The best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake recipe with chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache for any occasion! This death by chocolate cake is incredibly moist, rich, and decadent! Perfect for celebrating a special event or life in general.
If I may be so bold…
This gluten-free chocolate cake happens to be the best gluten-free chocolate cake I’ve eaten.
It is sinfully rich with moist crumbs, powerfully decadent and includes SO much chocolate, you’ll hardly believe it! We’re going for max chocolate absorption here.
In addition to being gluten-free, I made this cake recipe to be a dairy-free option as well.
The best part is you’d never guess it isn’t a normal chocolate cake because it has the perfect texture!
The way I see it, this decadent layer cake is ideal for special occasions. Nothing says, “I love you,” like a dessert that is positively loaded with rich chocolate goodness!
The run-down of this cake is a three-part adventure.
First and foremost, we make a perfect chocolate cake that’s studded with chocolate chips. To enrich our lives, we frost the cake layers with chocolate frosting, then finish it off with a hefty layer of rich ganache.
1.) Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake:
Moist, rich, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, completely amazing AND studded with chocolate chips for that Death by Chocolate effect.
I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, coconut sugar, avocado oil, instant coffee granules, and full-fat coconut milk for the cake to keep it on the allergy-friendly.
Any gluten free flour blend will work, provided it is a 1:1 replacement blend for all-purpose flour.
If you’re trying to keep the cake sugar-free, consider swapping the coconut sugar with your favorite sugar-free sweetener. As an alternative, you can always use brown sugar!
2.) Chocolate Buttercream
I used this Favorite Chocolate Buttercream recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, so I don’t re-publish the recipe here but instead encourage you to check out her incredible buttercream.
This buttercream is fully leaded – it is not dairy-free or sugar-free, which makes it obviously delicious.
If you are dairy-free, you can use a vegan butter spread instead of butter. Truly, the cake and ganache are so rich and amazing on their own that you don’t really need the buttercream, although I find it to be pretty amazing.
To lower the amount of sugar in the entire cake, you can replace the powdered sugar in the butter cream with sugar-free confectioner’s sugar, as seen in my my Keto Chocolate Buttercream. I like Swerve‘s confectioner’s sugar, but you can also go with Monk Fruit or Truvia.
3.) Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache:
Made with full-fat coconut milk and your favorite dark chocolate bar. This ganache gets smeared on top of the chocolate buttercream for an added layer of richness. Because we’re using dark chocolate bars for the ganache, it is less sweet.
This is PERFECT for those who love dark chocolate, and especially amazing if you’re also including the chocolate buttercream, because it offsets the sweetness with that bittersweet richness. I add sea salt, because I know my chocolate.
As an alternative, you can make my easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache recipe which uses chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars.
You can skip the buttercream and just go with the ganache for less sugar and for an entirely dairy-free cake.
I guess you could say this is a four-part adventure if you count the chocolate chips hidden inside of the cake and the shaved chocolate on top.
Death By Chocolate Chocolate Cake:
This is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the richest, chocolatiest, death by chocolate chocolate cake that ever did exist. The chocolate cake is not only rich and delicious on its own, but it also includes chocolate chips, which makes it fudgy and almost brownie-like.
PLUS we’re frosting the whole thing with chocolate buttercream, THEN smearing with dark chocolate ganache AND sprinkling with shaved dark chocolate bar.
A chocolate lover’s dream!
Pro Tip: Microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds to get it all nice and warm. Everything will melt together, generating the most insanely rich and fudgy brownie-like cake sex treat. Just trust. Put the slice in a bowl.
I’m going to give it to you straight: baking the best gluten-free chocolate cake requires some time.
Rome wasn’t erected in a day, people.
The good news is, you can do some multi-tasking.
For instance, you can whip up the buttercream as the cake bakes, watch your programs on the tele, podcast it up…really get into it, you hear? The ganache takes 17 seconds to make, so don’t freak out about it.
You’re still stuck on “erected,” aren’t you?
The way I see it, this recipe is fabulous for a special occasion. Think: birthday, anniversary, graduation, Valentine’s Day, the end of a pandemic…to name a few.
