This gluten-free chocolate bundt cake is every chocolate lovers dream! Moist, fudgy cake, chocolate ganache, and mini chocolate chips = deliciously intense chocolate flavor!
My #1 tip for gluten-free bundt cake is to use oil instead of butter. It creates the most incredible crumb!
You also might like this gluten-free Texas sheet cake, flourless chocolate torte, or this gluten-free chocolate mousse cake.
Looking for an easy gluten-free chocolate cake recipe for Valentine’s Day or other special occasions? This chocolate bundt cake is it!
This fudgy chocolate bundt cake is perfect for the chocolate lovers in your life. The combination of oil and sour cream makes for an ultra-light, tender crumb and moist texture.
You could even bake this recipe in mini bundt cakes for a fun Valentine’s Day gift for friends and family!
Why I love this recipe
- Light, tender crumb – I love the taste of butter, but the texture of this gluten-free bundt cake turns out SO much better when using oil in the batter. Oil has a lower melting point than butter, so it coats the gluten-free flour particles more evenly and creates a light, tender crumb.
- Rich and moist – Sour cream helps to create a rich, flavorful, moist cake that everyone loves!
- Feed a crowd – This cake easily feeds 12 or more people, making it great for gatherings with family and friends. Plus, it can stand alone without ice cream or whipped cream. It’s truly a fuss-free dessert perfect for a crowd!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make this gluten-free bundt cake.
- Gluten-free flour: It’s important to use high-quality gluten-free flour with xanthan gum for this gluten-free bundt cake recipe. King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour is my top gluten-free flour choice for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour will also work.
- Cocoa powder: Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process) for this recipe. For best results, scoop and level it off while measuring.
- Oil: I love the taste of butter, but the texture of this gluten-free bundt cake turns out markedly better when using oil in the batter. Oil has a lower melting point than butter (which is why most oils are liquid at room temperature). The lower melting point allows the fat to coat the gluten-free flour particles more evenly than butter would. Making this cake with butter will result in a dense, gummy crumb.
- Sour cream: I love using sour cream in my gluten-free cakes (like this gluten-free chocolate sheet cake) for added richness and flavor. It more than makes up for the lack of butter!
- Hot water: Hot water helps the cocoa powder to “bloom” and creates a more intense chocolate flavor. You could also use a cup of hot coffee, if you prefer.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the oil, hot water and cocoa powder.
Combine dry and wet ingredients. Add the gluten-free flour mixture to oil mixture and, using an electric hand mixer or bowl of a stand mixer, blend until well combined. Mix in the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Bake cake. Pour cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Cool to room temperature before topping with the ganache.
Make the ganache. Make sure the chocolate is finely chopped if using chocolate bars. (Chocolate chips will also work!) Add the chocolate and cream to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until completely smooth. Let cool for 3 minutes before topping the cake. (You want it to be warm and smooth, but not piping hot.)
Top the cake. Pour the chocolate ganache mixture over the cooled cake. Add mini chocolate chips to the top of the cake. Let the chocolate glaze cool slightly before slicing the finished cake. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
To Store: Store this gluten-free chocolate cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. This cake can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to three months.
Recipe Tips
- I like to use this light metal bundt cake pan for every gluten-free bundt cake recipe I make.
- Be sure to generously grease the pan with shortening. (Softened butter will also work if you don’t have shortening, but beware: non-stick cooking spray does NOT work as well!)
- Make sure you cool the chocolate bundt cake to room temperature before adding the ganache. Otherwise, it will quickly melt and slide off the cake.
More Chocolate Recipes to Try
- Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes
- Gluten-free chocolate caramel tart
- Flourless chocolate cookies
- Flourless chocolate torte
Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups (262g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (180ml) oil of choice, I use grapeseed oil
- 1 cup (240ml) very hot water
- 2/3 cup (63g) unsweetened cocoa powder ,not Dutch process, scoop and level to measure
- 3/4 cup (175g) sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips optional but delicious
For the Glaze:
- 4 ounces (113g) bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- Mini chocolate chips for decorating
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously grease a non-stick bundt cake pan with shortening (or softened butter). I prefer this light metal bundt pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the oil, hot water and cocoa powder.
- Add the gluten-free flour mixture to oil mixture and, using an electric hand mixer, blend until well combined.
- Mix in the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack. Cool to room temperature before topping with the ganache.
For the Ganache:
- Make sure the chocolate is finely chopped if using chocolate bars. (Chocolate chips will also work!)
- Add the chocolate and cream to a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on 50% power for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until completely smooth. Let cool for 3 minutes before topping the cake. (You want it to be warm and smooth, but not piping hot.)
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cake. Top with mini chocolate chips. Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- I like to use this light metal bundt cake pan for every gluten-free bundt cake recipe I make.
- Be sure to generously grease the pan with shortening. (Softened butter will also work if you don’t have shortening, but beware: non-stick cooking spray does NOT work as well!)
- Make sure you cool the chocolate bundt cake to room temperature before adding the ganache. Otherwise, it will quickly melt and slide off the cake.
- Gluten-free flour: It’s important to use high-quality gluten-free flour with xanthan gum for this gluten-free bundt cake recipe. King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour is my top gluten-free flour choice for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour will also work.
- Cocoa powder: Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process) for this recipe. For best results, scoop and level it off while measuring.
