Friends, we’ve heard your pleas to release our secret gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, and today is your lucky day! It’s based off the baking mix we released last year after almost a year of development and countless taste tests. And it’s now ready to make from scratch in your kitchen!
This cake is FLUFFY, moist, perfectly chocolaty, and undetectably vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and naturally sweetened. PLUS, it comes together in just 1 bowl! Bakers, start your ovens…let’s make one EPIC chocolate cake!
How to Make the BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Making this 1-BOWL gluten-free chocolate cake is about as simple as it gets: Just mix together the dry ingredients, whisk in the wet, pour into your cake pan, and bake!
Now, let’s talk about the ingredients that make it all possible, starting with the secret gluten-free flour blend! Almond flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch are the all-star trio that makes this cake light and fluffy with the perfect crumb texture! You can learn about what each of these flours does here.
The other dry ingredients include coconut sugar to keep it naturally sweetened, flaxseed meal and xanthan gum for binding, and chocolate cake classics including cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
For the wet ingredients, you’ll need just three: water, a neutral-flavored oil (we like avocado oil), and vanilla extract. Cake batter awaits!
After baking and cooling to let the texture reach its peak potential, we enter frosting land! Your options are endless, but our top pick? Vegan Chocolate Ganache Frosting! It’s super chocolaty, elegant, and luxurious yet surprisingly simple to make!
This chocolate cake is a total WINNER! It’s:
Fluffy
Moist
Decadent
Chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
& Undetectably vegan + gluten-free!
It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for all kinds of celebrations including birthdays, weddings, baby showers, Mother’s Day, New Year’s, and more.
More Vegan Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
- 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
- Vegan Strawberry Cake (GF)
- 1-Bowl Chocolate Hazelnut Cake (Vegan + GF)
- 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (Vegan, 1 Bowl!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour (we like Wellbee’s)
- 1 cup coconut sugar, sifted if clumpy (we like Supernatural)
- 1/2 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum*
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil such as refined coconut oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan with oil or line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut sugar, potato starch, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and xanthan gum). Whisk well to combine.
- Next, add the water, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly until no flour streaks remain. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 28-32 minutes (for an 8-inch cake) or 18-20 minutes (for cupcakes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (with only a few crumbs).
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. To remove from the cake pan, run a dull knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Then place a plate or cooling rack on top and quickly invert. Allow to cool completely (~1 hour) before frosting and serving!
- This cake pairs well with our Vegan Chocolate Ganache Frosting, Coconut Whipped Cream, Fluffy Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting, Vegan Strawberry Frosting, or Chocolate Avocado Frosting.
- Store leftovers lightly covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days*, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or in the freezer for 1 month. Cake can be baked ahead and frozen unfrosted. Let thaw completely at room temperature before serving.
Video
Notes
*Recipe as written makes one 8-inch cake. For the photos, we used three 6-inch cake pans. If using three 6-inch pans, reduce bake time to 20-25 minutes.
*We found the texture of this cake to be best when consumed within 24-48 hours. The nature of potato starch is a bit drying, so keep this in mind if making days in advance for an event or special occasion. You can reduce the amount of potato starch to 1/3 cup to keep it more moist, but it becomes a little more fragile and less fluffy.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Allie says
I just wanted to say thank you for answering everyone’s questions so diligently and thoughtfully. I haven’t made the cake yet (hope to this weekend), but it’s SO helpful to be able to look through the comments with your replies to get information about substitutions and understand the recipe better. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words and support, Allie! It means a lot. We hope you enjoy it! xo
Jan says
I have made this and I can honestly say, hands down! this is the best gluten, dairy, egg free cake I have made so far. It is so rich and moist and just delicious. I thought my days of cake eating were done when I found out I had an autoimmune disease that prevents me eating all my favorite foods, but this has restored my faith in food, I can continue to eat cake… yey!
I subbed the almond flour for ground almonds 1:1 as that is all I had in at the time, I didn;t have any tapioca starch in so I increased the potato starch by 50% and added in the remaining 25% as cornflour, and I don’t have any avocado oil in stock so I used rice bran oil.
The cake stayed fresh for a few days, it got a little crumbly and thick after a couple of days, but in my opinion, that just added to the more-ish-ness of it.
I baked the exact recipe in an 8″x8″ square brownie tin, and before popping in the oven I sprinkled some flaked almonds and organic dairy free coconut sugar chocolate drops on the top. Once colled, i served it with some whipped up coconut cream. Delicious!
thank you..
Yay! We’re so happy you have cake back in your life, Jan. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jyoti says
Hello! I want to make this for my son’s birthday. Is it possible to make a few days ahead of time and freeze ?
Hi Jyoti, yes, you can freeze it before frosting!
Jonathan says
Excited to try this recipe! Could it be make in a 9×13 pan? Assuming the recipe would have to be doubled. Thanks!
