Learn how to bake the best and most moist gluten-free chocolate cake with this an easy to follow, no-fail recipe. What makes the cake so moist? Boiling water in the cake batter. It helps saturate the starches, aerates the batter, making the cake light, fluffy and moist instead of gritty. Find out for yourself why this GF cake recipe has earned hundreds of 5-star reviews!
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Hands-Down Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Whether you are new to gluten-free baking or a seasoned veteran, we all need need an easy, homemade gluten-free chocolate cake recipe to fool even the toughest critics. Every time I serve it, no one suspects anything but an old fashioned, moist, from-scratch recipe.
I’ve made it as a GF birthday cake, for celebrations, and as a base for many other creations in my complete gluten-free cake collection, like Ding Dong cake and this epic cookies and cream gluten-free ice cream cake.
It’s my most often made dessert because it’s quick to throw together and consistently turns out fabulous. So what’s the trick? Why does this chocolate cake made with cocoa powder beat out the rest?
First, the recipe uses commonly stocked pantry items, like GF all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, eggs, milk (or dairy-free), and vanilla. Since it uses oil, rather than butter, not only can it be easily adapted to a dairy-free gluten-free recipe, but the crumb stays moist.
Second, it’s just as easy as using a cake mix with even better results! Simply dump all the ingredients in, mix, and bake. It’s impossible to mess up this gluten-free chocolate cake!
Lastly, it uses a magical special ingredient to give superior results. Boiling water helps saturate the gluten-free starches, eliminating any grittiness, activates the chocolate for a rich, deep flavor, and aerates the batter. Once the hot water mixes in with the cake batter, it jump starts the baking powder and baking soda for an extra fluffy texture.
Some recipes rely on sour cream for extra moisture, but when making a chocolate cake with all-purpose gluten-free flour it’s as simple as adding a cup of hot boiling water!
Read on to learn how to make the best from-scratch layer cake, with bakers tips, workable ingredient swaps, and variations for sheet cake, cupcakes, and dairy-free. It’s all here! Then morph this easy layer cake into other show stopping desserts, like my family’s most requested gluten-free Black Forest cake.
I have the same praise as everyone does, its the best chocolate cake I’ve made period!
—Heather
We actually like this cake better than our favorite chocolate cake with regular flour. This GF cake is so moist and delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
—Rebecca
Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
Ingredient Tid Bits
- Gluten-Free Flour – I use and recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour blend, but many readers have written in adding the different flour blends they have used with success. Check out the comments below. 👇
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Use regular or Dutch-processed cocoa for richer chocolate taste, which is my preferred.
- Milk – Any kind works here, regular or non-dairy milk, such as almond milk.
- Vegetable oil – Coconut oil or any preferred oil may be substituted.
- Boiling water – Secret “ingredient” for a moist, deceptively gluten-free cake! It helps saturate the starches, aerates the batter, making the cake light and fluffy instead of gritty.
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Easy peasy cake (Seriously!)
Making a homemade gluten-free cake does not have to be complicated to get absolutely fabulous results. Pinky promise.
First, mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and stir to combine. You are almost there…
“Magic” ingredient time!
While mixing on low speed, slowly add boiling water. Once it’s mixed it, up the speed to high, and mix for 1 minutes. The boiling water activates the cocoa for a richer taste, saturates the GF starches so they aren’t gritty, and makes an extremely moist crumb. See, it’s magic!
Recently I started letting the cake batter rest in the pans for 10 minutes before baking. I find this helps set up the structure of the cake so it doesn’t sink in the middle or get a “wrinkly” top. If you have the extra time, I highly recommend it!
Bake, cool, frost, and enjoy (immensely).
With GF cakes you can error on slightly overbaking because you want to make sure all the moisture has evaporated. Otherwise as the cake cools, it will sink in the middle. Make sure the tops are fully set, especially in the middle. I like to use this cake tester because it grabs more of the crumb for an accurate testing.
Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Your kitchen will smell like heaven. You’re welcome.
What’s Cake Without Frosting!
You’ve made your cake, now let’s get serious about the next delicious step, which decadent frosting all you going to smother all over this beauty…Just be sure to let it cool completely before frosting or you will have the dreaded sliding cake layers. 😳
If chocolate overload speaks to you, then this uber fluffy chocolate frosting with an unexpected ingredient is a must try. For those of you how love a black and white combo, try my go-to recipe for the world’s fluffiest buttercream frosting. Other options include a chocolate ganache, cream cheese or sour cream frosting, whipped cream, this silky peanut butter glaze.
