Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

by Lyndall Kriedemann

An easy recipe for a gluten-free chocolate cake topped with chocolate buttercream frosting. No one will know that this moist and rich chocolate cake is gluten-free!

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 2 cups Glutagon all-purpose gluten-free flour 
  • ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat oven to 175°C.
  • Cut parchment paper for the bottom of your two 9-inch cake pans and spray with cooking spray. 
  • Add the white vinegar (or lemon juice) to the 1 cup of milk to make the homemade buttermilk.
  • In a medium-sized bowl add gluten-free flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Stir to combine the ingredients.
  • In a large bowl cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer, until fluffy.
  • 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 homemade buttermilk to the cake batter and mix until fully combined.
  • Add the boiling water to the batter and mix until fully combined.
  • Pour half of the batter into the first greased 9-inch cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter into the second greased 9-inch 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 cool my cakes on a baking rack.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • In a large bowl cream butter until smooth with a 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 it until smooth and spreadable.
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