Yes! Same answer as on the vanilla cake :)
Nicole says
Can this cake be frozen ahead of time? And can the vegan whipping cream be frozen on the cake as well, to be served a week later? Or should I stick with buttercream?
Hi Nicole, it’s best to freeze it unfrosted, if possible! But if you do need to frost it beforehand, a buttercream frosting would be best. A vegan whipped cream frosting will firm up, resembling the texture of ice cream or this dirt cake. Hope that helps!
Nicole says
What brand of coco powder do you use? Or can you recommend a brand?
Hi Nicole, we like Whole Foods 365 Organic or Equal Exchange. Hope that helps!
Cindy R says
I made this today and within an hour have already tried it.
DEELICIOUS! Moist ,fluffy, tasty.
I love love love these “one bowl” recipes! Super easy!
Thank you always, minimalist baker!
We’re so glad to hear it, Cindy! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! xo
September says
Hello! I am fairly new to GF baking, and have rarely had things work out for me. Just fyi, I am not good at baking and usually have issues that no one else has. I tried making this, and it was good except it was a little chewy/gummy similar to how some cassava products can turn out (at least how it is for me). I didn’t make any substitutions, tried to follow everthing to a T, and used super fine almond flour. I would definitely like to have one cake turn out for me so if anyone has any suggestions on where I am going wrong, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks everyone! :)
Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out right! We wonder if perhaps you’re baking at altitude? We don’t have much experience baking at altitude, but know it can change the result.
September says
Thanks for responding! I’m actually far from being at high altitude, but thanks for thinking of it! If anyone has any ideas, please share them with me. Thanks! :)
Another idea would be if perhaps your oven temperature runs cold? You could try baking it for longer!
Mk says
Gluten free baking can become gummy when it’s over mixed.
Alison says
This recipe was fabulous! I made cupcakes using your German Chocolate Cake recipe for my husband’s birthday party and, to hedge my bet after so many failed GF recipes, I baked a Betty Crocker as emergency backup. After tasting one of the cupcakes, I gave the cake away!
I didn’t frost a few of them because some family members don’t like coconut, so I just dusted them with powdered coconut sugar. They cake is so rich-tasting it stands alone. But what I really love is that it doesn’t have that sickly-sweet taste that traditionally sweetened cakes have.
I made one change, because I couldn’t find potato or tapioca starch: I used 1/2c Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer for both the potato starch and the tapioca starch (since it contains both), and the results were perfect.
The cake is easy to make once you’ve got the ingredients in your pantry.
Thank you for the only chocolate cake recipe I will use from now on!
Whoop! We’re so glad it turned out so well, Alison. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Sara says
I used all the ingredients and measurements, but the cake turned out all crumbly and fell apart. It tasted amazing though. Should I cook it less next time?
Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Sara. It does sound like it was too dry for some reason. Would you mind sharing if you were using the metric or US measurements? Or is it possible you are located at high altitude? Adding a little more water and/or baking less time should help!
Mari says
Hi there! I wanted to make this into a sheet cake. If I use 9×13″ pan, should I double the recipe?
Hi Mari, yes, we’d recommend doubling. Keep in mind the bake time may be different!
Agnieszka Marszalek says
What kind of flour could I use instead of almond?
Hi Agnieszka, almond flour is pretty key for the right texture in this one. The next best option would be cashew flour, but we haven’t tested it and can’t guarantee the result!
Diane says
Is your chocolate cake mix still for sale in stores?
We loved it and it was a real time saver!
Hi Diane, unfortunately, it’s been discontinued. Sorry about that! We loved it too!
Carina says
What an easy and delicious cake! I am not vegan and didn’t have flaxseed meal on hand, so I made a daringmodification: I replaced it with two eggs. Turned out incredible. I was also a little short on potato starch, so I subbed in about 30g of Arrowroot starch. My expectations were extremely low given how much tinkering I did, yet the recipe withstood my pantry’s failings! A+++
Amazing! We’re so glad to hear it, Carina. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
susan d says
so glad to hear this- we are egg eaters and I dont have the right flax on hand for tomorrow’s baking.. thank you for sharing!!!
Trish says
Can you use 1/2 cup of applesauce to keep it moist in place of the groundflax seed and potatoe starch?
Hi Trish, possibly in place of the flax if you also used less water, but we think it would be very fragile and crumbly. The potato starch is key and we wouldn’t recommend subbing it out!
Pierre Hennen says
AMAZING ! This cake reminds me of my childhood. So moist and tasty. Thanks for the recipe <3 I replaced the xanthan gum with 3g of psyllium (1/2 teaspoon)
Aw, yay! We’re so happy it reminds you of childhood. Thank you for the lovely review, Pierre!
Dr. Beyoncè says
You are my go-to vegan recipe guru! And your recipes and instructions are so easy to visually follow, so I have to thank you tremendously for turning complex concepts to digestible, novice-friendly steps! You are positively changing my life!!!
Having said that, I’m struggling to understand step #5. Could you please show me a video of what you are describing with that whole cooling process?
