With melt-in-the-mouth gluten free sponges that taste like hot chocolate in cake form and a fluffy rich chocolate buttercream frosting, this gluten free chocolate cake is the very definition of comfort food. Plus, itโs easy and quick to make!
There are few desserts more memorable or more impressive than a truly good chocolate cake. Sure, there is a lot to be said about a โtriple chocolate salted caramel sโmores cakeโ or the likeโฆ but sometimes, you just need a chocolate cake. No fuss, no bells and whistles.
This gluten free chocolate cake is pretty much exactly that. Quick and easy to make, with an overabundance of cocoa powder and chocolate, without being overly sweet. It walks that line between the bitterness of dark chocolate and the creamy sweetness of milk chocolate โ and it does it well. Very well.
The gluten free chocolate sponges are melt-in-the-mouth soft, and each bite feels like taking a sip of luxuriously rich hot chocolate. Just, you knowโฆ in cake form.
The chocolate buttercream frosting is fluffy and rich, its chocolate factor coming from both a generous helping of cocoa powder and a whole lotta melted dark chocolate.
And when you combine the twoโฆ well, itโs basically every chocoholicโs dream come true.
When it comes to decorating the cake, I went with the rustic minimalism of buttercream swirls you can easily create with an offset spatula or even the back of a spoon. (Unless, of course, youโre a control freak like me โ in which case, those โspontaneousโ swirls will take youโฆ oh, say an hour or two to achieve.)
To make your life easier, and to make sure you give this AMAZING recipe a go, check out the step-by-step pictures for making this delicious gluten free chocolate cake below. But before we get to the baking, an important question:
DOES GLUTEN FREE CAKE TASTE DIFFERENT?
It’s a frequent question I get asked, and the short answer is: no.
The long answer: if a gluten free cake is made correctly, following a reliable recipe and using a gluten free flour blend you know and trust โ then you (or your gluten-eating friends and family) won’t be able to tell the difference.
And it doesn’t really matter if it’s a gluten free chocolate cake, a gluten free vanilla cake or a gluten free carrot cake. The only instance where you might taste the difference is if you use a gluten free flour with a strong taste, such as chestnut or chickpea flour.
But for this recipe (and most recipes on The Loopy Whisk), gluten free cake shouldn’t taste any different from its wheat-based counterpart.
Before we get to the bits and bobs of making this wonderful cake โ if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!
HOW DO I MAKE A GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE?
Making the gluten free chocolate cake is the same old story of sifting together the dry ingredients, adding the wet ingredients, mixing it all up, and baking the sponges until risen and fluffy and wonderful.
But letโs start at the beginning.
Sift together gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder.
Add in the sugar and salt. Whisk it up.
Pour in the vegetable oil, milk and crack in the eggs.
Whisk it all together until you get the most luscious chocolate cake batter. At this point, you might think that this is it โ it looks like it has the perfect consistency and you might be tempted to bake it as is.
But nope, thereโs one more thing, and itโsโฆ boiling hot water. I know it sounds kind of out there, but it really truly works. This will ensure that the gluten free chocolate sponges stay moist and delicate. No, it wonโt scramble the eggs. And no, it wonโt make the cake โpuddingyโ. Donโt worry, mmkay?
The final cake batter will be runny, and it will look like a super luxurious hot chocolate. It will be oh-so tempting to have a taste (or two), but al least try to resist.
Pour the cake batter into lined round cake pans, and bake. Thatโs all there is to it.
WHICH GLUTEN FREE FLOUR IS BEST FOR CAKES?
I personally use a Lidl UK brand, Just Free, which gives consistently excellent results. It’s a simple plain gluten free flour blend containing only rice, potato and maize flour with no added xanthan gum.
In general, I prefer simple blends with few ingredients and without xanthan gum already added โ for several reasons. Such blends can get discontinued, and a simple blend is much easier to replicate than one consisting of 5+ ingredients.
As for the xanthan gum: as with baking powder and baking soda (I alway use plain rather than self-raising flour), I prefer to control the quantity myself, as the amount of xanthan gum can vary greatly baked on what you’re baking.
In general, people have successfully made my recipes with Bob’s Red Mill and other gluten free flour blends, as well as their personal blends. If in doubt, feel free to ask in the comments below.
DOES BAKING POWDER HAVE GLUTEN?
Another one of the frequently asked questions. Baking powder is a mixture of three ingredients: baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), an acid (usually cream of tartar) and a starch to absorb the moisture and keep it from clumping together.
The starch is where the gluten question comes in. However in my experience, the starch is usually rice flour or cornstarch, which don’t contain gluten.
So it’s safe to say that baking powder in general doesn’t contain gluten, but it might be produced in a facility where gluten in processed or be a special brand that uses a gluten-containing starch. Therefore always make sure to carefully read the label and check the ingredients list.
HOW DO I MAKE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING?
This delicious chocolate buttercream frosting is just softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and melted chocolate, all whipped together into fluffy submission. Oh, and a generous pinch of salt โ trust me on that one.
Salt calms down the sweetness of the powdered sugar, and lifts up the chocolate to shine in all of its glory. Itโs the kind of baking magic that makes you all warm and tingly inside, like youโre a part of a secret society of people who understand that salt has a place of honour in a chocolate frosting.
This chocolate buttercream frosting is smooth, fluffy, rich and decadent โ and it just looks so darn good all swirled up on the cake.
