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the best gluten free chocolate cake recipe
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The BEST Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe (EASY)

This gluten free chocolate cake is robust in flavor and has a perfectly moist texture. When paired with a creamy and decadent buttercream frosting, it's a duo that will make your tastebuds happy!
This recipe will make three 8" rounds or three 9" rounds.
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Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 4 cups gluten-free flour
  • 1½ cups cocoa powder
  • 2¼ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp guar gum or xanthan gum Omit if your flour blend already has a gum
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup avocado oil
  • 1½ cups hot coffee

For the Buttercream

  • 2 cups salted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla

For the Ganache

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350° and line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment
  • In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt - whisk to combine.
  • In a stand mixer add the sugars, eggs, milk, acv, oil and vanilla - whisk to combine
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients- whisk to incorporate
  • Slowly add the hot coffee to the stand mixer until it is incorporated
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the three pans and pop into the oven for 25-30 minutes (I’d check at 20 minutes)
  • Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack - let the cake cool completely before assembling - I like to pop mine into the refrigerator before assembling
  • While the cake bakes and cools lets make the filling and the buttercream!

For the Buttercream

  • Using the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
  • On a low speed, add the cocoa powder to the butter until completely combined.
  • Slowly and on a low speed add the powdered sugar, alternating, 2 cups of sugar and a tablespoon of heavy cream, until the ingredients have been added.
  • Add in the vanilla and set the mixer to medium speed and beat for 5 minutes. This will yield the most creamy, smooth buttercream

For the Ganache

  • Heat the heavy cream, either over the stove or in the microwave. If using the stove, heat over low heat until scalded. If heating in the microwave, heat for 20 second intervals until warmed.
  • Pour the chocolate chips into the warmed milk and let it set for 3-5 minutes.
  • Then, stir the mixture until smooth and creamy. Let this mixture cool completely before using it on the cake (you don't want to melt the buttercream!).

For Assembly

  • Add a small amount of buttercream to the center of the cake board, this will keep the cake from sliding around. Then place the first cake layer in the center of the cake board. Plop some buttercream on the cake and use a slanted spatula to spread the buttercream in an even layer. Sometimes I like to sprinkle a little something to add texture to the overall cake - like mini chocolate chips or crushed chocolate cookies!
  • Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream, and repeat step one.
  • For the third layer, you will flip the cake to the bottom faces up before placing on the cake. This will help give you a nice corner edge for the cake when frosting.
  • Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of the buttercream and pop it into the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes to set this layer of frosting.
  • Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting. I like to use a cake edger or scraper, but you don't have to use this. You can always create a rustic look with a spatula or use the back of the spatula, while you spin the cake on a cake spinner to create cute rings around the cake.
  • This last step is up to you! I like to add a pretty chocolate ganache to the top of the cake. There are lots of ways to do this but my favorite is to use these bottles - they make controlling the drip on the edge of the cake so easy! But you could also use a piping bag with a small tip, or a quart size plastic bag with a small hole snipped in the corner of the bag.
Servings: 3 8 inch rounds