grandson's 8th birthday party. It was delicious! I think everyone there commented on how tasty it was.
Well, I made a mistake! I don't use oil in a cake, preferring to use Butter instead. In this case I used Unsalted Butter. My mistake was that I used twice as much as I should have! One cup rather than the half cup you recommend. Also, in reading another recipe they had used Coffee rather than water. So I did that too.
I didn't realize my mistake with the Butter until too late so that's how the cake was baked! I checked it at 30 minutes and it was done, quite possibly done sooner. It was moist, cake did not fall, nice texture too.
Chrystal, if possible, you might want to bake a cake with these changes before you post my comment. I intend to bake it this way again but better that you check it out first since you're certainly more qualified than I am!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Frosting I used - 8 oz Cream Cheese, 2 cups Whipping Cream, 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar, 2 tsp Vanilla. Not too sweet, beautiful cake & delicious!
chrystal
Thanks for sharing Judy!
Best,
Chrystal
Monique
Hi Judy.
I also prefer to bake without oil. How did u melt the butter prior to adding it?
Thank you for sharing.
Monique
chrystal
Hello Monique,
You can melt it in a bowl, covered in the microwave or you can melt it in a pot on the stove. You'll want to cook it just until it's melted (not boil it) and then let it site for 15 minutes or so to cool it down so it doesn't cook the eggs when you add it to the batter.
I hope that helps.
Best,
Chrystal
Ruta
I forgot to do the boiling water step but the resulting cake was still beautiful and delicious. Thank you
Danabee
This is delicious! I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF baking mix. I use freshly brewed strong decaf in place of the boiling water. This time I baked it in a 10” Bundt and it fit perfectly and baked up beautifully. We forgo the frosting and serve with ice cream. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
chrystal
You are very welcome. I am so glad you love it. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Lacey Cormier
I LOVE this recipe. I'm a trained pastry chef, but when I met my husband he was gluten intolerant and so were his kids! I learned very quickly that gluten free baking is COMPLETELY different from what I was used to. Everything I was trying kept flopping. It was nothing short of embarrassing! Thank you for this recipe, and all the others! I do substitute the oil for real mayonnaise (an old baker trick that actually works here too lol) and the cake is super moist and fluffy. You've made my life so much better haha
chrystal
I am so glad you love it. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Lisa
I subbed decaf coffee for the hot water and frosted the cake with chocolate ganache. Made alterations for high altitude, but otherwise followed your recipe. It was a huge success! Thank you!
chrystal
I'm so glad Lisa! Thanks for stopping back by to let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
katherine
Hi Chrystal,
I wonder if this cake is firm enough to be a bundt cake. I am thinking of using this recipe in a bundt pan. What do you think?
chrystal
I don't think it is. I'd stick to my bundt cake recipe that you made.
Best,
Chrystal
Danisia
Danabee commented above that she successfully made this in a 10” Bundt
Val
I haven't had good cake in forever. This was amazing. Totally saving.
chrystal
I am so glad you love it! Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Sarah Watson
Can this cake be frozen?
I made it and my kids loved it! I need to make it for daycare so when other children bring in cake my kids have a gf option.
Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Sarah,
Yes, you can freeze this cake.
Best,
Chrystal
Demetria H
I follow a gluten free diet and my husband cannot tolerate dairy. Since it is only the two of us, I cut the recipe in half, used diary free coconut creamer instead of milk and baked the cake in a small bundt pan. The cake is excellent-lovely crumb. Thanks for a great recipe!
chrystal
I'm so glad you love the texture, Demetria. Thank you for taking time to stop by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Tessa
Can I substitute the water with hot coffee?
chrystal
Hi Tessa, Yes you can sub hot water with coffee.
Best,
Chrystal
Susi V
Great recipe - used to make a birthday cake as some of our guests are gluten intolerant. I used a different icing but followed the cake recipe to the letter, using the weights you give for the dry ingredients (and with the addition of some instant coffee to the hot water). I used a South African brand of GF cake flour based on potato starch, soya flour and brown rice flour that worked very well.