ASSEMBLING THE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
We have the sponges โ if theyโre a bit domed, level them out by cutting off the domed tops with a serrated knife. Aaaandโฆ youโve just got yourself some snacks. Ainโt it great?
Then, itโs the same old game of sponge-frosting-sponge-frosting. Spread a generous layer of frosting in between the chocolate sponges, but leave enough for frosting the outside of the cake.
Crumb coating the cake isnโt all that important here. Just spread the remainder of the chocolate buttercream frosting all around the top and sides of the cake, and get creative with your swirling.
Thereโs no right or wrong way of doing this. Have fun. Andโฆ donโt overthink it.
Andโฆ ta-daaaaaaa! Youโve just made the worldโs best gluten free chocolate cake.
Oh, donโt look so sceptical. How do you know itโs not the best? Have you tried all the gluten free chocolate cakes out there? No? See, this could very well be the very pinnacle of gluten free chocolate cake excellence. I mean, it sure tastes like it.
But regardless of whether or not this is the best gluten free chocolate cake out there (though I still maintain it is)โฆ the fact is that it’s delicious and easy to make and almost nostalgic in its beautiful simplicity. What more could we ask for?
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The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For gluten free chocolate sponges:
- 2 cups + 3 tbsp (265 g) plain gluten free flour blend (I've used a simple store-bought blend containing only rice, potato and maize flours, with no added xanthan gum)
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 3/8 cup + 1/2 tbsp (50 g) cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tsp (250 mL) milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 1 tsp (125 mL) vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 cup + 2 tsp (250 mL) boiling hot water
For chocolate buttercream frosting:
- 3 sticks (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (75 g) cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 5 1/3 oz (150 g) dark chocolate, melted and cooled
Instructions
For gluten free chocolate sponges:
Pre-heat the oven to 355 ยบF (180 ยบC) and line two 7 inch round cake pans with greaseproof/baking paper.
In a large bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder.
Add the granulated sugar and salt, and whisk well.
Add the eggs, milk and vegetable/sunflower oil. Whisk well, until you get a smooth cake batter.
Add the boiling hot water, and whisk until you get a runny cake batter with no lumps.
Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two lined cake pans, and bake in the pre-heated oven at 355 ยบF (180 ยบC) for about 40 minutes or until spongy to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool.
For chocolate buttercream frosting:
In a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer with the double beater attachments, beat the butter for 2 - 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar, and beat for a further 5 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder and salt, and beat until evenly distributed in the buttercream.
Add in the melted (and cooled) dark chocolate, and beat until you get a rich, fluffy chocolate frosting with an even chocolate brown colour.
Assembling the cake:
If the sponges are domed, level them out by cutting off the domed tops with a serrated knife.
Place the bottom sponge layer on a cake stand, and spread a generous layer of frosting on top, but leave enough for frosting the outside of the cake. Then, place the other sponge on top of the frosting.
Use the remaining chocolate buttercream to frost the outside of the cake. Decorate the cake by creating swirls of buttercream with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Enjoy!
Storage:
The gluten free chocolate cake keeps well in the fridge, in a closed container or wrapped in cling film, for 3 - 4 days.
Looking for more spectacular gluten free cakes?
You’re in the right place!
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195 thoughts on “The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Cake”
Can a Bundt cake pan be used? Also pouring ganache over it? Any thoughts? I will be making this soon, looks amazing.
Hi Sylke, I haven’t tested it in a bundt pan, but I’m pretty sure it will work great. And pouring ganache over it is an AMAZING idea, bet it would be delicious. Let me know how it turns out!!
So yummy! Moist yet fluffy! Fool proof, I love it!
This is a wonderful cake! I used a 9″ spring form, as I do not have 2 – 7″ pans. The directions are easy to follow and the result was tasty. I did change the baking temperature to 350 degree for 40 minutes. I think 350 for 35 would have been better. I will use this as my go to chocolate cake. I will change it up by using boiling coffee in lieu of water.
I love it! My friend had absolutely the best birthday ever! I wish I could put a ten star on this โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธ
Delicious. A winner with the whole family. Always makes me happy when the gluten free recipe is as good as anything you could make with wheat flour. Such an easy method too. Thank you so much for sharing ๐
Do I need to add Xanthan gum if my Gluten free flour blend includes tapioca starch?
Iโve never made a gluten-free cake before, so Iโm a little nervous. Iโm practicing for my sons girlfriendโs birthday party. She has celiac disease.
Thank you
Hi Gail! Yes, you’ll need to add xanthan gum. You see, tapioca starch acts as a starchy flour, making your sponge light and fluffy. Xanthan gum, on the other hand, acts as a gluten substitute (that is, effectively as a glue), preventing the sponges from being too crumbly and delicate. I know gluten free baking can be a bit intimidating at first, but after a few times once you get the hang of it, it’s not difficult at all. ๐ Happy baking!
OMG i have tried a couple of gluten free recipes and this is the best by far. I made it for my daughters birthday and there are a couple of gluten intolerant members of the family and they alway get forgotten about. Everyone was raving about this cake. My grandsons couldn’t stop saying “this is gorgeous” this will now be my go to cake to bake for my daughter. I will have to send this to her so she can bake it when she wants one.
I doubled the recipe and made it 3 layer!
YES! BEST gluten free cake ever! Tasted better than a traditional cake! Highly recommend!
Can you use Caster Sugar instead of the Granulated Sugar ?
