Gluten free chocolate cake is my solution to many of life’s problems. Perfectly moist, oh so chocolatey, and a recipe is so foolproof, I am certain you will love it as much as I do. I’ve made it for many a birthday celebration, but this super simple recipe (no mixer needed) makes it easy enough to whip up for an everyday treat. And it’s so versatile — over the years, I’ve made it with gluten free flour and with regular flour, with dairy free butter and with regular butter, depending on which era of my life we’re talking about. It’s delicious every time!
Made with a boil – pour – stir method, this snack cake version is quick to prepare and baked in a 9×13 inch pan, so no layers to worry about. Then you’ll top it with a rich, gooey chocolate ganache while the cake is still warm, the easiest frosting situation that the bakers of this planet have ever produced. This legend-in-the-making chocolate snack cake recipe is also gluten free and dairy free friendly, so you can adapt it for all your guests and loved ones, even those with dietary restrictions.
(Just in case I haven’t sold you on this cake — which you should totally make! — here are a few other dessert recipes for you: Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies (GF/DF) and Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.)
I know you’ll love this gluten free chocolate cake. Let’s dig in!
The STORY: Is Chocolate Snack Cake… Healthy?
Growing up in Iowa and later Texas, I was raised to call a cake made in a 9×13 inch pan a snack cake. A snack cake is simple and straightforward, with just enough frosting and a moist crumb. Nothing fancy here. To my mind, a snack cake has an innocent aura. Just as you might eat a bowl of fruit or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a snack, you might just as easily have a piece of cake and a tall glass of milk, swinging your legs at the kitchen counter after school… that sort of thing.
Homemade and fresh, this kind of cake still holds that innocent allure for me. I know it’s got a lot of sugar in it, but I almost can’t shift it into any mental category except wholesome. And wholesome = healthy to my way of thinking. So that is how my mind manages to think of this cake as almost healthy. (Not really true, I know… but deep down, you just can’t convince me!) And that is why I’ve made it so many times for my kids over the years — for an after-school snack, a birthday party, or just because.
It’s also a super solid recipe, evolved from a recipe developed by my mom’s long-time friend Sandy. Sandy and my mom met in Iowa more than 50 years ago and have been friends ever since. Sandy even took care of me for a time when I was young and my mom was going back to school. Probably another reason why I think of this cake as so wholesome — it’s associated with such fond memories!
The INGREDIENTS: Cocoa, Chocolate, and a Few Surprises
Below I share a few notes about the recipe’s ingredients. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities, though!
Cake Ingredients
- Cocoa Powder: Here you’re looking for regular cocoa powder or even cacao powder, which apparently is a superfood! (You don’t need to tell me twice.) Avoid the Dutch process cocoa powder here because it behaves differently in recipes. Lately I’ve been really happy with the organic, fair trade cacao powder that Costco carries from time to time — keep your eyes peeled for it!
- Gluten Free Flour: I use Steve’s Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend from Authentic Foods. It’s ground more finely and uses plant fiber instead of xanthan gum — two tweaks that produce baked goods hard to distinguish from the real deal. But you can also feel free to use another 1:1 gluten free flour blend here, or if you’re able to handle gluten, regular flour works too.
- White and Brown Sugar: I like to use both sugars here because the brown sugar adds some extra complexity to the flavor. However, if you’re out of brown sugar, feel free to swap out the brown sugar for more of the white.
- Butter + Coconut Oil: Adding a bit of coconut oil here ups the moisture in the cake without adding a coconut flavor. I use dairy free butter sticks, but you can also use regular butter.
- Homemade Buttermilk: I make my buttermilk with oat milk and apple cider vinegar, but you can use your favorite milk + another mild vinegar. Note that if you use coconut milk, the cake may take on some coconut flavor.
- Baking Soda: Make sure you’re using baking soda here and not baking powder. Also make sure to wait to add the baking soda until the recipe directs; I once tried adding it earlier, thinking I was brilliant and had discovered a time-saver, only to ruin my cake. It was a sad, sad day in my kitchen!
- Surprise #1: Coffee: The addition of coffee really brings out the complexity of the chocolate, and I highly recommend it. I have found that a half cup of coffee and a half cup of water is the perfect balance — adding depth of flavor without introducing a coffee flavor. If you prefer, though, you could use all coffee or all water.
- Surprise #2: Cinnamon: A half teaspoon of cinnamon adds even more complexity to the chocolate without the cinnamon flavor coming through. If you actually prefer Mexican chocolate with that extra layer of cinnamon flavor, you will need to increase the cinnamon.
Ganache Ingredients
- Chocolate Chips: Because the ganache is mostly just chocolate chips, you want to use a good brand of chocolate. I personally prefer Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- Milk & Butter: I now use oat milk and dairy free butter sticks, but I used to use regular milk and butter. Both work beautifully! My preferred dairy free butter these days is Melt Organic Plant Butter (the stick version).
- Salt: It might sound odd, but I always include a bit of salt in my dessert recipes. It ups the flavor! Always a good thing.
The STEPS: How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
The Overview: Making the Chocolate Cake
Chocolate snack cake is simple and straightforward to make. You bring the cocoa powder, fats, and liquids to a boil; pour them over the sugars and flour; then mix in everything else. That’s it! Then it’s time to bake.
The Process: A Visual Step-by-Step
Here is a visual overview of the process — check out the recipe card for the full instructions.
The Overview: Making the Chocolate Ganache
I am such a fan of this poured chocolate ganache frosting. For one, it couldn’t be easier to make. And for another, it’s about 1,000% better than any buttercream because it’s basically just pourable chocolate. Yes, that is an incredibly biased statement. Still, you’d never persuade me otherwise! Here is how to make it.