Pro Tips for a Moist GF Cake
- Use cake baking strips to not only keep the cake moist, but they prevent uneven layers, which can be tricky to frost and hold shape.
- The less sugar you use, the drier the cake will be. Please note while the amount of sugar may be reduced, it will dry out the cake slightly.
- This cake recipe is more forgiving when it comes to baking time, but you still don’t want to overbake. Check by inserting a toothpick into the middle. It should have some moist crumbs, without being liquidy. If you are unsure, turn off the oven and let the cake sit for 1-2 minutes before removing.
- Enjoy the cake at room temperature. Although some frostings have to refrigerated, I highly recommend setting cakes out for several hours before serving to reach room temp. Gluten-free cakes especially have a tendency to dry out in the refrigerator.
Can I Use A Different Baking Pan?
Of course! For cupcakes follow the baking directions on this easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes recipe. If you’d rather make a sheet cake, pour all the batter in a greased 9X13 inch baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Legit Moist & Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (292 g) all purpose gluten-free flour, (I highly recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour)
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened baking cocoa , dutch-processed preferred
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (245 g) milk or non-dairy milk
- ½ cup (107 g) oil, any preferred
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 g) boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with cooking spray, lining pans with cut-to-size parchment on bottom, and then spraying the parchment. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine or, using your paddle attachment on stand mixer, mix until combined.2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened baking cocoa , 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed to low and slowly add boiling water to the cake batter. Once the water is mixed in, increase to high speed and mix for 1 minute.1 cup milk or non-dairy milk, ½ cup oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup boiling water
- Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. (Tip: Letting the cake batter rest in the pans for 10 minutes before baking helps set up the structure of the cake so it doesn't sink in the middle or get a "wrinkly" top. If you have the extra time, I highly recommend it!) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool completely before frosting with fluffy vanilla buttercream or chocolate buttercream.
Notes
Dairy-Free Modification
The only recipe adaptation you’ll have to make is replacing the milk with a dairy free milk, such as almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. If you prefer using coconut oil, that may also replace the vegetable oil. Some flour blends do contain milk powder, so be sure to read the ingredient labels.Using Different Baking Pans
Gluten Free Cupcakes To make bake this cake as cupcakes follow Incredible Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes recipe. 9X13 Sheet Cake To make a sheet cake instead of layer cake make the batter as written. Spray a 9X13 baking pan. (Let the batter rest in the pan for 10 minutes before baking. I find this helps set up the structure of the cake so it doesn’t sink in the middle or get a “wrinkly” top. If you have the extra time, I highly recommend it!) Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes clean. Cool on wire rack completely before frosting.Freezing and Storing Tips
Gluten free cakes do not stay fresh as long as regular cakes. Therefore, if you don’t plan on freezing the cake, make it no more than 24 hours ahead of time. Freezing Unfrosted Cake Layers: Wrap each completely cooled layer securely in plastic wrap. Transfer wrapped layer to a gallon freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove from freezer bag and thaw wrapped cake at room temperature for 1 hour. Freezing Frosted Cake: Assemble the cake with filling and frosting. Transfer whole cake to the freezer so frosting solidifies. After the frosting is frozen, wrap the cake securely with plastic wrap. Cover plastic wrap with foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw cake overnight in refrigerator. Carefully remove plastic wrap and foil. Continue to thaw at room temperature for 5-6 hours. Freezing Cake Slices: Slice the leftover cake in serving sized portions. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once the pieces are solid, transfer slices to a gallon freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw pieces on the counter for 1 hour or defrost in the microwave at 20% power, carefully avoiding overheating and melting the frosting. Adapted from Add a PinchThis post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
The 5 year old I nanny is dairy free, and recently gluten free as well. We made this cake for her dad’s birthday and it turned out so well!!! It was the first gluten free cake we’ve made and we were all so happy with it. We filled it with pistachio butter and topped it with strawberry buttercream and it is so yummy
This sounds incredible, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing the details with me!
Best,
Melissa
Absolutely delicious 😋 I had King Arthur GF flour on hand and used it.