Thank you
You definitely can! ๐
can i use Raw Cacao powder in this cake instead of cocoa powder? and can I sub coconut sugar for the granulated sugar?
I don’t recommend using cacao powder, as it has a lower pH (it’s more acidic) and it will behave completely differently than cocoa powder (especially Dutch processed cocoa powder). You should be able to use coconut sugar, though!
This is the BEST chocolate cake recipe ever! I used my own blend of white and brown rice flours, tapioca starch, and corn starch. It turned out perfect! Thank you sooo much!!!
Having a scratch bakery , I was looking for a moist gf cake and If there were more stars I’d use them awesome fabulous moist decadent cake. I also make it as white left out the coco and added gf vanilla pudding mix 2/8 cup and celestial chamomile tea for the hot water so fluffy my kids didnt even realize the cupcakes were gluten free I wish I could send a picture but no link for the flour I usea mixture of brown rice, corn flour, sweet rice flour, and arrowroot flour. Couldn’t find potato flour. Thanks so much for your sharing and baking skills (canada)
My sponge cracked in the oven. I think i need to turn temp down a little. Anyway my kids are happy as they have extra cake. It tastes delicious, very delicate and spongy. Going to make another one now.
Made this ultimate chocolate cake for hubby and not only did he love it but so did I. If I hadn’t made it I never would have known it was gluten free.
This is the best gluten free cake I have ever eaten! Itโs light and fluffy and absolutely delicious. I put freshly brewed coffee instead of water and my flour mixture was white and brown rice flour, tapioca flour and potato flour. This is my go to recipe from now on. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Can you use plant milk in The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Cake recipe? If so, could I use oat milk?
It should work with plant milk, oat milk should be fine.
I am making a wedding cake in which one tier needs to be gluten free. I tried this recipe, and it came out nice and gooey like a brownie. The outside was quite nice and it appears to be โdoneโ.
I donโt eat sugar, but Iโm sure it tastes delicious, because my house smells wonderful.
Any suggestions for a cake I can decorate, that will slice up for a wedding?
Hi Gigi, this cake shouldn’t really come out gooey like a brownie – it should have a moist crumb, but the texture of a sponge rather than a brownie. Is it possible that you under-baked it slightly? I always recommend using a toothpick test to check when the cake is done: insert a toothpick or skewer in the middle and it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. It should slice up neatly without any problems, if baked correctly.
I am new to GF baking and I saw one post with questions on high elevation baking. Iโm at 8,100โ (in Colorado) so baking a challenge but it turned out beautifully. Hereโs what I did: cut the sugar by 3T, cut the oil by 1/2t, used a scant measure for both the baking powder and soda, added 1/2T more flour (Bob Mill 1-1 flour) and lastly added ~1t addโl water. I also baked it in a 9×9 pan for 42 min. It sounds complicated but for those that live at elevation itโs the norm. Turned out beautifully. The frosting was also a pleasant surprise…light and creamy but with the body of a good buttercream. I added a pinch of espresso powder to mine to enhance all that chocolate deliciousness.
I’ve been slowly getting braver with GF baking (still not bread though- no luck there!) Bob’s Red Mill had been my go-to chocolate cake mix and one of the only mixes I even use because it’s so good. And my kids love it so I can make it for birthdays and have cake too! It’s been impossible to find locally anymore, and Amazon was going to take forever to get me another overpriced box of it, so I searched for a recipe and hoped for the best. This was an EXCELLENT chocolate cake (GF or not). Perfect sponge texture and it makes much better layers (the BRM mix is on the small side, makes thin layers if you go that route). Thank for you giving me a better option that I always have the ingredients on hand for! For those wondering- I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour and no xantham gum and it worked perfectly! Now I just need to get the baking time right for 8 inch layers. I did 35 mins but I think it was a touch dry on the edges.
Can I use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil?
I haven’t tested it, but I think it should work. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out! ๐
Can you use the King Arthur gluten-free measure for measure, or the gluten-free free all purpose baking flour?
It should work with either โ I know people have used many different GF blends with great success. ๐ Just note that if your blend already contains xanthan gum, you don’t need to add it separately.
Instant hit! I have made this cake several times now, my gluten free resistant brother commented “Apparently cake was always supposed to be gluten free. This is the best cake I’ve ever had.” This is the highest praise. Super moist, chocolatey, delicious, EVIL (because low cal it is not ;-)) Highly recommend.
Hi Kat. My friend and I tried your recipe tonight, and letโs just say it did not work out. We followed your recipe exactly, only substituting corn starch for xantham gum. But about 10 minutes into baking the pans COMPLETELY overfilled and burnt. And when I say burnt, I mean BURNT. Like kitchen filled with smoke and we had to take the pans outside. Iโm not blaming you, but Iโm also not blaming us. Kind of bummed. No idea where it went wrong. I feel like a chump.
Hi Grace, so sorry you’ve had trouble with the recipe. Cornstarch isn’t a suitable substitute for xanthan gum in gluten free baking, since they carry out completely different functions. What kind of baking tin size did you use? Because the tins shouldn’t overfill, there should be more than enough room for the sponges to rise. Did you use gram or volume/cup measurements? Because the latter can be super imprecise and can cause trouble. Finally, what kind of oven and over setting did you use?
Hi, does this cake freeze well? I need to make one for a midweek birthday celebration and wondering if I can bake cake in the weekend and then frost it on the day I need it for?
