I’m obsessed with gluten-free vegan chocolate cake recipes. I have developed quite a few gluten-free vegan chocolate cake recipes and I decided to make a version that’s the easiest to bake. This recipe is so easy. It’s a 1-bowl (and a jug) cake that’s vegan, gluten-free, coffee-free and it’s absolutely decadent. It’s a fantastic choice for a birthday cake as it’s a double layer 8 inch round cake that measures 3.5 inches in height before piping.
This gluten-free vegan chocolate cake uses white rice flour, almond flour, and tapioca flour as it’s gluten-free flour blend. Our egg replacer is xanthan gum which is a great egg replacer for gluten-free baking. It works as a binding agent and also helps create a spongy cake texture, which is hard in gluten-free vegan baking. A combination of soy milk and water add a lot of moisture to this cake, as you generally see in other rich chocolate cake recipes. It’s not as dense as a mud cake but it is on the more heavy side without being too dense.
This is a really big cake so be prepared. I use two spring form 8 inch cake tins as you need the depth of at least 3 inches to hold the amount of batter. I use Jamie Olivers cake tins and I love them because they are blue. You will also need a large mixing bowl. I ended up using my mix master bowl as there is also of cake batter in this recipe. The cake should not sink in the middle and will produce a slight dome on top.
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake Breakdown
| Skill: | Easy |
| Method: | Mixing in one bowl |
| Size: | Double layer 8 inch cake, 3.5 inches heigh before piping, each layer is 1.8 inches in height |
| Serving: | 12 to 15 casual servings |
| Pairing: | Any type of frostings, fillings or inclusions |
| Sweetness: | Moderate |
| Profile: | Gluten-free, Chocolate, Caffeine-free, Nut-free option, heavy cake crumb |
| Storage: | Un-iced layers stored in an airtight container outside of fridge one to two days, once sealed with ganache, airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. It’s a very moist cake, so will take a few days to dry out |
| Bakers Tip: | Use a high quality dutch-process cocoa powder for a more complex, smooth chocolate flavour. Add cinnamon for extra spice. Exchange 1/2 recommended water for liquid coffee to enhance the chocolate flavour. |
Tips For Making This Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate
- Make sure your oven is heated to the correct temperature before baking, use an oven thermometer
- Use a vanilla bean paste for the best flavour
- Don’t over bake this cake, the skewer will still present some sticky crumbs when poked throw the centre
- Use spring form tins that are at least 3 inches in height, this is a big cake
- Use a high quality vegan dark chocolate (50 to 65% cocoa) for your ganache
Ingredient Substitutions
- swap cocoa powder with Dutch cocoa powder for a smoother chocolate flavour
- swap tapioca flour with potato starch
- swap almond flour with almond meal or pumpkin seeds ground into a meal for a nut free version
- swap soy milk with coconut milk for a soy free version
- swap xanthan gum with 3 flax eggs
Decorating This Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake
- If you’re new to decorating ganache cakes, check out my Ganache Decorating Workshop below and learn my easy technique to create the perfect vegan chocolate ganache finish on all your cakes
- To create a super shiny finish, use a kitchen blow touch and brush quickly across the finished cake with the gas flame
- You can also decorate this cake with a chocolate buttercream or any type of vegan buttercream you like
- This cake also pairs really well with my vegan custard recipe
Love Gluten-Free Vegan Baking? Check out these recipes…
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GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This recipe is so reliable, super moist and it doesn’t sink when baked. The flavour is what you would absolutely desire from a chocolate cake.
