Perfect Chocolate Cake GLUTEN-FREE
This gluten-free chocolate cake is every bit as moist and rich as the original. A good 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend makes all the difference — the structure, crumb, and chocolate flavor are indistinguishable from the traditional version. The secret weapon of hot coffee still applies here, deepening the chocolate without any coffee taste.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 280g gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, certified GF
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature for frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 0.67 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for frosting
- 0.33 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for frosting
- 0.25 teaspoon salt for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 175 degrees C. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment.
- Whisk together GF flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Batter will be thick.
- Stir in hot coffee. Batter will become very thin, this is correct.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat butter 3 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa on low. Add cream, vanilla, salt. Beat 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Layer and frost: One cake layer on plate, 0.75 cup frosting on top, second layer, then frost top and sides.
Gluten-Free Notes
- Use a 1-to-1 GF flour blend containing xanthan gum, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1. If your blend lacks xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon to the dry ingredients.
- Check your cocoa powder label to confirm it is processed in a gluten-free facility. Pure cocoa is naturally GF, but shared equipment is a concern.
- Let cake layers cool completely before frosting. GF cakes can be slightly more crumbly when warm.
- Powdered sugar may contain wheat starch as an anti-caking agent in some brands. Check labels carefully.
Variations
- Chocolate-raspberry: Spread seedless raspberry jam between layers before frosting.
- Death by chocolate: Add 1 cup GF chocolate chips to batter and use ganache instead of buttercream.
- Sheet cake: Pour all batter into greased 9x13 pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Per slice 1 of 12, with frosting
460
Calories
22g
Fat
62g
Carbs
5g
Protein
46g
Sugar
360mg
Sodium