I haven’t tried freezing it, so unfortunately can’t guarantee that the cake will retain its delicate crumb…
This cake really does not work – it is heavy, soggy and inedible. I’ve tried to leave this comment before but obviously only positive comments ar allowed. Will be interested to hear what happens to this one.
Hi Belinda, so sorry you had trouble with the recipe! I do allow (constructive) negative comments, not just positive ones โ although this cake recipe rarely has negative reviews, as it’s generally a very reliable recipe that I use constantly and many others have made without any problems. I’d be happy to help out to see what went wrong! What kind of GF flour blend did you use? Did you change the recipe at all? Did you use a fan oven โ that can sometimes cause problems?
My 1st ever gluten free cake! Family did not realize the difference, especially the teenagers. Fabulous moist and easy to make.
Substitute the xanthan gum with 1 tsp of Physillium husk powder.
Can anyone help? I have tried this recipe twice and itโs just not baking in the middle, I left it in for over an hour and itโs still not baked? My oven is fan assisted so I set it to 170 degrees but apart from that I followed the recipe to a T
Hi Emma, the recipe is optimised for a conventional (non-fan) oven. But in general, you should lower the oven temperature by 20ยบC for a fan oven โ although I’m not sure what’s stopping your cake from baking through… What kind of baking tin (material, size) are you using? That can have a large effect on the way the cake bakes.
Hi Kate,I wanna bake this cake but what’s the worst part is I didn’t get gluten free flour, I search so many groceries,and I don’t want to use all purpose flour, will you please tell me how to make with rice flour and tapioca flour or oats flour other flours with ratios.thank you
You can definitely mix up your own GF flour blend โ a good starting point is (by weight) 50% white rice flour, 30% potato/tapioca starch and 20% maize flour.
Made this cake for a BBQ and no one could even tell it was gluten free! I used two 8 inch tins instead but otherwise I followed this recipe to a T and it came out bloody amazing! This will be my go to recipe from now on ๐
Made this using Schar\Glutafin multipurpose mix. It looked, cooked and tastes absolutely great! My little girl has Coeliac disease and she loves it. Thank you.
This is FAR and AWAY the best GF chocolate layer cake I’ve ever tasted or made. I used King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure and skipped the xanthan gum because of that. Thank you, thank you for this fabulous recipe.
TY, this is the very 1st. GF cake from scratch I’ve made, for hubby’s birthday..[.I also make strawberry short cake from the store angel fd. cake but I believe this could be used since it is spongy, just omit the choc.] I used Bob’s Red Mill Flr. ty so much
Oh my gosh this cake is insanely good. I questioned a few of the ratios but trusted the recipe and holy smokes it is probably the best cake, let alone gluten free, that Iโve ever had. Easy to follow recipe, did my own flour mix as recommended and it worked perfectly!
Oh my……you hit this one out of the park โผ๏ธ Gluten free baking can be hit and miss at best. I made this for a birthday cake for a dear friend. I made a whipped chocolate ganache for the frosting. Everyone loved it. What I loved most if how moist it is …..typically I find gf cakes quite dry. The flavour was excellent and it cut very nicely without crumbling.
Thanks for such a super recipe. ๐
Oh my Goodness, this cake is amazing. I even made it with a chia/flax egg with Coconut & oat milk. I used got coffee instead of boilling water. My fiance is not crazy about G. F. Over half this cake was gone in one setting between three people. Man, I woke up in the middle of the night creating this cake. This cake was so damn good, I head out for breakfast. Wow! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hi there! Did you sift the powdered sugar for the icing first?
Yes, it’s best to sift the icing sugar, especially if it has clumps in it.
Hi
This cake is amazing. I made it once and it went down a treat!
I want to make it again but cannot get hold of GF plain flour during the current crisis. Can I use GF SR flour as a substitute? If so, do I need to omit/reduce the baking powder/bicarbonate.
Any help Is much appreciated
Thanks for such an awesome recipe
Hi Meash, you can make it with GF SR flour and you will probably need to decrease the amount of raising agents slightly โ as I haven’t tested it with SR flour, I can’t say for sure, but I think adding about 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda *should* work. If you have some experience baking with that SR flour, you’ll probably know better how much extra raising agents it requires.
I’ve made this cake so many times … It’s delicious!! I want to make it this weekend (doubled for a tall 6″ plus cupcakes) .. But don’t need it to be GF this time. Have you made this with cake flour? Or AP?
I haven’t made it with regular wheat flour myself, but I know other have and with great success! ๐
can i use self raising gf flour that has xantham gum already in it?
You can, but in that case you won’t need to add xanthan gum separately AND you’ll need to adjust the amount of raising agents added separately.
My Robin Hood Gluten Free all purpose flour blend has xanthan gum. Will still work? or should I omit the xanthan gum in the recipe… Thanks!
If your blend already contains xanthan gum, you don’t need to add it separately.
will this work with 8″ pans? It’s that or cupcakes becuase I don’t have 7″ – wonder what will come out most moist
It will definitely work with 8 inch pans, you might need to shorten the baking time slightly.
This cake is absolutely amazing. I made it for my wife for her birthday using Bulk Barn flour while in Covid-19 isolation, and omg it was the best cake I’ve ever had. I didn’t even have any cake tools and I’ve never made a multi-layer cake before.
I did have 9″ pans instead so I dropped the baking time down by about 5 minutes.
I also put some dark chocolate shavings on the top for the extra chocolate flavour!