Let’s bake!
How to Make The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper too.
If you only have one cake pan or springform pan, no worries! You can bake the cake layers one at a time, or stick with one pan to make an ultra thick single layer cake.
Mix the coconut milk and vinegar together in a mixing bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Add the Instant Coffee granules to a measuring cup and fill with 1 cup boiling water to make 1 cup of coffee. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
As an alterative, you can brew one cup of coffee using regular coffee grinds in your coffee maker, Fresh press or pour over).
Add the gluten free flour blend, natural cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt to a large bowl and whisk well until combined. Set aside.
If using chocolate chips, add them to a measuring cup with 2 teaspoons of flour and stir well to coat the chocolate chips in flour (this ensures they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake during baking).
Add the avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla to the large mixing bowl with the coconut milk. Mix together wet ingredients until combined. If you have an electric hand whisk or electric mixer, feel free to use it on on medium-high speed until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the hot water coffee mixture, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Stir in the chocolate chips (if adding) until well combined.
Divide cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
The cake is considered fully baked once it reaches 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the cake to be sure it doesn’t overbake.
Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the spring form pans.
While the cakes are baking or cooling, prepare the chocolate buttercream (if using).
Once cool, release the cake from the spring form pans and place one of the cakes on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake, then place the second cake on top of the buttercream, creating a cake tower.
Use the remaining buttercream to spread all over the cake – you can go as liberal or conservative as you’d like here depending on how much you love buttercream.
Prepare the chocolate ganache.
Chop the chocolate bars and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Note: the finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker the ganache will come together, so try to chop it nice and small.
Microwave (or heat on the stove top) the coconut milk until very hot, but just under boiling. Pour the coconut milk into the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit for 1 minute (this loosens up the chocolate so that it will melt nice and easy).
Stir the mixture well until all clumps of chocolate are out and the mixture is nice and creamy. Taste for flavor and add sea salt and pure maple syrup to taste. If you’re using super dark chocolate (85% or higher), I’d suggest about 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
Pour and spread the chocolate ganache over the chocolate buttercream using a rubber spatula.
You can coat the whole cake in the ganache or give it a drippy look. I’ve taken both approaches and love the way both look.
If desired, sprinkle the cake with shaved or grated chocolate bar over the gluten-free cake.
Serve with a huge glass of milk (or non-dairy milk) and enjoy!
How to Store Cake:
Store any leftover cake on the counter covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days. Past that, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze cake in a large freezer bag or zip lock for up to 3 months.
And that’s it! The best chocolate cake recipe for chocolate lovers! Make it for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, holidays, and any time the chocolate craving strikes!
If you’re looking for a grain-free chocolate cake recipe using almond flour, check out my Paleo Triple Chocolate Cake!
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes:
- Death By Chocolate Keto Brownies
- Easy Low-Carb Chocolate Fudge
- Flourless Keto Chocolate Cake
- Paleo Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cake
- Flourless Avocado Brownies
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag me at @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
That better-than-sex, death by chocolate, nothing says I love you like a two-tier rich chocolate cake smeared in buttercream and drenched in ganache chocolate cake life. 😉
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp instant coffee granules or instant espresso
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour leveled
- 3/4 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/3 cups coconut sugar*
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips optional
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 8 ounces dark chocolate I use two 85% chocolate bars**
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 pinch sea salt to taste
Instructions
Bake the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with butter, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper too.
- Mix the coconut milk and vinegar together in a mixing bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Add the Instant Coffee granules to a measuring cup and fill with 1 cup boiling water to make 1 cup of coffee (or you can brew one cup of coffee. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Add the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt to a large bowl and whisk well until combined. Set aside.
- If using chocolate chips, add them to a measuring cup with 2 teaspoons of flour and stir well to coat the chocolate chips in flour (this ensures they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake during baking).
- Add the avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla to the mixing bowl with the coconut milk and use an electric hand whisk (or beat by hand) to mix together wet ingredients on medium-high speed until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Stir in the chocolate chips (if adding) until well combined.
- Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For the best result, use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the cakes. They are fully cooked once they reach an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees F.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the spring form pans.
- While the cakes are baking or cooling, prepare the chocolate buttercream (if using).
- Once cool, release the cake from the spring form pans and place one of the cakes on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake, then place the second cake on top of the buttercream, creating a 2-tier cake. Use the remaining buttercream to spread all over the cake – you can go as liberal or conservative as you’d like here depending on how much you love buttercream.
Prepare the Ganache:
- Prepare the chocolate ganache. Chop the chocolate bars and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Note: the finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker the ganache will come together, so try to chop it nice and small.
- Microwave (or heat on the stove top) the coconut milk until very hot, but just under boiling. Pour the coconut milk into the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit for 1 minute (this loosens up the chocolate so that it will melt nice and easy). Stir the mixture well until all clumps of chocolate are out and the mixture is nice and creamy. Taste for flavor and add sea salt and pure maple syrup to taste. If you’re using super dark chocolate (85% or higher), I’d suggest about 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
- Pour and spread the chocolate ganache over the chocolate buttercream.
- If desired, sprinkle the cake with shaved or grated chocolate bar.
- Serve with a huge glass of milk (or non-dairy milk) and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
I originally shared this recipe on August 17, 2020. I updated the photos and the text but left the recipe the same.
What can I use as egg substitute?
What can I use as an egg substitute?
Hi Gilda,
I haven’t tested the recipe using an egg substitute, but I did just find this recipe for Egg-Free Chocolate Cake and it looks amazing. You can always replace the sugar with coconut sugar if you’d like. Hope you enjoy!
I made these as cupcakes! Cooked them for about 20-22 minutes, checking often. They were a huge hit! Don’t expect a super sweet base: the bitterness of the chocolate cake is perfect with the sweet buttercream!
Ooooh brilliant idea! I’m so thrilled the recipe worked out nicely as cupcakes. And so happy you love the buttercream with the cupcakes 😀 xoxo
This looks delicious! How do you think it would turn out if I left out the coffee? I’m making this for my kids and don’t really want to caffeinate them. They are already energetic enough! 🙂
Hi Liz,
You can definitely leave out the coffee! You’ll still need the hot water, but you can add it without the instant coffee 😀 Let me know if you have any other questions, and I hope you and your children enjoy!! xoxo
@Julia, we use decaf coffee and works great!
Brilliant! Thanks so much for letting me know!
I am trying to keep the buttercream dairy-free. Can I use coconut milk or almond milk as a substitute?
Hi Maria,
I know it’s possible to make chocolate frosting using coconut cream but I haven’t tried it recently. I just googled dairy-free chocolate frosting, and this one looks pretty great: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/vegan-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/
This looks amazing!! Do you by any chance know how many calories are in a slice?
Hey im wondering for the buttercream is it in the cake or substituting the ganache thanks
I made this cake today after trying out like 4 recipes. It came out better than the last 4, but it was still a bit dense. I wonder if it could have been due to overmixing? I might try a different type of flour since I know the flour can really make a difference in perfecting the cake. Thanks for the recipe! The flavor was definitely there!
Hi Denisse,
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cake! I’m not quite sure what would have caused the denseness of it, but it could have been an overmixing situation. Mine turns out nice and fluffy, but next time I make it, I’ll be careful to see what I do every step of the way and report back 🙂
Hi I don’t see baking soda as an ingredient to use. But it’s in your instructions. Is baking soda needed for this recipe?
@Lydia, it’s in step 3 of the cake recipe 😊
Hi! Can i substitute the coconut milk with full cream milk?
Hi Maria! Yes, aboslutely! You can also use buttermilk 🙂
I followed the recipe and the cake is unedible. Too much salt and baking soda. The cake taste so bad i have to throw it
Did you use iodized salt instead of sea salt?
@Ellie, I just tasted the batter and agree with this. I’m currently baking the cake and we’ll see how it tastes after it’s baked but I can’t imagine it’ll change.
Same question. Did you use iodized salt instead of sea salt?