Ingredients
Cake
- 330 g white rice flour (1 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons )
- 180 g almond meal or almond flour (1 ¾ cups )
- 80 g tapioca flour (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 170 g cocoa powder (1 ⅓ cups + 1 teaspoon )
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 340 g caster sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 500 mls plain soy milk (2 cups )
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 400 ml water, at room temperature (1 ½ cups + 5 teaspoons )
- 200 ml extra virgin olive oil (¾ cup + 2 teaspoons )
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Vegan Butter Ganache
- 450 g full-fat plant based cream, 35% fat (1 ¼ cups )
- 750 g high quality vegan dark chocolate (50-65% cocoa), roughly chopped (3 ⅓ cups)
- 150 g vegan butter or margarine (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons )
Filling
- 45 g flaked almonds (½ cup )
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your convection oven to 165°C/335°F. Grease and line two 8in spring form cake tins that are at least 3 inches in height, with baking paper and grease again.
- This is a big cake and there is a lot of batter. In your largest mixing bowl, sift the rice flour, almond meal, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Whisk to combine. Add the sugar and stir through. Make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients.
- Add the soy milk, vinegar, water, oil, and vanilla to a large jug, stirring to combine.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry and gently whisk to combine. It will be a runny batter.
- Pour the batter evenly into your cake tins and firmly tap it on your bench with force to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few sticky moist crumbs clinging to it, and the top springs back when gently touched.
- Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before releasing and flipping onto a cooling rack to allow it to completely cool before frosting.
Ganache
- Heat cream in a large, heavy-bottomed pot on low heat, until small bubbles appear around the edge and it starts to steam. You want to catch it right before it’s about to start to boil. Alternatively, you can heat in the microwave.
- Remove from the heat and add chocolate, making sure it is covered by the cream. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir vigorously using a whisk, until smooth.
- If there are any lumps, put the pot back onto the stove over very low heat. Stir until the lumps have melted and the ganache is shiny. Alternatively, heat in the microwave in short intervals whilst stirring in between.
- Add butter and stir through until smooth and creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and push it down into the ganache so it covers everything. Allow to sit for an hour to overnight on your bench until it has reached smooth slightly goopy American style peanut butter consistency. The amount of time it will take depends on your climate.
Filling
- In a fry pan, dry roast your almonds until they become fragrant and slightly brown. Season with sea salt and set aside.
How To Assemble
- Once your cakes have cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to level the tops of your cakes. They should be completely flat and exactly the same height.
- Place the bottom layer onto a cake board. Spread a small amount of ganache on top of this layer to seal it. Place your almonds on top of the ganache and gently press down to secure it. Dollop a few more tablespoons of ganache over the almonds and spread out evenly.
- Add your second layer on top with the flat bottom side facing up. Completely cover your cake in ganache and smooth with a cake scraper. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to completely set the ganache.
- Add 1 cup of your remaining ganache to a heat proof bowl and heat it on your stove top or in your microwave until it’s at a very runny consistency. Remove your cake from the fridge and pour over the top of your cake, using a palette knife to help it drip over the edges. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to completely set the ganache drip.
- Add your remaining ganache to a mix master with a whisk attachment and whip until light and fluffy.
- Using your piping bag with a large round nozzle, fill with ganache frosting. Remove cake from fridge and hold piping bag straight above your cake and pipe small round puffs with pointed tips. Repeat to cover the entire top of your cake.
- Using a kitchen blow torch, toast the sides of the cake until shiny; this should only take a second to achieve. Don’t toast for too long otherwise you will melt your ganache too much. Serve!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: Dessert
Keywords: cake, chocolate, gluten-free, vegan
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Do you think this would work with an oil substitute to make it a bit healthier? Like applesauce?
Hey Paloma, no the apple sauce would make it gluggy and dense.
Another hit from Sara! Her leavening and flour ratios are impossible to fudge up– pastry pun intended! I’ve also used this as a baked oats recipe subbing in ground oats for the rice flour to make a heartier breakfast option. Delish!
★★★★★
Thanks Sara I made your gf vanilla cake and loved so I thought I should make this one as well. It was just as good!
★★★★★
I was so surprised by this recipe. It was the perfect birthday cake. No-one knew it was gluten-free. Thanks so much Sarah!
★★★★★
can almond milk be replaced with soy milk in all the recipes?
Yes, I think that will still be okay