Hi there so I bought gluten free flour from a bulk food store … it says it has that xanthan gum added to it… so do I still add it or should i just buy the store bought blend
If your GF flour blend already contains xanthan gum, no need to add it seprately.
Made this for hubby and he loves it. Iโm not a big GF fan but have to adapt for his allergy. This was the best GF cake weโve had. I used 8 inch pans as thatโs all I had and they turned out fine. They did dome quite a bit but I just cut that off, iced it and made like a sandwich….he ate the whole thing! ๐
Made this for my husbandโs birthday cake. He loved it. Light, fluffy, & not overtly sweet. A hit in my house. Will be making again.
Hi.Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes, definitely โ melted butter will work perfectly!
I don’t normally leave reviews, but I used this recipe to make my 3 year olds birthday cake (I have coeliac disease and I didn’t want to miss out on cake! Haha) this recipe did not disappoint, it made the most delicious sponges, we all enjoyed it! I will be making this again it was very yummy! Thank you ๐
Made this for my birthday as it was the only thing to look forward to in isolation and I’m incredibly impressed! I don’t think I’ve had a cake this good in years, especially a gf one. I’ll definitely be making this again, made my whole day
Iโve tried many GF cake recipes over the past five years after cutting gluten from our diets and my husband and I agreed this was the moistest, fluffiest GF cake weโve ever had. LOVE this recipe! Thank you!
love it!!!
Made the cake, best gf one I have baked/eaten! Can I use the same batter and make cupcakes instead?
You definitely can, just shorten the baking time to 18 – 22 minutes.
I’ve made a lot of gluten free chocolate cakes and this is by far the BEST! SO MOIST! Instead of boiling water I used black strong coffee and it just added to the intense chocolate flavor. So good!
The best chocolate cake ever, I made a birthday cake and nobody notice it was a gluten free. I used King Arthur flour.
Hi! This was my first attempt at baking a gluten free cake and I followed the recipe exactly. When it was finished it looked amazing and the texture was perfect but it had a horrible after-taste. Any ideas where I went wrong as I want to make sure I get it right next time???
Two things I can think of:
1. What kind of oil did you use? It can strongly influence the flavour – I usually use a flavour-neutral oil like sunflower.
2. Because the cake gets its flavour from the cocoa powder, make sure you use a high quality cocoa powder you really like the flavour of.
Hope this helps! ๐
Wat does xantham gum do? Can we do without it?
Xanthan gum acts as a gluten replacement, helping gluten free bakes gain some elasticity/flexibility and also helps keep them from drying out too quickly. I don’t recommend trying to replace it or omit it altogether.
This cake was delicious! But…It was missing something?…like Vanilla Extract!!!! Aww man. I wish I realized that before it was done baking!! The minute I tasted it, I could tell it was missing! ๐ฌI will definitely remember next time!! Otherwise great recipe and texture!
one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve eaten, let alone a gluten-free recipe. thank you so much for this! so light & delicious
Do you use unsweetened cocoa?
Yes, unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder.
Iโd like to use this for cupcakes. Would you adjust the bake time or temperature?
Thanks,
Terri
You will probably need to shorten the baking time to about 20 minutes, keeping the oven temperature the same.
Beautifully light cake! I used Doves Farm plain flour. I didn’t want a sandwich cake so I put all the mix in a larger cake tin (9in I think) and baked it at 160C (fan) for 1hr15min… a little cracked on the top but covered that with the frosting and it was lovely!
Hi, are your oven temps for fan forced ovens ?
The temperatures are for conventional ovens. If you use a fan oven, lower the temperature by 20 ยบC.
Wishing I hadn’t started this recipe. Too much scrolling around for directions and ingredients.
You can use the “jump to recipe” button to skip past the introduction, and the recipe ingredients and directions are all listed within the recipe in the commonly used order.
This looks aaaaaamazinh! My 6 year old has coeliac disease and we are always looking for recipes to tryโ any advise ingredient wise if I was making this into a 3 tier cake?? X
It will depend on the diameter of the cake tins you will want to use, but the recipe can be easily scaled up by multiplying all ingredients with the same number, no need to adjust the ingredients ratios. ๐
Thank you SO much for this recipe! I didn’t think it would be possible to make something that accommodated my gluten intolerance that everyone at the party enjoyed, but I was wrong! Everyone loved it! Will be making it again, for sure ๐
(I used a gluten-free baking mix from a local supermarket in Holland that had xantham gum added, because I couldn’t find it separately)
I made this cake today, baked it in 3 6 inch cake tins and layered it with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. It is DEVINE! Delicate, moist crumb that holds together and isnโt crumbly. TRUST THE RECIPE and itโll be AMAZING!
First attempt came out perfect! Bye bye gluten free cardboard cakes and supermarket offerings with pages of ingredients and preservatives, this is indeed the ultimate chocolate cake! Checking out all your other recipes now and they all look amazing ๐ Thank you
This was my first time baking a cake. It turned out pretty good. I used coconut milk (14% fat) to substitute for the milk and oil. Thank you.
HEllo, can i use coconut milk to make it dairy free?
I would recommend a lighter non-dairy milk for the sponge, such as rice, almond, soy or oat milk. Coconut milk is usually high in fat and could result in an oily/greasy sponge.
Help I’ve done this cake about 6 times and the last 2 have ended up rubbery? Any idea what’s gone wrong?
