This Gluten Free Chocolate Cake is incredibly rich, moist, fudgy with a light and tender crumb. Our favorite chocolate cake recipe made healthier with grain-free flours and comes together in ONE bowl. The perfect gluten free cake for birthdays, parties or any time you’re craving a death by chocolate cake. Dairy-free, paleo-friendly and refined sugar-free.
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Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Looking for the perfect healthy chocolate cake recipe? Everyone loves a good chocolate cake and this Gluten Free Chocolate Cake is incredibly rich, moist and our family’s favorite for special occasions and parties.
You can never have too many chocolate cake recipes in your back pocket and a few other reader favorites include this triple chocolate cake and keto chocolate cake.
Why we love this almond flour chocolate cake
- Our dairy-free chocolate cake is made with real ingredients and free of refined sugar
- The cake batter is easy to make in just ONE bowl and the chocolate cake layers bakes up intensely rich, moist and chocolatey with a light and airy sponge.
- It’s our favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe baked into triple layers making it perfect for birthdays, parties or any celebration when you need a gluten free, grain free, paleo or refined sugar free dessert
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Many gluten free chocolate layer cake recipes are made with a combination of butter, gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum and granulated sugar. Since we are trying to keep this chocolate cake grain-free and dairy-free, you will need:
Wet Ingredients:
- Eggs: help to give the cake structure and bind everything together.
- Granulated Maple Sugar: A natural unrefined sweetener. You can also sub with another granulated sugar or granulated sweetener of your choice such as Lakanto or Swerve for lower sugar. Coconut sugar works too.
- Dairy-free Yogurt: Adds moisture to the cake. Be sure to use a thicker Greek-style Yogurt or a thick coconut based yogurt (plain or vanilla) such as Kite-Hill, Culina, Cocojune or Yoggu.
- Almond milk: or any other milk of your choice
- Vinegar: combine with the almond milk and let sit for 5 minutes until curdled = homemade vegan buttermilk to make the cake soft and ultra moist
- Avocado Oil: A neutral-tasting oil that helps keeps the cake moist. You can also sub with another neutral oil of choice or melted coconut oil to add a subtle coconut flavor You can also use melted butter or ghee if you are not dairy-free.
- Vanilla extract: makes the cake delicious and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Dry Ingredients
- Almond Flour: Be sure to use superfine blanched almond flour and not almond meal. Almond flour is the main nut flour providing most of the bulk. Measure properly using the spoon and level method.
- Coconut flour + Tapioca flour: These gluten free flours provide structure to the cake and absorb extra moisture so be sure to fluff them out before measuing. When combined with almond flour, they balance out the flavor of gluten free cakes to mimic classic flour cakes.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder:
- Baking Soda: the leavening powder that helps the cake rise. Do not substitute with baking powder.
- Salt: balances out the sweetness and adds flavor.
How to make Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- PREHEAT THE OVEN AND PREP THE CAKE PANS: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. reheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- MAKE THE CAKE BATTER: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Then mix in the the sugar and yogurt. Pour in the milk, oil and vinegar and mix until combined.
- MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt and mix until the batter is well combined and smooth.
- TRANSFER THE CAKE BATTER TO THE PANS: Divide the batter evenly into each cake pan.
- BAKE THE CAKE: Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do NOT overbake – the time will vary depending on your oven.
- COOL THE CAKE LAYERS: Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan (or at least 30 minutes) before removing from the pan or it may (will) fall apart. Remove the parchment paper liner. Cool completely before frosting.
How to make Paleo Chocolate Frosting
This moist paleo chocolate cake calls for an easy dairy free chocolate buttercream frosting.
For this buttercream frosting recipe, you’re only going to need a few simple ingredients:
- organic powdered sugar or powdered coconut sugar
- cacao powder (natural cocoa powder)
- vegan butter or organic palm shortening (sub with ghee or regular butter if not dairy-free)
- unsweetened almond milk
- pure vanilla extract
- fine sea salt
- CREAM VEGAN BUTTER UNTIL FLUFFY: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat the butter or palm shortening until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- ADD POWDERED SWEETENER: Switch the mixer to low then slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the cocoa powder. Continue mixing on low until combined. Add the vanilla, then 1/3 cup of milk and salt and increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add more milk, a little at a time as needed until desired consistency.
Tips for success when it comes to gluten free baking
- Use the spoon and level trick when measuring flour – scoop your flours using a spoon into a measuring cup then wipe off any excess using a spatula or knife for the correct amount.
