This gluten free Chocolate Layer Cake is all thanks to my son.
He was recently looking through a cooking magazine that I had and saw a recipe for a chocolate layer cake and said, “Wow that looks good, can we have it.” To which I replied, “No, son I am sorry we can’t”.
But after thinking about it for a few minutes, I thought why can’t we have that cake? My son wanted a chocolate cake and in times past I would have made him one, why should gluten free stop me from making him one now.
I was up for the challenge. I was determined to make him that chocolate cake, but in a gluten free version. So, I tweaked the recipe. Well, okay maybe it needed more than just tweaking, I adapted the recipe.
And do you know what? It was one of the best gluten free desserts that I have made. It was perfect. The texture and taste were just what you would expect in a chocolate layer cake.
In fact I loved this so much that I am going to make it for my birthday next week.
Last year the whole gluten free thing was still very new to me and we had ice cream for my birthday, but this year gluten free is not going to stop me from enjoying a really good chocolate layer cake for my birthday.
I am so glad that my son wanted a chocolate layer cake, it gave me just the motivation that I needed to give it a try. We now have a gluten free layer cake that we can enjoy, not just for birthdays and holidays, but everyday.
Gluten Free Chocolate Layer Cake
Rich and delicious gluten free chocolate layer cake. So good that you will not know that it is gluten free.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
- 1 cup rice flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup sweet rice flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 tablespoon baking soda (yes it is 1 tablespoon)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease 2 – 8 inch round cake pans and dust lightly with either cornstarch or sweet rice flour. Or use cocoa which is what I prefer on a choc. cake
- In a large bowl mix oil, egg, and vanilla for 1 minute.
- Add sugars and beat 1 minute more.
- Then add melted chocolate and beat well.
- In a separate bowl mix rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, cocoa, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients alternating with water, beating well after each addition.
- Add sour cream and mix well.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until done.
- Frost with homemade chocolate frosting
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 2g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
Hi Lynn,
I love your recipes and have tried a few of them since discovering my son is gluten-free. Quick question: how important is the sweet rice flour? I can’t find it here (I’m in Toronto, Canada).
Thanks!
I am so glad that you have enjoyed my recipes. I think the sweet rice flour really helps with the texture on this and makes it more like a regular cake. You might try using something in it’s place. Have you looked for the sweet rice flour at an Asian type store. You can often find it at stores like that here in the US.
Yes….the sweet rice flour makes a huge difference. Sweet rice flour is also called glutenous rice flour. If you do your research, the gluten in rice is very different from wheat gluten. Thanks for the chocolate cake recipe. It’s delicious! I substituted the sour cream with honey greek yogurt because I ran out of sour cream and didn’t realize it. It was out of this world. The only issue I had was that the middle sunk in a bit. I’m thinking the recipe may need a little “lift” by adding a tiny bit of baking powder. But, it taste fantastic as is. Thanks again!
BTW…I love your flour blend so much that I made several batches of it and put in canisters. I feel confident in using my regular recipes with your blend. I was going to try to eliminate xanthan gum by increasing the amount of sweet rice flour, but not sure how that’s going to turn out.
I am so glad that it turned out for you. I have tried this blend in other cakes and it seems to work well for cakes especially.
Swanson’s vitamins has an entire line of gluten free flours and mixes. They have the best recipe for gluten free bread I have ever had.
Hi Lynn, I have recently found your blog, and wanted to say your desserts look fabulous. We had your chocolate pudding cake for dessert after Christmas dinner, it was soooo good. I did a link back to your site here https://glutenfreedelightfullydelicious.com/ Thanks for a great recipe, Ina
Thank you! I am so glad that you enjoyed the pudding cake for Christmas dinner. I love that recipe because it is so easy and so good and no one can tell it is gluten free. I think your addition of mocha is a great idea. A lot of pudding cakes include some type of coffee flavor, but since my husband and I do not like coffee I always leave it out.
I have a question, could I use Tom Sawyer’s gluten free flour instead? It has comibinations of rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour and the xanthen gum already in it.
I have never used that brand of flour blend, but I think it would be worth trying.
Does this cake use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed?? From what I’ve read, with your recipe using baking soda, it should then use the natural cocoa powder. Correct?
Yes, you are right, this uses regular baking cocoa not dutch processed. I hope you enjoy it!
Would Almond flour work just as good as rice flour?
Thanks, Brenda
Lynn has saved me once again as my family enters into the gluten free world. I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and it is AMAZING! Super moist and chocolaty. One would never know it is gluten free. This recipe along with the homemade chocolate frosting is a keeper. MMmmmm…I could go for another piece right now!
Thank you. I am glad your family enjoyed the cake for your husband’s birthday. Comments like yours are why I enjoy sharing gluten free recipes. Gluten free can be quick and easy and can taste great!
I pray I make this delicious. Have you ever made a chocolate cake using Beets? I need that recipe.