The Notes: Serving Suggestions
Serve this gluten free chocolate snack cake with a glass of ice-cold milk or a hot cappuccino. You’ll have a moist, chocolatey treat that is simple, wholesome, and soooo delicious.
More Ideas: A Few Other Gluten Free Desserts
Looking for other yummy gluten free and dairy free recipes? Here are a few ideas to consider (not trying to make you hungry or anything):
Leave a comment to let me know how it goes, have fun, and remember:
Cooking is an act of love — be proud of yourself for creating joy & healing in the world!
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – 9×13 Snack Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup milk – of choice, I use oat milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter – of choice, I use dairy free butter sticks
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coffee
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Easy Ganache Frosting
- 1/3 cup milk – of choice, I use oat milk
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter – of choice, I use dairy free butter sticks
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make coffee, if you don’t have any handy.
- Make the dairy free buttermilk by mixing the oat milk and apple cider vinegar.• 1/2 cup milk• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugars. (You'll add the other dry ingredients later.)• 2 cups gluten free flour• 1 cup sugar• 1 cup brown sugar
- Butter a 9×13 inch pan.
Make the Batter
- In a small saucepan, heat the butter, oil, coffee, water, and cocoa over medium or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. While the mixture is heating up, measure the remaining dry ingredients and mix in a small bowl.• 3/4 cup butter• 1/4 cup coconut oil• 1/2 cup coffee• 1/2 cup water• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- When the butter mixture starts to steam, stir frequently. Once it comes to a boil, pour the mixture over the flour and sugar mixture and mix well to form a batter.
- Stir the remaining dry ingredients into the batter and mix.• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 1 teaspoon salt• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the buttermilk, and mix well with a fork to break up the eggs. Then gradually mix the egg and milk mixture into the batter, stirring well to fully incorporate the eggs.• 2 eggs• 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Once the batter is smooth, pour into the prepared pan.
Bake the Cake
- Bake at 350°F for about 27-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (Metal pans may be done at the lower end of this range, while glass and ceramic pans may need the full time.)
- Set the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Make the Ganache Frosting
- Once the cake is finished baking (or in the last 5 minutes of baking time), measure the milk into a measuring cup.• 1/3 cup milk
- Add the chocolate chips to the measuring cup and stir to moisten the chocolate.• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- Microwave for 1 minute.
- Stir the mixture for about 1 minute, or until the chocolate chips are fully melted and the frosting is smooth. (It may look a little funny at first, but keep stirring and soon the magic transformation will occur before your eyes!)
- Add the butter and salt. Let the mixture rest for about 1 minute, to allow the butter to melt.• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter• 1 pinch salt
- Stir until the butter is mixed in and everything looks glossy and delicious.
Frost the Cake
- While the cake is still warm, pour the ganache onto the center of the cake.
- Gently spread the ganache towards the edges of the cake using an offset spatula, knife, or the back of a spoon. Feel free to have fun smoothing and swirling the ganache!
- Eat right away while the cake is still warm or wait until after it cools — your choice.
Notes
- Baking Time + Your Pan: I use my beloved porcelain baking dish, which requires a bit more time, so I typically bake my cake for 31-32 minutes. If you are using a metal baking pan, I recommend checking it a bit earlier, starting at 27 minutes, as cakes can bake more quickly in metal pans. When I bake this cake in a glass 9×13 pan, it usually needs the full 31-32 minutes.
- Serving: I am a cake purist, myself. But feel free to serve with a scoop of ice cream!
- Storage: You can keep the cake covered on the counter for a day or so, but after that, store it covered in the refrigerator to keep it fresh longer. It will last for several days in the fridge — maybe even close to a week.
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator, then let it come to room temperature for an hour or two, if possible, before serving. (It’s also delicious cold, straight from the fridge!)
- Freezing: Ready for an insanely brilliant trick? If the cake doesn’t get eaten up in the first few days, freeze the remaining slices for later. Then you can have a piece of cake at any time! I separate the slices with a small piece of parchment paper, then place them side by side in a gallon Ziploc bag. To thaw, you can microwave for a few seconds; the cake also thaws at room temperature in no time at all.
The POSTSCRIPT
FAQs
Different people will have different preferences. But in my opinion, the best gluten free flour to use for cake is Steve’s Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend by Authentic Foods. It’s ground to a superfine texture, which helps avoid the grittiness you sometimes see in GF baked goods. And it uses a plant fiber blend in place of xanthan gum, so it is gum free, which I prefer.
I recommend measuring gluten free flour using what I call the fork – spoon – knife method. First, you use a fork to fluff up the flour in the bag or storage container. Next, you use a spoon to scoop up the flour and place it in the measuring cup. Finally, once the measuring cup is filled with flour, you use the flat side of a knife to scrape off the excess flour.
Making homemade dairy free buttermilk is simple and easy. You mix a bit of vinegar with a dairy free milk and wait about 5-10 minutes for it to thicken up. I’ve found it helpful to use a bit more vinegar than you would when making regular buttermilk; I recommend 2 teaspoons of vinegar with 1/2 cup of dairy free milk. I usually use apple cider vinegar and oat milk, but I imagine other types would work as well.
To make dairy free ganache, simply swap out dairy free versions of milk and butter in the ganache recipe, and make sure the chocolate chips you buy do not have any milk in them. Melt the milk (I use oat milk) and chocolate chips together in the microwave for a minute, then stir for a minute until the chocolate is melted. Add in a bit of dairy free butter and salt, mix until glossy, and enjoy!
The Mulberry Moment
A little moment of beauty, from me to you!
This wild rose grew in my backyard in the Berkeley Hills several years ago. Plants are so happy in Berkeley, nourished by the frequent sunshine and the fog that rolls in through the Golden Gate, that this little beauty grew with no help from me!