Very easy to make and served to rave reviews! Great chocolate taste and melt-in-your-mouth light texture. I would make this even if GF was not required because it is so easy and good.
It is still very yummy the next day (just had some) but it is just incredible fresh out of the oven and just cooled. For an uncomplicated weekend family treat I'd halve the recipe, make in a loaf tin, skip the icing and have with tea/coffee as soon as it is cool. Everyone should try it!
chrystal
I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Robert
I made this for my who is vegan and does not eat gluten. I used a custom mix of coconut flour and rice flour, flax egg, almond milk, coconut oil for the cake and vegetable ghee for the frosting. I did need to add more almond milk to the cake batter than the recipe called for, probably because of the flax egg. The cake was amazing!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. This will be my go to cake recipe now! I am going to try a vanilla version and see how it comes out.
chrystal
Hi Robert,
Thanks for sharing what you used. I'm so glad you liked it.
Best,
Chrystal
Julia
After baking the cake, it was almost completely raw on the inside. I think that the addition of water to activate the coco powder made it far too wet.
chrystal
Hi Julia,
Unless you added more water then called for, it wasn't the water. Did you make any substitutions? What flour blend did you use? How did you measure your flour blend and the water? Is there a possibility your oven temperature could be off?
Best,
Chrystal
Ashlyn Hilgenberg
Hi Chrystal,
My cake spilled over the ends of the cake pan and burned but the middle sunk down and is hardly cooked. I added the right amount of water. I sifted the flour, could that have caused this or do you know what might have caused this?
chrystal
Hi Ashlyn,
It could have been a couple of things. I don't sift the flour in this recipe - sifting it makes it lighter, so you're not adding enough flour. The best thing to do in this recipe is to spoon the flour blend into a measuring cup and then level it. Can I ask what flour blend you used?
Best,
Chrystal
Juanita I Zdawczyk
I have been gluten free for a while but my husband just recently became gf. He loves chocolate so I was looking for a gf chocolate cake that even he would love. I tried your chocolate cake recipe and we both loved it! I did increase the baking powder and soda to 2 teaspoons each. It was so light, fluffy, and moist. I even gave some to my daughter in law and son and it was quite a hit. This will become a regular recipe for our family!
chrystal
I'm so glad everyone loves it. Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Enion
We've made this cake twice in the past 2 weeks, due to some close birthdays in our house. It is hands down the best GF cake recipe I have found, and we've been GF for 16 years. I use a blend of flours I make - 1 part tapioca starch, 1 part potato starch, 2 parts sorghum flour, and 2 parts white rice flour, plus 3/4 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
chrystal
Hi Enion,
I am so glad you think its the best. Thank you for letting me know and for sharing what flour blend you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Jennifer Cook
This is the best gluten free chocolate cake I have ever made, or eaten!!!! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour. I made frosting using the Hershey’s Cocoa recipe. Thank you for a great recipe - my son has Celiac Disease, and he was thrilled to have such a delicious cake!
chrystal
I'm so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Jessica
Hi, can I use almond flour for this recipe instead of gluten free all purpose flour?
chrystal
Hi Jessica,
Not in this recipe. I have a chocolate muffins recipe that uses almond flour that you can double and make a cake out of. I hope that helps.
Best,
Chrystal
Leila
Hi Chrystal,
Is it ok to use a regular baking powder in this recipe?
Thank you for sharing!
chrystal
Hi Leila,
Yes.
Best,
Chrystal
Victoria
I wish I could say my experience was as good as most on here, but my cake wasn’t very moist or flavorful. This is my first attempt with gluten free flour but it wasn’t great. Just OK. Maybe I baked it took long. I pulled it out at exactly 35 min but seemed a bit dry to me.
chrystal
Hi Victoria,
I think I know what happened. Can you tell me which flour blend you used (the exact name and brand on the bag, as some brands have multiple blends) and how you measured your flour. Did you scoop your measuring cup into the flour and level?
