The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe | Just One Bowl!
This gluten free chocolate cake has a moist, tender crumb even after it's been frozen first, so make it ahead! Made easily in one bowl.
Yield: 1 9-inch cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 14 tablespoons (70) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (168 g) sour cream at room temperature
- ½ cup (112 g) neutral oil (vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, canola all work)
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) warm water (about 80°F)
For the chocolate ganache topping
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chopped (See Recipe Notes for whipped chocolate ganache)
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar (for whipped ganache)
Instructions
To make the cake.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and water, and mix to combine well. The batter should be very thickly pourable.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth into an even layer and place in the center of the preheated oven.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (about 30 minutes). Do not overbake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the ganache topping.
- In a small, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to simmer. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size bowl, and pour the hot cream over the chocolate.
- Allow the cream to sit on the chocolate for about a minute, until the chocolate begins to melt, and mix until the chocolate is melted, and the mixture is smooth and glossy.*
- Pour the warm ganache over the top of the cooled cake, and gently spread toward the edges so the ganache begins to drip down the sides of the cake. Allow to set at room temperature before serving.
- *To make whipped ganache frosting, use 10 ounces of chopped chocolate with the 6 fluid ounces cream and follow the same instructions. Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until no longer hot to the touch.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm enough to scoop with a spoon. Transfer the cooled ganache to a large bowl and beat with a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thickened and fluffy.
- The ganache will also lighten in color. Add the optional confectioners’ sugar and beat until well-combined. Frost as desired.
Notes
For whipped chocolate ganache, you'll need 10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (not just 8 ounces).
This recipe was first published on the blog in 2014. The photos and text are updated but the recipe remains the same.