Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Moist, tender crumb topped with fluffy, creamy frosting.
Taste: Rich chocolate cake and decadent frosting made with a secret ingredient to take it to the next level!
Ease: Beginner-friendly, reliable sheet cake.
Top Tip: Using hot water blooms the cocoa powder for bakery-quality chocolate cake. You can also use hot coffee!
Recommended GF Flour: Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. Both King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour work well in this one.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! I’ve made this easy gluten-free chocolate cake more times than I can count and nobody ever guesses it’s gluten-free — perfect for any celebration!
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Rosalie: “This cake is the BEST!! Haven’t had a chocolate cake in years because I had tried recipes and mixes I wasn’t happy with. I was recently craving good old-fashioned chocolate cake and am so happy I tried this recipe! I looked at many recipes until I chose this one. My non-celiac husband said he couldn’t even tell it was GF.”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free chocolate cake. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-free flour: It’s important to use a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend that contains xanthan gum. I like to use King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill.
- Oil: I prefer to use oil since butter often causes it to clump up. The smoothness of the oil helps to create a light, moist crumb.
- Buttermilk/sour cream: Chocolate cake can easily become dry, but this combo adds extra moisture, stability and lift for a tender cake. Plus they ensure rich, indulgent flavor!
- Hot water: Hot water (or coffee) allows the cocoa powder to absorb and the batter to hydrate. This deepens the flavor and creates a smooth batter for the perfect texture!
- Cocoa powder: You can use any kind of cocoa powder. I usually use Hershey’s, but Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder can be used for a richer frosting.
- Heavy cream or milk: Both loosen the frosting to make it smooth and spreadable. I recommend heavy cream for a fluffier, more luxurious topping.
- Almond extract: This is the secret ingredient! It elevates the frosting’s flavor and depth creating truly decadent frosting.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Two bowls are all you need for this simple recipe! In one combine all of the dry ingredients, in the other add all of the wet ingredients (except the hot water). I like to use a stand mixer to beat the wet ingredients, but a hand mixer will work too!
While you have the mixer running, slowly add the dry mix in 3 phases, mixing after each addition. Slowly add the hot water and continue to mix (2-3 minutes), scraping the bowl’s sides along the way.
You’ll know it’s ready to bake when it looks smooth and incorporated. Bake (35-40 minutes) until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting!
Use the stand mixer (or hand mixer) to prep the frosting. Beat the butter on medium-high until creamy (2 minutes), then add 3 cups of powdered sugar, plus the other ingredients. Whip the frosting until fluffy, starting on low (30 seconds), then medium-high (2 minutes).
You want it to be a spreadable consistency. If it seems too thick, you can always add more cream/milk. Too thin? Add a little more powdered sugar. Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!
Easy, Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (9×13!)
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- ½ cup (41g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Other
- 1¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) hot water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup (113g) butter at room temperature
- 3-4 cups (360-480g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (27g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream or milk of choice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla on medium-high speed until well-combined.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing after each addition.
- Slowly pour in the hot water. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through, until smooth and incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups powdered sugar along with the cocoa powder, cream/milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and whip for a full 2 minutes.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream/milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar to get a spreadable consistency. Frost the cake as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January 2021. It was updated with new photos and instructions in July 2025.
Made this recipe for the first time. The recipe lives up to its promises. Great texture and flavor. And it didn’t sink in the middle which my prior gf chocolate cake recipe always did. And the frosting tastes super. This recipe is a keeper.
I’m so glad it turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I was bummed when I found out shortly before our son’s seventh birthday that he needed to be gluten free. I wanted to make him a really yummy gluten-free birthday cake–and this was it! It was absolutely delicious! I didn’t try this frosting recipe, but the cake was outstanding! Thanks for helping him have a yummy birthday!
Aww I’m so honored you and your family enjoyed it! Good luck with starting eating gluten-free!
Hi, can you freeze this?
Yes actually! Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. It should freeze great!
Do you think it would work to make the cake ahead of time and freeze? Then frost after thawed? Thanks!
This cake will freeze great actually! You’ll want to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in a layer of foil. I hope this helps!
Would it work to bake it in 8″ round pans as well? I assume I’ll need to adjust the time.
Yes that will work great! I would guess the bake time would be closer to 30-35 minutes. I would start looking at it around 25 minutes. I hope this helps!
Can you add 1 cup of coffee instead of water? I use acid free so as not add more acid to the cake
Absolutely! That would give the cake a nice flavor too. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Hello, Can I use another brand of flour such as Dove gluten free self raising flour, I am a uni student and I don’t think I am going to be able to spend £22 on flour.
Hey Abi! Unfortunately I’m not familiar with Dove GF flour since they don’t carry it very many place in the US. A self-raising flour isn’t the best choice here though. I’d stick to a plain flour. I hope this helps!
Excellent! Easy to make, moist and not dense like other gluten free cakes. I use Pamela’s artisan all purpose gluten free flour. I don’t use measuring cups, I weigh everything which is important with gf baking. I also use hot coffee instead of hot water and it tastes amazing!
I’m so happy it turned out for you! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
this is everything that I wanted becoming a gluten free eater! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
We devoured this cake in two days! It was so easy to make, rich and delicious and I already can’t wait to make it again!
Loved this chocolate cake! Can’t believe it was gluten free! So good!
Do the eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream need to be room temperature for this cake? Can’t wait to try it!!
It always helps if they are, but it’s also ok if they’re cold for this recipe.
I rarely comment on any recipes but I had to just say how much we enjoyed this cake and how easy it was to bake thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Do you have a glute-free strawberry cake?
I don’t have one at this time but it’s on my list of recipes to create!
Can this recipe be used to make a 2 layer cake? What proportion changes and cook time adjustments would be necessary?
Oh my. Thank you! I am trying to be gluten free and I have to be lactose free. This cake is dangerous! I used half almond flour and half paleo flour.both from Bake Good. I used coconut sugar almond milk and dairy free sour cream. Even with the substitutions it was still great!.
So great to know the cake turned out well with those substitutions! Thanks for the comment so others can know those ingredients work well too!