This is the BEST Gluten Free Chocolate Cake! It’s moist, delicious and no one will ever guess it’s gluten free! It is perfect for your next celebration that calls for cake!
It’s my birthday! Well, not actually until Tuesday, but I think it is ok to celebrate all week, right?! Especially when your birthday falls on a weekday. When this happens you should probably make a huge gluten free chocolate cake and eat yourself into a chocolate cake frenzy all week long! My mom used to make a homemade cake for me every birthday growing up and they were delicious! I’ve recently started making them for myself and my kids and this gluten free chocolate cake makes a regular appearance.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
- Gluten Free All Purpose Flour – I developed this gluten free chocolate cake recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour. I have since made this recipe using a couple of other AP gluten free flour blends and it has worked, but I always prefer the taste and texture when I use Bob’s Red Mill. If using a different brand, make sure it contains xantham gum.
- Cocoa Powder -I use regular, natural cocoa powder for this recipe, not dutch cocoa powder.
- Sugar – I use both granulated sugar and brown sugar for this recipe. I use light brown sugar but dark brown would work as well. You could also use a mixture of cane sugar and coconut sugar.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter so you can regulate the amount of salt in your cake. I’ve also made this cake using vegan butter and it worked great!
- Eggs – I originally developed this gluten free cake recipe using real eggs, but have also tried the recipe using a vegan egg substitute and it worked well.
- Almond Milk – You can use any plant based milk for this recipe, and if you aren’t needing the cake to be dairy free you can use regular milk.
- Non-fat Greek yogurt – Non-fat Greek yogurt makes the cake light and fluffy but you can also use dairy free yogurt. I usually use plain yogurt but have made the recipe with strawberry greek yogurt and it worked great!
- Frosting – You can use any kind of frosting you want for this cake! I like chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, but it’s totally up to you. I have linked the chocolate frosting recipe I used in these photos in the recipe card.
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder
How To Make The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease your cake pans. This recipe makes a round 3 layer cake, but you can also use it to make cupcakes or a sheet cake.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa power, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars for about 3 minutes until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking in between each addition. Then add the vanilla and mix again. Finally add the milk and mix one last time. The wet mixture might look a little strange, like it’s curdled, at this point, but that is ok!
- Add the flour mixture and the Greek yogurt to the wet mixture, one half at a time alternating between the two, starting with the flour. Give the batter one last mix until everything is combined.
- Equally distribute the batter between the three baking pans. Bake cakes for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool inside the pan for ten minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Once the cakes are cooled, transfer to a plate or cake stand and stack the cakes on top of eachother, frosting in between each one. Frost the top and sides of the cake, smoothing out with a knife if necessary.
Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe dairy free? You can easily make this recipe dairy free! Just use dairy free butter and dairy free milk.
- Can I use almond/rice/coconut etc… flour in this cake? You could try, but I’ve had the best results using regular Gluten Free AP flour. Coconut flour would definitely alter the recipe and need more liquid.
- Can I make this recipe without eggs? Yes, just use an egg substitute. I like to use a flax or chia egg.
- Can I make cupcake with this recipe? Yes! Unless you need a lot of cupcakes, I would suggest cutting down the recipe by 1/3 to make cupcakes, it should make 24 cupcakes.
- Can I make a two layer cake instead of a 3 layer cake? Yes, just cut the recipe down by 1/3.
- Can I make this cake ahead of time? Yes, there are two ways you can make this cake in advance:
- How to freeze the cake: let cake cool completely and then wrap each round in plastic wrap. Place the plastic wrapped cake into a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months. Unwrap the cakes and thaw on the counter until ready to frost.
- How to store the cakes for just a few days: let the cakes cool completely and then wrap them loosely in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. If it’s hot in your kitchen, store in the refrigerator.
Have a question that I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Easy Gluten Free Dessert Recipes?
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Mixed Berry Upside Down Chocolate Cake
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Gluten Free Three Layer Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8-12 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This is the best homemade gluten free chocolate cake you will ever eat! Everyone who makes it loves it, even people who aren’t gluten free!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour*
- 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup almond milk or regular milk
- 1 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yougurt
- 2 cups chocolate frosting – see link below for the one I used
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powered, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla and mix again. Finally add the milk and mix one last time. The wet mixture might look a little strange at this point, but that is ok!
- Add the flour mixture and the Greek yogurt to the wet mixture, one half at a time alternating between the two, starting with the flour. Give the batter one last mix until everything is combined.
- Grease three 8 inch cake pans and equally distribute the batter into the pans. Bake cakes for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool inside the pan for ten minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Once the cakes are cooled, transfer to a plate or cake stand and stack the cakes on top of eachother, frosting in between each one. Frost the top and sides of the cake, smoothing out with a knife if necessary.
Notes
*I have only made this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking flour, I’m not sure if it would turn out the same using a different gluten free flour.