- Oil: I love the taste of butter, but the texture of this gluten-free bundt cake turns out markedly better when using oil in the batter. Oil has a lower melting point than butter (which is why most oils are liquid at room temperature). The lower melting point allows the fat to coat the gluten-free flour particles more evenly than butter would. Making this cake with butter will result in a dense, gummy crumb.
What is the reason for not using Dutch processed cocoa powder? I have a recipe very similar to this, using regular all-purpose flour and Dutch processed cocoa powder. I also use Dutch processed for almost all of my baking.
Hi there, good question! Dutch-process cocoa has a lot less acidity than regular unsweetened cocoa powder. This recipe was developed specifically with unsweetened cocoa powder because it works with the baking soda to give the cake more lift and a lighter texture. If you used Dutch-process, it would throw off the leavening process.
This cake is incredible. It’s moist, rich and literally melts in your mount. My non-GF friends and family loved it too (which can be so hard to do when you’re baking gf!). Highly recommend.
Hi Kelsey, yes, that’s totally the ultimate test! Love hearing that! Thanks for the great review.
Can I make this recipe into cupcakes?
Hi Janice, for chocolate cupcakes, we’d recommend using this gluten-free chocolate cupcake recipe! Happy baking!
I’m not GF but some family members are so I baked this for a family dinner. I think it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had, GF or regular! Everyone else agreed!
Aww, thank you, Sonya! We’re so pleased to hear how much everyone enjoyed the cake, gluten and gluten-free eaters alike!
This chocolate Bundt cake is amazing. The cake is so fluffy and moist. It does not taste gluten free. I brought it to a party and no one knew it was gf.
Yay! We’re so happy to hear the cake was such a hit! Thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us, Nicole!
What kind of oil did you use? We use olive oil, avocado, oil, and coconut oil in our home. Thank you for your help. Can’t wait to try it.
Hi Wendy, we usually use grapeseed oil in this cake. Another neutral oil, such as avocado oil, will work great too! We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi, just wondering if greek yogurt will work just as well as sour cream?
Hi Wendy, we haven’t tested out Greek yogurt as a sub for sour cream in this cake, but it should work well. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Made this chocolate bundt cake today it is truly fantastic. One of the best chocolate cakes we have ever had! Hard to believe it is gluten free!
Aww, we’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the cake so much! Thank you for sharing your positive baking experience with us, Kim!
I have a floral heavy metal bundt pan. I plan to use it for the cake for the design. How should I adjust my baking time? Or is there anything else I should do to compensate for using a heavy pan when a light is recommended?
2nd question.. is it ok to use the baking non stick spray that has flour in it for baking?
Hi Cindy, to use that Bundt pan you’d probably need to lower the oven temperature by 25°F and increase the baking time (maybe 5-10 minutes). With intricate designs you’ll need to grease it extremely well so the cake doesn’t cling to all the corners. We highly recommend using shortening or softened butter, not cooking spray for this recipe. We hope this helps and you enjoy the cake!
Made this recipe for my daughter’s birthday this week. It was a huge hit with my family! They have been very honest in the past about blah GF recipes, but no complaints with this cake. It will be on repeat in my kitchen. Erin, thanks for making delicious gluten free recipes available. You are a blessing to so many!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear the cake was such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us, Lori. Happy baking!
2 cups of sugar sounds like a lot. Can I cut the sweetness by adding less?
Hi AJ, we wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar, at least not by much. The sugar plays an important role with both the flavor and texture/structure. Thank you for your question! Happy baking!
Made this cake dairy free and with a dairy free ganache as a practice before taking to friends who have celiac disease. It was a huge success. So moist and delicious. I did need to cook longer, closer to 52 minutes.
Hi Debbie, we’re so pleased to hear the dairy-free version went well! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
What did you replace the sour cream with?
This recipe is ridiculously delicious!!! Coming from a dad who is trying his best to follow a recipe and hope it turns out, this made me look like a pro!!! I’ve made this cake 5 times now and it turns out exceptional every time. I’m so excited to bake it again- in fact, I’m heading to the kitchen now!!!
Aww, we’re so pleased to hear this recipe has been such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive baking experience with us, Curt. Happy baking!
I made this tonight for a neighborhood party. It was a huge success! I was concerned due to my high altitude, but I just had to cook it closer to 55 mins. Also I used non dairy sour cream and non dairy heavy cream, and that did not affect the cake. It was very moist! Thanks
Yay! We’re so happy to hear the recipe was a hit and pesky altitude didn’t cause any hiccups! Thank you for taking the time to share this experience with us, Cathy. Happy baking!
Made this cake last weekend as stated in the recipe except I added a teaspoon of instant expresso powder (as I do for all chocolate stuff I make) and it turned out great. The icing was a little ‘runny’ even though I waited until it cooled so I added more chocolate chips but it didn’t really matter because it tasted so yummy. There were 4 of us and between what we ate that day and what my friends took home I only had a small amount left. Thanks for this!
Just a question. I was thinking about adding shredded coconut to the batter for a friend’s birthday who loves the flavor combo of chocolate and coconut. Would this change baking time, amount of other ingredients, etc…? Or maybe some coconut extract? Or both?
Hi Sharon, we haven’t tried coconut in this one before, but it sounds possible! If you keep the measurement of coconut on the smaller side (maybe 1/2 cup) and pair it with a little coconut extract (about 1/2 tsp) you shouldn’t have to adjust the other ingredients or the baking time. We’d love to hear how it goes!