Have you changed your gluten free flour blend by any chance? If you started using one that already contains xantan gum, adding xanthan separately as per recipe could result in a gummy/rubbery sponge texture.
I just wanted to ask is the only ingredient that needs to be gluten free is it the flour I wanted to try a gluten free cake not really tried one before
Hi Hani, flour is indeed the main ingredient that needs to be gluten free, but just to be absolutely sure I would also double check the baking powder, as gluten sometimes sneaks into there as well. Happy baking! ๐
As someone who bakes, cooks, and follows a tons of recipes, this is the best cake recipe I have ever followed. I followed your exact instructions and my cake came out perfect. The frosting was amazing!
Why do you need to use grease proof paper?
It prevents the cake from sticking to the tin, especially on the bottom. I prefer to line the tins to spraying with non-stick spray, and have had better success with lining than with greasing. But feel free to use your preferred method of making sure the sponges don’t stick! ๐
I have never made a gluten free anything, but promised a work friend Iโd attempt a gluten free dairy free cake for her birthday, as she always misses out on the goodies we have for morning tea. This cake was amazing, turned out so light and springy, nobody believed it was โfree fromโ and 2 people said it was the best cake theyโd ever had. Thank you!!
Made this today with Doves Farm Plain Flour. Great recipe, wouldn’t know it was gluten free. Shortened the cook time slightly as my cake pans were bigger than specified
This cake is easy, moist, and absolutely scrumptious! It is now my go to recipe for a decadent dessert!
Have you ever substituted the hot water for coffee?! Just wondering if that would be an option?
Sure thing, it works perfectly!
Wow this is a lovely cake. Itโs the first time Iโve baked a cake from scratch start to finish! I followed everything except I used bakerโs sugar instead of granulated. Then I actually just did the buttercream frosting from a different recipe on this site so that I could have vanilla buttercream frosting. Thank you for this recipe. Iโm glad I trusted you on the boiling water- what an experience!! Super moist cake- thereโs not even crumbs that fall off.
Have just made this cake and it does taste very good. A question on the texture – itโs more like a moist brownie than a light, fluffy sponge. Is this normal for a gluten free cake?
The cake should be VERY moist but still cake-like and fluffy in texture. It could be it needed 5-10 minutes in the oven. In general, glutem free cake sponges should be nearly indistinguishable in taste and texture from “regular” cakes (if prepared correctly).
I am a baker/cake decorator. I make and decorate cakes for other people and I am always told that my cakes are super moist and delicious. Finding out I had celiac disease 3 years ago changed a lot of things for me and while I still make cakes for other people I canโt sample them and I throw away a lot of cake tops. Itโs sad.
So all of that was to let you know where I coming from when I say this cake is what dreams are made of. It is soft, rich, moist and dense but still light. It is amazing! And I am eating every crumb of this cake top!
Can cupcakes be made from this recipe?
They certainly can – same recipe, fill cupcake cases ~3/4 full. Baking time should be about 20 minutes.
OMG!!!! I made this cake last week and took it the the neighbours and my friend said we shouldnโt serve it….was horrified…..little did I know she loved it and didnโt want anyone else to have any…HILARIOUS. The only GF mix I had was self rising. I live in NZ ๐ณ๐ฟ and hard to find a decent white mix unless I make my own. I used Edmonds GF self rising. And cheated and used a Betty Crocker icing…..this is my NEW dessert favorite…..thanks so much
Please, could you help me with this : do use US cup or UK cup for measuring?
I use US cups (where 1 cup = 240 mL).
This makes the BEST fluffy delicious cupcakes also!!! The baking time for 12 cupcakes 2/3 full is about 10min.
These were such a hit at our kidโs birthday party, thanks so much!
Great recipe, really easy to follow and the cake turned out perfectly, with an amazing texture and flavour – thank you!
Looking to make this for a friendโs birthday and would like to know if it can be frozen. It will be easier to put a fondant icing on if it is frozen.
Hi Liz, I’ve never tried freezing it, so unfortunately can’t help you there. Maybe look through the comments to see if anyone’s successfully frozen the cake before? Otherwise, I would recommend doing a small-batch trial run just to be certain.
Hi Kat,
If Iโm using Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 flour should I still add the xanthan gum?
If your GF flour blend already contains xanthan gum, no need to add more.
Hi Kat,
This cake looks amazing!
Where did you find the Lidl UK flour?
Iโve been looking on the Internet and canโt seem to find it anywhere, not even on Amazon.
I want to make this cake for a friendโs birthday. She has been really disappointed with the GF cakes sheโs tried at different restaurants in the past. I was hoping if I use the same flour that you used perhaps she would enjoy it more.
Hi Heather!
It’s possible the flour is out of stock (it’s happened before, unfortunately) โ but you can get the same results with Doves Farm Free plain gluten free flour! ๐
I do hope your friend enjoys this cake โ I’ve made it numerous times, and even non-GF friends LOVE it!
I made this yesterday my first gluten free cake ! Really impressed thank you I will be definitely making this again . It was a hit .
I made this for my housemates as one of them has gone gluten free. Followed the recipe EXACTLY and baked the cake for bang on 40 minutes. It is awesome.
So tasty, chocolate-y, and most importantly for the non gf in our house, it tastes like normal chocolate cake (if not better)
Thanks!
Will any dark chocolate work or should it be a baking chocolate?
