Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake slices on plates

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Cool: 45 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 cake

Sometimes chocolate cakes are gluten free by nature, omitting the flour to create a dense and fudgy dessert. But for the times when you want a multi-layered, more festive treat that's gluten free, you'll need to work with some alternative flours.

Fortunately, the world of gluten-free baking has made leaps and bounds in recent years, and to make a perfect two-layer cake, it really is as simple as subbing out wheat flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. When you choose a premade one that has stabilizers and gums added, the results for chocolate cake are nearly identical to the traditional version.

This cake tastes similar to a wheat flour cake, though you might notice the texture is slightly more springy. It's an excellent choice for a birthday or holiday celebration, being full of rich cocoa flavor. It holds up well to a buttercream such as this chocolate buttercream one, but we also love it with a simple ganache.

"The gluten-free chocolate cake was easy and chocolatey. You really couldn't guess it was gluten-free, and the flavor was amazing. I baked it in 9-inch pans and used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour and grape seed oil. The cake was excellent, and I'm sure I will make it again." —Diana Rattray

Gluten-free chocolate cake/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grape seed or avocado, more for the pans

  • 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup dairy or non-dairy milk

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2/3 cup boiling water

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gluten Free Chocolate Cake ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment. Generously grease the bottom and sides of the pans. Set aside.

    Parchment paper lined and greased cake pans

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  3. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Alternatively, use a large bowl and an electric mixer. Whisk on low speed until well combined.

    Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a glass bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  4. Turn off the mixer. Add the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes.

    Cake batter in a glass bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  5. Add the boiling water and mix until combined, about 1 minute.

    Cake batter in a glass bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  6. Fold in the vinegar with a silicone spatula.

    Cake batter with vinegar in a glass bowl, with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  7. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

    Cake batter in a cake pans

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  8. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

    Baked chocolate cakes in cake pans

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  9. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans before frosting, about 45 minutes.

    Gluten Free Chocolate Cake frosted on a platter

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Tips

  • To make this recipe into cupcakes, bake for less time—generally 20 to 22 minutes in standard-sized muffin tins. It makes about 24 cupcakes.
  • Be sure the cakes have cooled completely before frosting.
  • This recipe is easily halved for a single cake, or for 12 cupcakes.
  • For best results, use 8-inch cake pans, which will yield a taller cake than 9-inch pans.
  • The vinegar adds lightness to the cake, so we don't recommend omitting it.
  • If baking this for someone with gluten or celiac intolerance, be sure to check that all ingredients, including baking powder/soda and cocoa powder, are certified gluten free.

Recipe Variations

For a different flavor, try one of the following:

  • Brewed coffee instead of water for a mocha cake; coffee should be boiling hot to activate cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract for a minty chocolate cake
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons whiskey or rum added to the batter with other liquids, for a festive flavor


  • To make the cake vegan, use non-dairy milk and a cup-for-cup egg substitute.
  • The batter makes a batch of 24 cupcakes. We enjoy frosting them with an easy vanilla glaze.

How to Store and Freeze

  • This cake can be stored at room temperature for up to several days unfrosted. Once frosted, refrigerate for up to 1 week in the fridge.
  • To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then secure in a freezer-proof container. It will freeze well for up to three months, and can be frozen with or without frosting. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

How do I know when my gluten-free chocolate cake is done?

A toothpick inserted into the center of a cake should come out clean. The internal temperature should be 210 F.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
297 Calories
11g Fat
45g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 385mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 78mg 6%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 65mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)