Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. A one bowl gluten-free chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Dairy-Free option included.
Baking and cooking are one of my love languages, and I started baking at an early age.
One of the first things I learned to bake was a chocolate cake from my Mom’s Betty Crocker Cookbook.
I’ve come along way since my early baking days, but I still love to bake my family a gluten-free chocolate cake.
It was super easy to modify my favorite chocolate cake recipe when I went gluten-free in 2010. I am really happy to share it with you!
I have also included a dairy-free option to my gluten-free chocolate cake recipe. My husband, my youngest son, and I are all dairy-free.
I promise it is just as delicious made with the dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk. So, you too can enjoy a gluten-free and dairy-free chocolate cake.
This easy gluten-free chocolate cake is made in a few simple steps:
- Mix all cake batter ingredients together in a large bowl. The chocolate cake batter is smooth and easy to work with.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into 2 parchment lined and greased 8″ cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes on the center rack of your oven at 350 degrees.
- While the cakes are cooling, whip up the easy chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, frost the cake and enjoy!
This chocolate cake batter can even be made in a bowl without the use of a heavy-duty mixer.
My parents gave me a Kitchen Aid a few years ago for Christmas, so now I use it to make this cake. But for years, I either used my hand mixer or a big wooden spoon to mix the batter.
This easy recpie makes a rich, moist, and a decadent chocolate cake. So if you are a chocolate person, this gluten-free chocolate cake is for you!
If you have a chocolate cake lover in your family, you are going to want to make them this gluten-free dessert.
This gluten-free chocolate cake is perfect for brightening someone’s day or for celebrations! I have used this gluten-free cake recipe for birthday cakes and for cupcakes.
Also, take a look at a few of my other favorite gluten-free desserts.
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Graham Peanut Butter Brownies
Recipe inspired by Best Chocolate Cake from Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Cookbook.
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Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake {Dairy-Free Option}
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Prep Time: 30 minutes -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Total Time: 1 hour
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Yield: 16 servings
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Pin RecipeDescription
Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. A one bowl gluten-free chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Dairy-Free option included.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour ( I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.)
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (if your flour already has it leave out)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup butter plus one 1 tablespoon, softened (dairy-free use Smart Balance or Earth Balance butter)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (dairy-free use cashew, almond or coconut milk) You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to milk.
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup butter (dairy-free use Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk (dairy-free use cashew, almond or coconut milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut parchment paper for the bottom of your two 8″ cake pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl add gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (If your flour already has it leave out), salt, baking soda, gluten-free baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with a mixer.
- Add the eggs and pure vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined. Scape down the sides if needed.
- Add the buttermilk and mix until fully combined.
- Add the cocoa powder to the batter and mix until fully combined.
- Add the boiling water to the batter and mix until fully combined.
- Pour half of the batter in the first 8″ cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter in the second 8″ cake pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes. Please watch your cakes because all ovens are different.
- Check the center of the cake by inserting a toothpick to make sure it is done. You will also see the sides of the cake pulling away from the side of the pan.
- Allow the cakes to cool fully before frosting. I like to have mine cool on a baking rack.
- In a large bowl cream butter until smooth with a stand-up or hand mixer.
- Add the pure vanilla and almond extract to the butter. Mix until fully combined.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix until fully combined.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Add the milk to the frosting and beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Place the first cake with the shiny side down on a plate or a cake plate.
- Frost the top of the first cake. This will be the frosting in the center of your cake. I like a good amount of frosting in the center.
- Place the second cake on top of the frosted first cake the shiny side down.
- Frost the top and side of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- For more help in frosting a layered cake I Am Baker has a great tutorial.
- I decorated the top with chocolate shavings and frosting flowers using a Wilton 1M tip.
- This cake can be stored in the refrigerator.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Mama says, “Check all of your labels!”
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