Last Updated on November 19, 2023
Not only is this Gluten Free Chocolate Cake well… gluten free, it is also vegan!
This plant based cake is moist, rich, uses simple ingredients, and has the texture of a regular chocolate cake.
No one will ever know this cake is gluten free or vegan!
In this cake I did not use regular sugar, I choose to use maple syrup, this cut the sweetness down quite a bit.
The not-so-sweet cake was by design, I wanted to add a frosting to the cake, but didn’t want to make the whole thing overly sweet.
I also wanted to not use a margarine in the frosting, I wanted a frosting that would stand up on the cake without seeping in to the cake.
Finally, I have come up with a not-so-sweet, chocolatey, frosted cake that I myself can enjoy!
This chocolate cake is a wonderful addition for the holidays, add crushed candy cane, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, or crushed nuts.
You can even add fruit to the top, try dried fruit or fresh fruits/berries.
Change it up with edible flowers or fresh mint.
Finish by topping it all off with your favorite whipped topping (try my homemade Whipped Coconut Cream) or ice cream before serving!
Ingredients for the cake
- Flour – In this cake I used an oat flour and a gluten free flour. The oat flour I grind with my high speed blender to a flour consistency. This can be a thick oat, thin oat or a quick oat. I also use just a little gluten free flour in this cake, I like to use the King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour.
- Cocoa Powder – Adds the chocolate flavor along with a deep dark brown color to the cake.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – This is what gives the cake a fluffy texture.
- Instant Espresso Powder – This amplifies the chocolate in the cake.
- Salt – Salt enhances the other ingredients in the cake.
- Real Maple Syrup – In this cake I added maple syrup as my sweetener. No other sugar is added in the cake. The cake is just the right amount of sweetness without being over sweet. Once you add the frosting the cake is, in my option, sweet enough.
- Vinegar – I used apple cider vinegar for this recipe. This is added to the plant based milk to make the vegan buttermilk.
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce – This is the egg replacement in this cake, adding moisture and structure.
- Milk – I used an unsweetened vanilla almond milk in this cake. Any plant based milk will do.
- Oil – I have used an avocado oil and olive oil in this cake. The oil keeps the cakes moist, tender, and fluffy.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – The vanilla enhances all the other flavors in the cake.
How to make a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Prepare a 8 x 8 glass baking dish with a vegan margarine or oil, set aside.
Measure the plant based milk in a one cup measuring cup, stir in the apple cider vinegar, and set aside to curdle, this is a vegan buttermilk.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flours, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, instant espresso powder, and salt.
*Can’t find oat flour? Make your own, add the oats to a high speed blender and blend until you have the consistency of a flour.
Next add the maple syrup, apple sauce, oil, vegan buttermilk, and the vanilla.
Stir until well combined, pour into the greased dish.
Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Check the cake with a tooth pick, if it comes out clean it is done, if not return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Baking times can vary, check the cake at 30 minutes and then again about every 5 to 10 minutes until done.
Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled before frosting.
*Note: Do not make the frosting until the cake is completely cooled.
Ingredients for the chocolate frosting
- Chocolate Chips – Any chocolate chip of your choice.
- Milk – Any plant based milk of choice. I used an unsweetened vanilla almond milk for this frosting.
- Nut Butter – Use any nut butter you have on hand. I used a creamy peanut butter in this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar – The powdered sugar adds sweetness to the frosting as well as stiffen the frosting making it easier for spreading onto the cake.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – This enhances the flavors in the frosting.
How to make the frosting for this Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Add the chocolate chips and nut butter to a small bowl.
Place this into a microwave for 30 seconds.
Remove from the microwave to stir, return for another 30 seconds, continue until the chocolate is smooth.
In a small mixing bowl add the milk, vanilla, powdered sugar and the melted chocolate chips, blend with a free standing or hand held mixer until the frosting is smooth.
Make sure to spread the frosting immediately after mixing onto the cake until covered.
Slice the cake into pieces and serve with ice cream or whipped topping.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 Cup Oat Flour
- 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Flour I used the King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. Pick you favorite gluten free flour.
- 1/2 Cup Powdered Cocoa
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 Cup Real Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Oil I use either olive or avocado oil.
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Plant Based Milk I used a unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar This is added to the milk to make the vegan buttermilk.
The Frosting
- 2 Tbsp Plant Based Milk I used a unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- 3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips I used a semi-sweet chocolate chip.
- 1 Tbsp Creamy Nut Butter I used a creamy peanut butter.
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
Instructions
The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Prepare a 8 x 8 glass baking dish with a vegan margarine or oil, set aside.
- Measure the plant based milk in a one cup measuring cup, stir in the apple cider vinegar, and set aside to curdle, this is a vegan buttermilk.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flours, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, instant espresso powder, and salt.
- *Can't find oat flour? Make your own, add the oats to a high speed blender and blend until you have the consistency of a flour.
- Next add the maple syrup, apple sauce, oil, vegan buttermilk, and the vanilla.
- Stir until well combined, pour into the greased dish.
- Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Check the cake with a tooth pick, if it comes out clean it is done, if not return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Baking times can vary, check the cake at 30 minutes and then again about every 5 to 10 minutes until done.
- Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled before frosting.
- *Note: Do not make the frosting until the cake is completely cooled.
The Frosting
- Add the chocolate chips and nut butter to a small bowl.
- Place this into a microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove from the microwave to stir, return for another 30 seconds, continue until the chocolate is smooth.
- In a small mixing bowl add the milk, vanilla, powdered sugar and the melted chocolate chips, blend with a free standing or hand held mixer until the frosting is smooth.
- Make sure to spread the frosting immediately after mixing onto the cake until covered.
- Slice the cake into pieces and serve with ice cream or whipped topping.