Hi! Is it possible to use another milk substitute like oat milk or almond milk instead of the coconut milk? My family is not a big fan of coconut, and I’m worried that using the coconut products will make it taste like coconut
Hi Jenna!
Yes, you can replace the coconut milk with oat milk, almond milk, or regular cow’s milk. I will say the cake may not turn out quite as moist, as coconut milk has a decent amount of fat in it and adds to the moisture. Nevertheless, it can be replaced 😀 xoxo
What can you use instead of coffee or espresso in this recipe?
Hi Jennifer! You can omit the Instant coffee or espresso. If you’d like, you can add a touch of cinnamon – 1 tsp is plenty – but it doesn’t need to be replaced with anything else. I will mention, you can’t taste the coffee if that is a concern…it just adds a nice richness to the cake and makes it taste more chocolatey. If the caffeine is a concern, you can always use decaf coffee or espresso 🙂 Hope this helps!
I don’t see the buttercream in the recipe. Am I missing it?
Hi Tiffany,
I linked to it within the copy of the post. I used this recipe – https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/favorite-chocolate-buttercream/ Hope you enjoy! xo
This is THE BEST chocolate cake I have ever made! I asked my husband to take some of the extra in to work because there are only two of us and I was eating WAY too much! His coworker enjoyed it so much he asked for the recipe 🙂 The only changes I made were to use regular granulated sugar and I omitted the coffee (just added 1 C water instead).
I’m so happy to hear it, Shanna! Thanks so much for letting me know your changes. So thrilled everyone enjoyed it! xoxo
Where is the chocolate buttercream recipe?
Hi Sherri! It’s linked in the post. Here’s the recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/favorite-chocolate-buttercream/
Could I use coconut flour?
Hi Ciara!
Coconut flour requires more eggs and liquid than any other flour, so unfortunately it can’t be used in recipes as a 1:1 replacement. I would suggest googling a chocolate cake recipe with coconut flour to ensure it turns out correctly! Hope this helps! xoxoxo 😀
Will coconut oil work instead if avocado oil?
Hi there! I haven’t tested it myself, but it should work. Just be sure to use melted coconut oil 🙂
What can I use in place of coconut sugar? I have stevia, monkfruit and swerve
Monkfruit or Swerve will work great! If the Stevia is in granulated form, it will work too. Enjoy! xoxo
Made this cake! I used an egg replacer and a vegan vanilla buttercream, however, since my kids prefer vanilla buttercream! All turned out great! How long does this cake keep? And does it stay at room temp or go in the fridge?
So happy you and your kids enjoy it! We keep it at room temperature for 3 days and then move it to the refrigerator or freezer. xoxo
Despite the mutiple steps the cake was easy to make. It was really good and my family couldn’t believe it was GF. I omitted the salt as I just don’t add it to my baked goods. I used a 9×13 pan so had to cook an extra 10 mins or so but it cooked perfectly. My dad said it was like a brownie but I thought it was very cake like. Maybe he was thinking the richness of the chocolate. The chocolate buttercream recommended in the intro was freaking amazing.
I’m so thrilled you enjoy the recipe, Liz! And thank you so much for providing your detailed feedback – this is very helpful. I’m obsessed with that buttercream recipe too – it’s just so rich and delicious! xo
So I decided to try this recipe. I used a spring pan…been cooking for over 40 minutes and it’s cooking unevenly 😞. I hope it turns out! It’s for my daughters bday 🎂. I found the batter very runny… I tried it it was tasty though.
Now I wait!
Did you make any substitutions, like using regular milk instead of coconut milk? If so, it would make sense that the batter was runny, as coconut milk has a much thicker consistency and also contains emulsifiers.
I followed the recipe …but the batter seemed very runny..I used a spring pan cuz it’s all I had. It cooked very strangely..inside first then slowly around outside. I tasted the wet batter and it was good so I crossed 🤞🏻 my fingers. Baked about 45:mins. It was bitter but I liked it…my family not so much. The ganache was also so so… to everyone else.
