Cooking and Serving: 40 minutes | 8 slices cake
Ingredients
Gluten free flour – Use a high-quality all purpose gluten free flour blend | Sugar – Just enough granulated sugar to sweeten the cake and keep it tender | Cocoa powder – No melted chocolate needed. Cocoa powder delivers all the deep
Description
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 8 slices cake
Ingredients
Gluten free flour – Use a high-quality all purpose gluten free flour blend
Sugar – Just enough granulated sugar to sweeten the cake and keep it tender
Cocoa powder – No melted chocolate needed. Cocoa powder delivers all the deep
Baking soda – Gives the cake lift and reacts with the acid in the sour cream
Salt – Balances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
Eggs – Add richness and structure. Bring them to room temperature so they mix
Oil – A neutral oil keeps the cake moist and tender without weighing it down.
Sour cream – Adds moisture and tang, with just enough fat to make the cake
Vanilla – Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warmth and depth.
Water – Warm water helps bring the batter together and bloom the cocoa powder
Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
⅜ teaspoon xanthan gum, (1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon) omit if your blend
14 tablespoons (70) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (168 g) sour cream, at room temperature
½ cup (112 g) neutral oil, (vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, canola all work)
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) warm water, (about 80°F)
¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (for whipped ganache, you’ll need 10
1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar, (optional for whipped ganache)
Instructions
TIPS FROM NICOLE
I first made this cake for one of my kids’ birthdays years ago, when I was.
determined to find a chocolate cake that didn’t feel like “the gluten free.
version.” I wanted something easy, with no fussy steps or fancy ingredients, but.
still rich and satisfying enough that everyone would want seconds.
This cake delivers all of that, and it’s my go-to for weeknights, birthdays, and.
anytime someone asks for chocolate. It’s not fancy. Just fudgy, dependable, and.
flexible enough to make your own.
single layer brown gluten free chocolate cake with brown chocolate frosting on a.
white serving platter with a spatula lifting one slice of cake from the rest.
layer brown gluten free chocolate cake with brown chocolate frosting on a white.
serving platter with a spatula lifting one slice of cake from the rest.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS CAKE.
marble surface with ingredients for gluten free chocolate cake in small bowls.
with black block letters with names of ingredients.
surface with ingredients for gluten free chocolate cake in small bowls with.
black block letters with names of ingredients.
Gluten free flour – Use a high-quality all purpose gluten free flour blend.
for structure and a tender crumb. (Better Batter or Nicole’s Best work.
Sugar – Just enough granulated sugar to sweeten the cake and keep it tender.
Cocoa powder – No melted chocolate needed. Cocoa powder delivers all the deep.
chocolate flavor you want in a fudgy cake. Dutch-processed preferred, but.
Baking soda – Gives the cake lift and reacts with the acid in the sour cream.
to help keep it moist.
Salt – Balances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
Eggs – Add richness and structure. Bring them to room temperature so they mix.
evenly into the batter.
Oil – A neutral oil keeps the cake moist and tender without weighing it down.
No butter to melt—just pour and mix.
Sour cream – Adds moisture and tang, with just enough fat to make the cake.
Vanilla – Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds warmth and depth.
Water – Warm water helps bring the batter together and bloom the cocoa powder.
for an even richer flavor.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Whisk together the dry ingredients: gluten free flour, cocoa powder, salt,.
baking soda, and sugar. Add the sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and warm water,.
and mix until well combined. The batter will be thick. Spread it evenly in a.
greased 9-inch round or square pan.
Large round metal mixing bowl with brown powder and metal wire whisk.
round metal mixing bowl with brown powder and metal wire whisk.
same bowl, with yellow, white and brown wet ingredients sitting on top of brown.
bowl, with yellow, white and brown wet ingredients sitting on top of brown.
Same bowl with all ingredients mixed together with a black silicone spatula into.
bowl with all ingredients mixed together with a black silicone spatula into a.
brown cake batter in round gold-colored baking pan with hand using small offset.
spatula to smooth top.
cake batter in round gold-colored baking pan with hand using small offset.
spatula to smooth top.
Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center.
comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes,.
then turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
dark brown baked cake in same gold round pan on wire rack.
brown baked cake in same gold round pan on wire rack.
brown cake out of pan on wire rack.
cake out of pan on wire rack.
HOW TO MAKE AN EASY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Ganache is the easiest chocolate frosting you can make: just heavy cream and.
chopped chocolate. Pour it over the cake for a silky glaze, or whip it into a.
To make ganache, heat heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour it over.
chopped chocolate, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Pour it over.
the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides.
For whipped ganache, start with 2 more ounces of chocolate. Chill the ganache.
until scoopable, then whip until it’s light and fluffy.
large round metal mixing bowl with dark brown chocolate frosting with black.
round metal mixing bowl with dark brown chocolate frosting with black silicone.
same brown cake with same frosting spread on top of cake with swirls.
brown cake with same frosting spread on top of cake with swirls.
EXPERT TIPS
Bring cold ingredients to room temperature.
Cold eggs and sour cream can cause the batter to clump or bake unevenly. Float.
the eggs in warm water and microwave the sour cream briefly to speed things up.
Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for richness.
Natural cocoa works, but Dutch-processed gives this cake a deeper, more complex.
Pull the cake when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Overbaking leads to dryness, even in a fudgy cake.
Want even more chocolate flavor? Use coffee.
Replace half the warm water with brewed coffee (regular or decaf) to intensify.
the chocolate taste without making the cake taste like coffee.
For layer cakes, double both the cake and the frosting.
This recipe makes one generous layer. To build a stacked cake, increase the.
yield to 16 and divide the batter between two pans.
Store frosted cake in the fridge if needed—this one won’t dry out.
Thanks to the oil and sour cream, this cake stays soft and moist, even chilled.
Just wrap it well
A piece of brown gluten free chocolate cake cake with two layers and frosting on.
piece of brown gluten free chocolate cake cake with two layers and frosting on a.
DAIRY FREE
The only dairy in the cake is sour cream, which you can easily replace with.
nondairy sour cream (like Violife or Tofutti) or thick plant-based yogurt (like.
To make dairy free ganache, use canned coconut cream or any vegan heavy cream.
(like Califia Farms, Country Crock, or Silk).
EGG FREE
This recipe uses 2 eggs. Try replacing each with a chia egg or flax egg. Flax.
eggs offer more structure, but may add a mild flavor the cocoa powder should.
COCOA POWDER
Dutch-processed cocoa makes this cake extra rich, but natural cocoa (like.
Hershey’s) works, too.
GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins.
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins.
slice of gluten free chocolate cake with chocolate icing with fork on small.
of gluten free chocolate cake with chocolate icing with fork on small white.
Moist, rich, and fudgy—this one-bowl gluten free chocolate cake has been a.
reader favorite for years. Top it with smooth ganache or whipped frosting.
EQUIPMENT
Electric mixer (handheld or stand).
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend.
Notes
* ⅜ teaspoon xanthan gum, (1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon) omit if your blend
* 14 tablespoons (70) unsweetened cocoa powder
* ½ teaspoon kosher salt
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
* ¾ cup (168 g) sour cream, at room temperature
* ½ cup (112 g) neutral oil, (vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, canola all work)
* 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, beaten
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) warm water, (about 80°F)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING
* ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
* 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (for whipped ganache, you’ll need 10
* 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar, (optional for whipped ganache)
* Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan and
* In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt,
baking soda, and sugar.
* Add the sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and warm water. Mix until smooth. The
batter will be thick but pourable.
* Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
* Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly
clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (about 30 minutes). Do not
* Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan
before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE GANACHE TOPPING.
* In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it just begins to simmer. Place the
chopped chocolate (use 10 oz for whipped ganache) in a medium bowl and pour
the hot cream on top.
* Let it sit for 1 minute to melt, then stir until smooth and glossy. Pour over
the cooled cake and gently spread to the edges so it drips down the sides.
Let it set before slicing.