I'll help you figure it out. This cake recipes is amazing and I want you to enjoy it the way others have.
Best,
Chrystal
Cheryl
I made this exactly as the directions say except I made a 9x13 cake and it turned out beautifully and tastes delicious.. Thank You for the delicious recipe
chrystal
I'm so glad you loved it. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Chari
Made this cake tonight with my daughter. Subbed almond milk and coconut oil. This cake was moist and chocolatey, but the best part was the icing! It was the perfect balance of sweetness and cocoa goodness.
chrystal
Hi Chari,
I am so glad you and your daughter loved it. Thank you for sharing what you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Madison
WOW — this cake was delicious! Served it for Easter instead of the blah boxed cake mix in the pantry. So moist & delicate, it turned out just like the picture. I added hot coffee to replace the boiling water & a few more splashes of (almond) milk in the icing to make it a little less stiff. After many gluten free dessert recipe fails over the last four years, I feel like I’ve struck a gold mine finding this blog. REAL pictures of REAL recipes that work. Thank you so much! I will be trying many more of your desserts in the near future.
chrystal
I am so glad you like it. I hope you find many more recipes on my site that you can love. Thank you for stopping back by and letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Claudia
I made this cake tonight... this is what my husband said "are you sure its gluten free?!" It was that awesome. A couple of adds/changes. I added one teaspoon of xanthan gum to batter. For frosting after adding required milk I added heavy cream and kept mixing. Amazing! Thank you so much for recipe.
chrystal
I love hearing that. Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Teresa
Hi Chrystal, I have 9 inch baklng pans. What is the best way to make it with them?
chrystal
Hi Teresa,
Yes, you can use 9" pans. They will take a little less time to bake, so watch them for doneness.
Best,
Chrystal
Jayme
I used King Arthur's GF Flour blend and followed the recipe to a T (using almond milk). Made in a 9x13 cake pan baked for exactly 38 minutes. Rave reviews from my family! Perfect! Thank you.
chrystal
I'm so glad! Thank you for sharing what you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Carmen
I have tried so many GF dairy free cakes for the last 7 years. This is the best recipe by far. It is simple enough for an inexperienced baker to make and get great results! my son wanted to bake for me a birthday cake and as I cannot have gluten it is a challenge to have a cake we all can enjoy. When I found this recipe I decided to show it to him and it was much more simple than the ones he had found researching on line. Even in the middle of COVID 19 we got the one ingredient we were missing, the GF flour blend. Here in Canada the President's Choice brand all purpose GF blend was perfect for this recipe. Thank you for making my birthday even better!
chrystal
I'm so glad you like it. Thank you for sharing what flour blend you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Allison Wheeler
Made it for my birthday last night and cannot stop eating it! Haha! Even my gluten loving family thought it was amazing.
chrystal
Happy Birthday! I'm so glad you love this cake. Thank you for stopping back by and letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Steve Matthews
I've been making traditional chocolate cakes for years so tried my recipe and just added gluten-free flour. Oh dear such a heavy dense outcome - edible but not very nice.
My wife, who is now gluten free was having a birthday and a cake was required. Looking at your recipe I was skeptical. But I followed you instructions to the letter and Wow. An amazingly light, very tasty chocolate cake it was, The neighbours were impressed too. Many thanks.
chrystal
Hi Steve,
You are welcome. I am so glad everyone liked it.
Best,
Chrystal
Claudia
Hi,
I was wondering why you don't let it rise and bake it straight away? What would happen if you let it at for 1 hour or so?
Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Claudia,
Cakes use leavening agents instead of yeast, so they don't need to rise. You need to bake them right away after you mix the batter so you don't loose the bubbles you create from mixing. Also if you don't bake right away, you won't get the use out of your leavening agents.
I hope that helps,
Chrystal