- Use room temperature eggs and milk – this helps the batter mix easier and more uniform when you add the dry ingredients
- Can I use use brown rice flour or King Arthur all purpose flour blend for this recipe? I have not tested this gluten free cake recipe with any other flours so I would say no. The amount of each of the gluten free flours we have listed have been tested specifically to achieve a moist and tender crumb. You may not achieve the same results if you swap out with another gluten free flour blend.
- Do not skip the vinegar – this helps the milk curdle and creates your own vegan version of buttermilk which helps to create air pockets for a light, tender and moist sponge. If you are not dairy free, you may try using sour cream if that’s what you have in your pantry.
- Do not overbake: This cake took 25 minutes of cook time in our oven but be sure to start watching at 22 minutes depending on your oven.
Variations for this gluten free cake
- Want to bump up the chocolate flavor? Add a 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee or instant espresso to make this cake extra rich and delicious
- Decorate the cake with some dairy-free or semi-sweet chocolate chips to wow your guests
- Instead of filling the cake with buttercream, you can make a chocolate mousse layer
What pans to use
We used three 8-inch round cake pans to make three layers.
- If you don’t want a triple cake layers, add the batter to a large 9 x 13 cake pan instead.
- You can also divide the cake batter into two 9-inch pans or pour the batter into a muffin tin to make chocolate cupcakes or muffins.
Be sure to adjust the baking times accordingly.
Chocolate Frosting
We chose to frost this easy gluten free birthday cake with a dairy-free chocolate buttercream frosting but you may use a frosting with regular butter if you don’t need a dairy-free version.
You can also leave this chocolate cake unfrosted and enjoy it as an after dinner gluten free dessert or snack cake.
Equipment you’ll need:
- Mixing bowl
- Three 8-inch cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer or stand mixer for the chocolate frosting
More gluten free cake recipes and desserts you’ll love:
This Gluten Free Chocolate Cake is incredibly rich, moist, fudgy with a light and tender crumb. Our favorite chocolate cake recipe made healthier with grain-free flours and comes together in ONE bowl. The perfect gluten free cake for birthdays, parties or any time you're craving a death by chocolate cake.
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 2 cups granulated maple sugar , you can also sub with another granulated sugar or granulated sweetener of your choice such as monk fruit sweetener or Swerve for a lower sugar option.
- 1/2 cup dairy-free greek-style plain yogurt OR thick coconut-based plain yogurt , such as Kite-Hill, Culina, CocoJune or Yoggu.
- 2 1/4 cups high quality unsweetened almond milk , we like Malk Organics since it’s much creamier and thicker, room temperature
- 1/2 cup avocado oil , you can also sub with another neutral tasting oil or melted coconut oil for a subtle tropical flavor.
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups superfine almond flour
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour , can also sub with arrowroot flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1 1/2 cups cacao powder OR unsweetened cocao powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 cups organic powdered sugar , or powdered coconut sugar
- 1 cup cacao powder
- 1 cup vegan butter or organic palm shortening (can also sub with regular butter or ghee if not dairy-free)
- 1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Then mix in the sugar and yogurt. Pour in the milk, melted coconut oil and vinegar and mix until combined.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt and mix until the batter is well combined and smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly into each cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do NOT overbake - the time will vary depending on your oven.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan (or at least 30 minutes) before removing from the pan or it may (will) fall apart. Remove the parchment paper liner. Cool completely before frosting.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat the butter or palm shortening until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Switch the mixer to low then slowly add the powdered sugarr, followed by the cocoa powder. Continue mixing on low until combined. Add the vanilla, then 1/3 cup of milk and salt and increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add more milk, a little at a time as needed until desired consistency.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, assemble the cake by placing the bottom layer on a cake platter or cake stand. Spread a layer of chocolate buttercream frosting then add the second layer and repeat with the top layer. Add the remainder of the frosting on the top and sides.
Recipe Video
Yields:
One - 3-layer -8 inch cake OR One - 2 layer - 9inch cake - OR One - 9x13 single cake
Serving size - 1 slice.
Julie S -
Made this last weekend and it was so delicious and a hit with the fam! Thanks!
irene r -
I made this cake for Valentine’s Day and my husband and I are obsessed.It came out delicious and will be our new go -to chocolate cake recipe.Thank you very much
Melanie -
We made this last night for my mom’s birthday and it was an instant hit! Thank you!
Sarah -
Ive been looking for a Good gf cake for a long time, and OH my god this is seriously the best i’ve ever tried. I didn’t foloow the recipe entirely to be truthful, i used regular milk, sugar, butter, and used cornSTARCH Instead of tapioca flour because its what i had. But still, it was amazing. Thank you!!!