TO MAKE WHIPPED GANACHE
* If you used only 8 ounces of chocolate and haven’t cooled the ganache yet,
melt 2 more ounces and stir it in now. Let the ganache cool at room
temperature until it’s no longer warm to the touch.
* Cover and refrigerate until it’s scoopable. Transfer to a large bowl and beat
with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until fluffy
and lightened in color (about 5 minutes).
* Add confectioners’ sugar, if using, and beat until smooth.
I recommend Better Batter’s original blend gluten free flour
multipurpose blend . Bob’s Red
Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour should also work,
but be sure to add 1/4 teaspoon more xanthan gum or the cake may be
crumbly. Cup4Cup changed its formula and doesn’t seem to work as well as it has
in the past, so I don’t recommend it.
Want to make your own? Head to my all purpose gluten free flour blends
page for mock blend recipes.
Nutritional information
The information you see is an approximation for 1 slice of a single layer 9-inch
cake, without the ganache frosting.
Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber:
4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
To make a two-layer cake, double the recipe recipe, and use a larger mixing bowl. Divide the batter evenly between two
Bake at 350°F, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick comes out
with moist crumbs (about 30 minutes total).
A piece of a gluten free chocolate cake with 2 layers and chocolate frosting in
between on a white plate with a fork
piece of a gluten free chocolate cake with 2 layers and chocolate frosting in
between on a white plate with a fork
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days—or up to
4 days if it’s fully frosted.
This cake is so moist and tender, it even stores well in the refrigerator
without drying out. Use that option if you won’t finish it within a couple days.
For longer storage, let the cake cool completely, then wrap it tightly in
freezer-safe wrap. Freeze frosted or unfrosted for up to 4 months. Defrost at
room temperature before frosting and serving.
You can also make the frosting ahead. Store it in a sealed container in the
refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before spreading—or re-whip it
briefly for a lighter texture.
Why did my cake sink?
If your cake rises and then falls as it cools, your oven may be too hot. Most
ovens run hot, so I recommend using a standalone oven thermometer and replacing
Can I use melted butter instead of oil?
No, butter has more moisture and less fat than oil, so the texture won’t be the
Can I use coconut oil?
Yes, as long as it’s liquid at room temperature.
Can I use a different baking pan?
Yes! A 9-inch square pan works with no changes.
For an 8-inch square pan, bake about 5 minutes longer.
For an 8-inch round pan, make sure it’s 3 inches deep, and increase the bake
time To bake in a 9×13-inch pan, increase the recipe 14 slices) and bake for about 40 minutes.
Can I use a glass baking pan?
You can, but reduce the oven temperature to 325°F after 15 minutes to prevent
overbaking. Glass heats slowly but retains heat longer, so it can cause burning
My ganache is too solid to whip—what should I do?
Just let it sit at room temperature until soft enough to scoop, then whip as
A piece of chocolate cake on a plate, with Ganache and Gluten free chocolate
piece of chocolate cake on a plate, with Ganache and Gluten free chocolate cake
This easy gluten free chocolate cake is rich, dense and fudgy, and it’s all made
in just one bowl. Make a double layer or single, with the simplest chocolate
ganache frosting. Say hello to your new favorite chocolate cake recipe!
easy gluten free chocolate cake is rich, dense and fudgy, and it’s all made in
just one bowl. Make a double layer or single, with the simplest chocolate
ganache frosting. Say hello to your new favorite chocolate cake recipe!
A forkful of chocolate cake with ganache topping
forkful of chocolate cake with ganache topping
gluten free chocolate cake on a cake plate with two slices removed and the words
“one bowl chocolate cake”
gluten free chocolate cake on a cake plate with two slices removed and the words
“one bowl chocolate cake”
Love this cake? Here are a few more chocolate desserts readers come back to
* Flourless Chocolate Cake
and naturally gluten free, with a silky texture that melts in your mouth.
* Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
– Lighter, fluffier, and just right for parties or lunchbox treats.
* Gluten Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
showstopper that bakes up beautifully in a bundt pan—no special skills
* Gluten Free Brownies
crinkly top and irresistibly chewy center, these are everything a brownie