Hi Louise! Would you mind sharing what brands of cocoa powder and chocolate you used? This could be helpful to others trying to make the recipe as the inputs do make all the difference 🙂
Hi, you say it’s dairy free but you add eggs, what can I use instead?
Hi Nancy,
Eggs are not dairy 🙂 I haven’t tested the cake with an egg replacer so I don’t have a great suggestion for you there. I would google a vegan gluten-free chocolate cake recipe to be sure the consistency ends up nice and fluffy.
AMAZING (and you’d never know it was gluten-free and dairy-free for those you are skeptics)!!! This cake is incredibly moist, perfectly dense, and fabulously chocolate! My daughter, the house baker, and has made this cake twice so far, and it has turned out BEAUTIFULLY each time (she follows the recipe to a “T”).
Someone had mentioned a non-caffeinated option to coffee–we used decaf coffee. (You cannot taste the coffee in the cake, but in enhances the chocolate flavor, be mindful you can make the coffee strong or weak depending on your preference.) Also, for those who aren’t coconut fans, please know you can’t taste it in the final product. As an ingredient, the (full fat) coconut milk adds the needed fat, and moisture, to make this cake devine. This recipe is now a staple for chocolate cake in our home. THANK YOU so much!!
For those who want a dairy-free option for the butter cream, I use palm shortening. I have made all flavors of homemade frosting (strawberry, raspberry, almond, vanilla, lemon, orange, chocolate, and cookies-and-cream) using palm shortening as the base (and almond or coconut milk as the milk) and it has ALWAYS been a fan favorite. Have fun and enjoy the possibilities you can create to frost this incredible cake!
I absolutely LOVE this beautiful review and feedback! I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and to provide so much detailed information for others who want to try the recipe 🙂 I feel like it’s one thing for me to say those things, but it’s so incredibly helpful if someone who’s not me says it.
I have yet to try buttercream using palm shortening but I’ve been meaning to! I’ve used it in other applications and enjoyed it, so this is a great tip! Many thanks again for your thorough feedback and sweet words! xoxo
@Julia, we are needing a white cake recipe (gluten and dairy-free), do you happen to have one?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Hazel! I haven’t made a white cake recipe using a gluten-free flour blend yet, but it’s on my list!! I’m not sure if this is helpful, but I have a few grain-free cake recipes using almond flour that have fruit infused in them, such as my Paleo Blueberry Cake: https://www.theroastedroot.net/paleo-blueberry-cake-with-low-carb-option/ Grain-Free Almond Strawberry Breakfast Cake: https://www.theroastedroot.net/grain-free-almond-strawberry-breakfast-cake/ and my Healthy Apple Cake: https://www.theroastedroot.net/healthy-paleo-apple-cake-dairy-free/ Hopefully one of these works in the meantime! xo
So I will be trying my hand at this recipe in the next 2 days. My question is this…can I make the cakes the day before and decorate them the day of? Or will they loose some of their moistness? If this is ok, can it be stored in the fridge prior to decorating?
I am planning to make this cake for a birthday coming up! I am wondering which brand of gluten-free flour is recommended? Thanks 🙂
Hi Janine! I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I have also used Pamela’s Artisan GF flour as well for this cake and it turned out well too. I’d say Bob’s is my absolute favorite though 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Has cassava flour ever been tried in this recipe, any of your recipes? Will it work?
Hi Johnnie! I’ve used cassava flour as a 1:1 replacement for gluten-free flour blends in banana bread but I haven’t for this specific recipe. I think it would work great though! Let me know if you try it 🙂
I don’t eat or drink coffee. Can I just use cacao or cocoa powder? What is a good substitute? Thanks
Hi Alison! You can replace the instant coffee with more cocoa powder 🙂
Hi! I just made the cake and the ganache but I dont see the recipe for the butter cream? I feel like that step is missing. Can you help me please ?!
Hi Nicole! I linked to the chocolate buttercream within the blog post a couple of times. You can find it here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/favorite-chocolate-buttercream/ Hope you enjoy!
I’ve made this cake 3 times now and it’s officially going in my recipe book! Absolutely delicious. Thank you!
Amazing! I’m so happy to hear that, Ash!