I use 60-70% dark chocolate, and it should be a chocolate you like to eat (if you don’t like the taste of it plain, you probably won’t like it in the cake ๐ ) and melts nicely.
This cake recipe is awesome! My daughter, a registered dietician, raved about it and said she will be passing it along to her patients. I made it for my wife’s birthday because she is glueten and lactose intolerant. The only things I changed were that I substituted almond milk for the milk and my glueten free flour already had xanthan gum in it so I didn’t add any. I also had 9″ pans so I didn’t cook it as long. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I tried making this cake twice, both times it rose beautifully but fell like a rock. I don’t know why? Please help. I do live at 6200 feet so maybe it’s the altitude. They are delicious though.
Unfortunately, I donโt have any experience with high altitude baking (but it’s likely the reason why it didn’t turn out well) โ Iโm sure thereโs plenty of information about adjusting baking temperatures and times if you try googling it? ๐
Do I definitely need to add the xanthan gum? I have the plain gluten free flour and the baking soda and powder
Xanthan gum isn’t a raising agent, it acts almost like a gluten substitute, preventing the sponge from being too crumbly and dry. I do recommend adding it, if your GF flour blend doesn’t contain it already.
This has turned into my go – to cake receipe. I’ve made it quite a few times now an every time has been better than the last. I do find that I have to cut the sugar on the cake in half and typically use jam to layer the cakes instead of the frosting. The jam on top and a layer of strawberries changes the feel.
This last time – we did the frosting for a birthday and it was amazing. We also found we could leave it uncovered in the fridge for 3 days before it got crunchy.
For all the ways you can use this cake, it’s certainly our favorite.
Hi! Have you had any experience covering this cake with fondant? If so, how did it come out and how long did it last?
Sorry, never tried covering it with fondant, only buttercream frosting!
Absolutely gorgeous!! My husband made it with rice flour, you wouldnโt know it was gluten free!
Best gluten free chocolate cake I have ever had! I’d like to make a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting! Any tips?
You can use this recipe for my caramel popcorn cake, just substitute the peanut butter with butter. ๐
The best gluten free chocolate cake indeed! Thank you so much for this! I’ll be baking this many times over for sure.
Followed your instructions to the point, using dl and grams, and it was absolutely brilliant, everyone loved it and were amazed about it being gf.
Thanks again! โก
So happy you enjoyed the cake, Louise! ๐
I am making a gluten free, dairy free cake for a friend’s wedding and I am wondering if you have any suggestions about a milk replacement?
You can use pretty much any non-dairy milk here, such as almond, soy, rice, milk…
I am intolerant to the gluten free flour you are using, rice, corn, and potatoes.
Paleo diet. Do you know of a grain free flour blend to use for your recipe that does not use oat flour or almond flour.
Hi Autumn, I think my paleo chocolate cake would be perfect for you!
I’ve just baked this and not only is it a great gluten free chocolate cake, it’s a great chocolate cake full stop.
I don’t do a lot of gluten free baking and was surprised at how well the sponge turned out. It was moist, well textured and had a nice rich flavour. The end result was pretty much exactly as it looks in the pictures but not as well decorated! The only things I changed was I used caster sugar instead of granulated in the cake, and reduced the icing sugar to 175g in the buttercream frosting (I always find buttercream recipes too sweet for my taste). I used freee plain white flour by Doves Farm which worked well.
Thanks for the recipe, I’ll definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much for this lovely review Matt, I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake!
Really impressed. I used 100g less sugar and 100g less liquid. And did not bothered withe icing this time. And it turned out to be light and moist.
The mix I used was from Dove farm and it had Xanthan gum . I wonder if you tried it without Xanthan gum or guar gum?
Hi Nadine, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake! If your GF flour mix already contains xanthan gum, no need to add it separately. That said, I haven’t tried this recipe completely without xanthan gum, as I find it really helps with the texture of gluten free bakes.
Hi! Just curious if coconut oil could be used as a substitute instead of the vegetable oil. Thanks
Coconut oil should work fine โ although I’ve found that when you substitute in coconut oil, it’s best to use a slightly smaller quantity then listed in the recipe. But I haven;t tried this specific recipe with coconut oil yet. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Hi, I was wondering if the ingredients are for one or two sponges ? As your cake is made with two sponges.. And what would be the pan size in cms ?
Thanks
Hi Urska, the recipe ingredients are for two sponges, suitable for pan sized 6 or 7 inches (that is, 15 or 18 cm). You can easily adapt the recipe for differently sized pans however. ๐
Iโve been using the Bobโs Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour, but it does contain xanthan gum. Should I not use this for the cake? What kind do you recommend best?
Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 should be fine, just don’t add the xanthan gum separately. ๐
What is the difference between Xantum and Phsyllium Husk?
I am very new at gluten free.
Drienie
Hi Drienie, they both carry out a similar function in gluten free baking โ adding elasticity and flexibility to GF bakes (essentially acting as a substitute for gluten). Xanthan gum is a chemically pure compound, whereas only part of psyllium husk is the “active part”, so you’ll in general need to use more psyllium husk to achieve the same effect, where only a pinch of xanthan will be sufficient. That said, xanthan gum is best for most bakes (cakes, cookies, cupcakes, etc.) but psyllium husk is better when you make GF bread (where a mix of xanthan and psyllium husk usually gives the best results). Hope this explains it! ๐
Thanks for clearing that up for me. I’m new to GF baking and my mother-in-law had mentioned using psyllium husk when baking GF biscuits (the U.S. kind ๐ ) and suggested I try it. I had never seen it used as an ingredient for cakes and cookies, always the xantham gum, so I was a little skeptical. I’ll have to let her know that it’s better for baking breads but not for cakes and things which is what I’m mostly baking at the moment.