I used this chocolate frosting recipe, but you can use any recipe or store-bought frosting you like. You will need about 2 cups depending on how much frosting you like to use.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert, Gluten Free
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Happy Birthday!! My favorite summer ingredient is berries!! Hope your day is fabulous!!!
Thank you! Berries are pretty great!
Love to see all the delish things you share and this will be a keeper cake. Hope mine turns out this pretty!!!!!
My favorite summer item is “home-grown” tomatoes!!! The just taste different when you grown them in your local soil.
Happy Birthday!!!
Thank you so much, Toni! Home grown tomatoes are the best! I wish I had better luck at getting them to grow!
Happy, happy birthday, Izzy! You’ve seriously got SO much fun stuff going on today. I mean, cake and giveaways?? So much fun. 🙂 I can’t even believe that this gorgeous cake is gluten-free! It looks so moist and fudgy inside and I’m totally craving an XXL slice for breakfast right now!
Thank you so much, Sarah!! It totally is so moist and delicious! And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t eat some for breakfast a few days in a row 🙂
Happpy birthdayyyyy! This cake looks so delicious and pretty. I just want to faceplant right into it. My favorite summer ingredient is probably zucchini, but I love sweet corn too!
Thank you, Kelly! Haha, I will faceplant right there with you!
Happy happy birthday!
Summer deliciousness, for me, is all wrapped up in a REAL vine ripened tomato .
Thank you! Vine ripened tomatoes taste so good!!
Happy Happy Birthday!This cake is gorgeous, Izzy! Love the pretty layers – it’s the perfect celebration cake! I have been looking for a gluten free chocolate cake to make for my niece for her birthday and can’t wait to try this one!
Thank you, Kelly! You have to try this one! It really is so good 🙂
That’s a beautiful cake.. Looks so lush.. Can’t believe its gluten free.. definitely gonna be making it for hubby 🙂
Thanks Arpita! You gotta try it 🙂
This is insanely gorgeous! I saw it on Facebook and could not stay away! My brother in law is Celiac so I’m always looking for new gluten free baking recipes — will definitely have to try this one!
Thank you so much, Ashley!! You have to make this for him! I took the leftovers to work and everyone was very surprised it was gluten free!
Hey! Happy birthday. You have the same birthday as me! Yay!
Thank you! Happy (belated) birthday to you!! August 4th is a pretty special day 🙂
This is seriously the most perfect, pretty cake I’ve ever seen! I’m so envious of your cake baking talents!! Happy almost birthday!!!
Awww, thank you so much, Jess! This is probably one of the only things I’ve ever baked that turned out pretty, haha!
Happy early birthday, Izzy! This cake looks soooooo delicious and moist! This is one seriously gorgeous cake.
Thank you, Danielle! It really was so moist and delicious!! 🙂
Happy birthday, Izzy!! You have every right to celebrate all week long. That means at least one piece of cake per day! 😉
It looks amazing. So moist and decadent! And I love those grocery bags too. They’re so pretty!!
Thank you, Sarah! I definitely ate more than my fair share of cake 🙂 And now I want more, haha!
Peaches and nectarines are my favorite summer ingrediants
Yum! I love them too!
I would have to say watermelon is my favorite summer ingredient, along with the other melons. You can eat it plain, add it to recipes, make a smoothie, and the best part is that no matter how you use it, the kids will love it.
You are reminding me that I haven’t eaten nearly enough melons this summer! They are so good!
First of all, happy birthday! Second, I’m obsesse with your gorgeous cake! Seriously…gorgeousness and it looks absolutely delicious. I’m always looking for great gluten free dessert options for my gluten free friends. 🙂
Thank you, Tina! I think your friends will love this cake!!
I love zucchini in the summer in everything – savory and sweet
Zucchini is such a great versatile ingredient!
This cake looks yummy! Would he be ok to freeze the cake for few days before icing & decorating it?
Yes!
Classic chocolate cake is simply the best- love this gluten free layer cake!
Agree!!
Ohhhh myyyyy yum. Oh my yum. I need this cake!
Yes you do need this cake!! 🙂
What a beautiful cake! Hard to believe it is gluten-free, and I’m sure it is delicious too 🙂
Thank you so much!
Happy early birthday, Izzy! This chocolate cake looks absolutely gorgeous! I’m in awe of these pretty layers. And that bag is just the cutest! What a great giveaway! Hope you have a wonderful day and celebrate with lots of this yummy cake!
Thank you, Gayle!! I was so happy and excited with how it came out! And I probably ate way too much of it, haha!
Can you use regular yogurt?
Yes!
Hi Isadora,
I am new to your website and would like to know if you sale your reusable food bags? I would love buy one.
I love blog. I am anxious to bake this wonderful looking chocolate cake. Hopefully this weekend.
Thank you.
Hi Paula,
Unfortunately, I don’t sell them quite yet. I was thinking about doing another giveaway to win one of them soon though, so stay tuned! I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