Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Happy 29th birthday to my boy!
If there is one thing my boys agree on when it comes to birthday cake, it’s chocolate cake needs chocolate frosting. No vanilla frosting on top. No trying to lighten things up. Chocolate on chocolate.
And I agree.
You might think a rich chocolate cake covered in homemade chocolate buttercream would be overkill, but I promise you, it isn’t. The cake is moist and deeply chocolatey, and the homemade frosting is sweet, creamy and SO much better than anything from a tub.
Even better? The whole thing is gluten-free.
A Gluten-Free Cake Everyone Will Love
If you've baked gluten-free in the past, you may have experienced cakes that were dry, crumbly or had that unmistakable gluten-free texture.
This isn't one of them.
The trick is starting with a good gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend. My two favorites are King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I used King Arthur when I made the cake pictured here, but I've had great results with both.
A 1-to-1 flour blend makes gluten-free baking so much easier because it's formulated to replace regular all-purpose flour without having to create your own combination of gluten-free flours and binders.
One important note: If you're making this for someone with celiac disease or a serious gluten intolerance, make sure all of your individual ingredients are labeled gluten-free and be mindful of cross-contact in your kitchen.
Chocolate on Chocolate Is the Only Way
My boys have always loved chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, so that's exactly what this is.
And before you think, That's a lot of chocolate, trust me.
The homemade chocolate buttercream is what makes it. It's creamy, sweet and chocolatey without overpowering the cake. There's just something about homemade frosting that makes a simple layer cake taste special.
This recipe makes enough frosting for a generously frosted two-layer cake like the one pictured.
If you're making the cake in a 9x13 pan, you'll probably have frosting left over. Whatever you do, don't throw it away.
Stick it in the refrigerator and later slather some between graham crackers for the grandkids. 😉
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup boiling water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. For easier removal, you can also line the bottoms with parchment paper. But I have not had any issues just using Crisco with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, almond milk, vegetable oil and vanilla.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Stir in the 3/4 cup boiling water. Don't be concerned if the batter looks slightly thinner than traditional cake batter. That's exactly what you want.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake!
Allow the cakes to cool slightly in the pans for a few minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Then let them cool completely before frosting.
For a 9x13 cake: Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and bake at 350°F. I would begin checking it at 25 minutes and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Homemade Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup almond milk (may need more)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the vanilla and cocoa powder and mix until combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the almond milk.
Continue beating until the frosting is light, creamy and easily spreadable. If it seems too thick, add a little more milk.
Make sure your cake layers are completely cool before frosting.
Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
A few things make a difference with this recipe: use a quality 1-to-1 gluten-free flour, don't leave out the boiling water, and don't overbake the cake. Gluten-free baked goods can dry out quickly when they're baked too long.
And definitely don't try to frost warm cake layers. I know it's tempting, but you'll end up with a chocolate buttercream landslide.
For the layer cake, I spread frosting over the first layer, add the second cake layer and then frost the top and sides. This frosting recipe gives you plenty to work with for a two-layer cake. Make sure you don’t skimp on that middle layer!
The Chocolate Cake I'll Keep Making
There are plenty of gluten-free recipes where you feel like you're eating the gluten-free version of something.
This doesn't feel like the gluten-free version of chocolate cake. And because we have a few gluten intolerances in our family and extended family… I’ve just made it a habit to cook/bake as much gluten free as I can.
This recipe: it's just a really good homemade chocolate cake that happens to be gluten-free.
And around here, if we're making chocolate cake, we're going all the way with the homemade chocolate frosting too.
My boys wouldn't have it any other way. ❤️
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