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re so glad our recipes are helpful. You can see that step in action in this recipe video (check the video around the 35 second mark). Hope that helps!
Tina says
LOVE all your recipes! I will be making this today but I don’t like using xanthum gum. Can you recommend a substitute?
Hi Tina, we don’t have a great alternative, unfortunately, and think you’d be better off leaving it out. Let us know how it goes!
Tina says
I omitted the xantham gum and t was a bit crumbly like you said but still DELICIOUS! I am going to try it with cornstarch in place of the xantham gum and see how that works to help it hold its shape better. I love experiments and your recipes!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Tina! We think cornstarch might actually make it more crumbly, but let us know if you try it! Another reader reported using psyllium with success.
Lisa says
OMG! First time making a vegan cake (and for a gathering). I seriously did not have high expectations for this cake, especially after I finished mixing the batter and it seemed so thick. I smeared the thick batter into the baking dish thinking this cake was not going to turn out, at all. BOY WAS I WRONG. Finished it off with an avacado frosting. It was super moist, chocolaty and so delicious. It was a hit at the gathering. Thanks MB. You are my go to for vegan dishes and you do not disappoint.
YAY! We’re so happy it was a success, Lisa. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Tisha says
What could I sub for the coconut sugar? Thank you
Hi Tisha, we haven’t tried with other sweeteners, but think brown sugar would be the next best option. It isn’t quite as moist though, so you might want to add slightly more water. Hope that helps!
Donna says
Your chocolate cake looks amazing! We have an ALL nuts/most seeds anaphylactic allergy – along with gluten & eggs in our house so I was super excited about this cake recipe till I saw the almond flour ingredient. Would sorghum flour or a commercial gluten free flour blend work instead?
Thank you for your kind words, Donna! A nut-free, gluten-free, and egg-free version is really tricky when it comes to a light and fluffy cake! Almond flour adds a nice crumb texture and there’s not a great nut-free option that’s easy to swap 1-1. Sorghum flour is more absorbent and crumbly, so if you wanted to play around with it, we’d recommend using less of it. It’s hard to say without testing it, but perhaps some combination of tiger nut and/or cassava flour could work? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Marena says
What icing did you use in the photo?
We used our Vegan Chocolate Ganache Frosting. Enjoy!
Sara says
Hello, could I use this recipe for cupcakes?
Yes! See instruction 4 for the recommended shorter bake time. Enjoy!
Anne S says
Hello! I saw your comment that the recipe is for an 8-inch cake pan, but in the photos 3 6-inch pans were used. Did you have to increase the amount of ingredients to use the 3 6-inch pans? I love a layered cake and would like to try it this way😊
Hi! If using three 6-inch pans, reduce the bake time to 20-25 minutes. No need to adjust the amount of ingredients!
Lindsey says
Could I use maple syrup in place of coconut sugar? Would I need to cut the water down?
Hi Lindsey, possibly, though we think the cake might be a bit drier. We’d suggest starting with less water and adding until the consistency looks like the photos and video.
Jean says
Can you just double the recipe to make a two layer 8 in. cake? I don’t have 6 in. pans.
Yes!
Sid says
This cake recipe is delicious. I swapped water for coffee to add a nice rich flavor . Highly recommend!!
Ooo, yum! Love that swap, Sid. Thank you for sharing! xo
Lisa says
Thanks so much for the tip Sid. I think I will try that too when I get around to making it!
Vineeta Gogia says
Hi there
Can we freeze this cake . If yes then for how long ?
Thank you
Yes! It should keep for about 1 month (well sealed) without getting freezer burn. Enjoy!
Nikkita says
Has anyone successfully tried any substitutes for the almond flour? Unfortunate allergy combo here. 😅
Hi Nikkita, can you have cashew flour? That would be the next best option!
Paddy Kamen says
Thanks for answering my question about subing in eggs. I like your site very much. I often avoid the vegan recipies though because I prefer to use eggs. Thanks for all you do!
Happy to help! Thank you so much for your kind words, Paddy! xoxo
Marylees Castillo says
Just made it! It’s absolutely delicious. Thank you for such a great recipe. It’s really easy to make too!
Another hit.
YAY! We’re so happy you enjoy it, Marylees. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
paddy kamen says
I’d like to make it with eggs. Can you let me know how many I would need to use?
Hi Paddy, it’s hard to say without testing it! You would probably need to use ~3 eggs and reduce the amount of water by about half. We’re not sure if it would be too dry or be fine! Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Mariela Doyle says
Do you have a suggestion for Treenut-free flour? My 8 yr old is celiac and allergic to Treenuts. Thanks! The cake looks awesome.
Hi Mariela, it’s hard to say without testing it, but perhaps some combination of tiger nut and/or cassava flour. Hope that helps!
Toni says
Is there anby sub for potato starch for those who cannot have nightshades?
Hi Toni, we don’t have any good subs for potato starch as its key to the light and fluffy texture. The next best option would be corn starch, but it won’t be the same!