HI! Iโm hoping to use this recipe for quite a small pan, will the recipe work out th same if I half it? Less time in th over?
Cheers! H
The recipe will work just as well if you halve it. The exact baking time will depend on the size of your pan, so I can say for sure how long it will take. When it’s been in the oven for about 20 minutes, I would check the doneness of the sponges with a toothpick/skewer: just insert it into the middle of the sponge and if it comes out with half-baked batter or many moist crumbs attached, then it’s not done yet. Bake it for a further 5-ish minutes, and check again. When the toothpick/skewer comes out clean and the cake feels springy to the touch, it’s done.
absolute disaster!!! I used coconut flour and was too thick and dry + the sugar conversion in grams is wrong. I tried to salvage it by adjusting the other ingredients but the coconut flour was too dense so they ended up like brownies..
Hi Claudine, if you check the recipe you’ll see that I recommend and actual gluten free flour BLEND (for instance, one based on rice, potato and maize flour). Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture, and it unsuitable for the recipe.
Hi there! I am new to gluten free baking but need to make a cake for my gluten free friend! I have a big bag of Almond flour that I have used in other recipes. Would this work as the gluten free flour?
Almond flour unfortunately won’t work for this recipe โ a gluten free flour blend is strongly recommended. ๐
How long should I bake if I’m using a 9×13 cake pan instead?
I would recommend baking for about 30 – 40 minutes, and then checking the doneness with a toothpick or skewer. If it comes out with half-baked batter or many very moist crumbs attached, just bake for 5 minutes longer โ and so on until the toothpick/skewer comes out clean.
Anyone tried this recipe with Cup4Cup? How did it do?
Can almond milk be used in place of regular flour in the sponge?
Any suggestions for a dairy free icing?
Thank you
You can definitely use almond milk!
I made the cake and fallowed everything. Mine didn’t turn out like the one in your pictures. How did you get them so high. Did you double the recipe or something?
Hi Shayna, I didn’t double the recipe. What kind of baking tin size did you use? The recipe is perfect for 6 or 7 inch tins. Also, check whether your raising agents are okay and active โ them being expired could cause the cake not rising properly.
Lovely recipe definitely the best gluten free chocolate cake but the first time we made it, I thought there was an after taste of baking powder so I reduced the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda amounts by a third and felt it was much better, still rose enough and no bitter aftertaste. Used Doves farm flour.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jenny! The amount of the raising agents also depends on whether you use plain or self-raising GF flour blend. If you by any chance used a self-raising one, that would explain the after taste.
HI ,
Can this recipe be made with an egg substitute? I love your page!!
Thank you ๐
I haven’t tested this particular recipe without eggs, but I don’t think an egg replacement will work. I recommend you check out my Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe, which you should be able to make with GF flour (and add xanthan gum).
Hi there. Have been GF baking for years and was eager to try your recipe — it’s in the oven now but it appears this is far, far too much liquid. I added extra flour & hot cocoa mix at end to try to make it usable. Noticed other commenters below don’t seem to have used the recipe.
Hi Rebecca, I hope your cake turned out well โ but it actually SHOULD be that liquidy, the consistency before it goes into the oven is like a thick-ish hot chocolate! I know it seems counterintuitive, but it really works, giving a delicate moist sponge. I hope you give this recipe another try without altering it. ๐
Your chocolate cake looks amazing, but I have been asked specifically to make a gluten free coffee cake. Would it be possible to successfully adapt this recipe?
Certainly! It will depend on whether you want a chocolate-coffee, or a purely coffee cake though. If you want a chocolate-coffee cake, just substitute hot brewed coffee (or similar) for the hot water that goes into the cake batter, and make a coffee buttercream (or a chocolate-coffee buttercream). If you want a purely coffee cake, it might be better to start from my popcorn cake sponges, just use all-butter instead of the peanut butter+butter combination, and add some coffee into the mix! Hope this helps ๐
Hi! Thanks for sharing! Iโm wondering if I need to add more xantham gun if my GF flour mix already has it. Thank you!
Hi Janelle! No need to add more separately. Enjoy! ๐
Hi there! This looks AMAZING and I can’t wait to try it. I was looking for that GF flour you mentioned you use but that is not something I’ve been able to find. Do you recommend another brand??? THANK YOU!!!
If you’re from the US, people have had very good results with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free blends.
King Arthur Flour GF flour blend also works a treat!
What can I sub for mik – dairy intolerant friend.
You can use almond, soy, oat or rice milk โ or pretty much any other non-dairy milk alternative that’s suitable. And coconut cream as a substitute for the butter in the frosting.
Hello, do you think I can use flax eggs to make this vegan? I see the recipe is very different from your vegan gf chocolate cake recipe, which one would be better for me to follow as I am looking for a vegan recipe. Thanks!!
If you’re looking for a vegan recipe, I would definitely recommend the Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake.
Your cake and cupcakes recipes look so delicious! What kind of gluten free flour do you use?
Thanks
Thank you so much, really glad you like the recipes! At the moment, I prefer the Lidl UK Just Free GF flour blend, which consists only of rice, potato and maize flour. It works a treat! ๐