Even my husband who’s leery of GF baking loved it. High praise indeed🩷
Wonderful, Jenny! I’m so glad even the hubby loved them. Thanks for the note!
Best,
Melissa
I’ve already made this twice and it’s a keeper. No one could tell it was G-F; everyone LOVED it. I used 1/2 & 1/2 choc the first time and only dutch process the 2nd time. I also added in a heaping teaspoon of very finely ground espresso. No doubt the boiling water IS the best secret ingredient. Used King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour. Baked cupcakes, loaves and mini loaves. The chocolate buttercream frosting is wonderful. People are already asking for the recipe.
Yay! Love reading this, Bonnie! Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Best,
Melissa
This is absolutely the BEST chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. The amazing thing is that it is gluten free, too!
Love reading this so much! Thanks, Beth, for taking the time to share.
Best,
Melissa
On National Chocolate Cake day made this cake & your chocolate whipped cream frosting. Both turned out beautifully. Wish I could post pictures.
Love it! So glad you enjoyed it, Marie. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Best,
Melissa
I just made this over the weekend for my nephew’s birthday, and everyone loved it! They honestly raved about it for hours and took most of it home because it was so good! I’m always hard on myself baking and look at everything with a “how to make it better” mentality, so I am curious if you have any suggestions or tips on why my cakes were super gooey but also thoroughly cooked. Here is what I did to add some context:
I baked the cakes in the afternoon on Friday, left them in the pans at room temp in the laundry room (probably 60 degrees – I knew they’d stick too much to any wrapping to use it), and tried to frost it early in the afternoon on Saturday. I say tried because the cakes were so moist and sticky that the first one broke into 3-5 chunks. I put a paper plate on one side of the pan to catch the second cake evenly and plop ‘er on the other frosted cake. Thankfully the frosting did a great job at hiding the cracks once I lined them back up! The toothpicks came out clean except for a small (very small) amount stuck at the bottom of the toothpick. The Glad wrap that I put around the top of the cakes touched the top of one for a bit and took out a wide portion of the cake top (which flattened it perfectly, so I won’t complain about that). I ended up getting one cake somewhat frosted (just the top with a thin layer) before putting them outside to “harden” up a bit in the arctic Michigan winter for a few hours. I was able to frost them pretty easily after that, but towards the end they had started to thaw a bit and got sticky again. I left the cake outside after frosting while we had dinner, and it was delicious though a bit heavy and gooey. Do you have any tips or suggestions? I’m thinking I will make and frost it ahead of time completely and freeze it, so I made sure to save your instructions for that.
Hello Jay,
I’m glad everyone enjoyed the cakes, but I apologize for any frustrations! Next time I would let the batter sit in the pans for 10 minutes before baking. This will help set up the structure of the cake and absorb excess moisture after baking. After the bake remove the cakes from the pans to cool, placing them on a wire rack. Letting them sit in the pans will cause too much condensation around the cake, especially if going from a hot oven to a very cool room, which is also what probably caused the stickiness.
If I’m not planning on serving the baked cakes that day, then yes, I would frost it that day after the layers cool and store it in the fridge until ready to serve. You can do this a day ahead. More then that, I would freeze the entire frosted cake.
I hear you about being hard on yourself and completely understand! There have been many times I’ve baked things and felt they “weren’t good enough” while everyone else was perfectly happy and don’t notice a thing!
Best,
Melissa
Made this chocolate cake for my son’s 29th birthday and it didn’t disappoint!!! This will now be my “go-to” recipe :). Five stars for sure!
Awesome, Kim! Thank you!
Best,
Melissa
Can I use King Arthur‘s gluten-free Measure for measure flour for this recipe?
Hi Crystal,
Yes! It works well with a variety of GF flours. It’s pretty forgiving!
Best,
Melissa
I am officially in the Mamagourmand fan club. Missy has so many great recipes and this cake was an absolute hit! I have a daughter recently diagnosed with celiac (also a chocoholic) who thought she wouldn’t be able to enjoy some of her favorite desserts. She LOVES this cake, the ding dong cake, and the chocolate chip cookies rock too! Cravings can still be satisfied!
Oh, thank you so much, Stephanie! This makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad your whole family are enjoying the recipes, not just your daughter!
Best,
Melissa
This is our family’s go to recipe for all birthday cakes along with the chocolate frosting. It’s perfect.
So glad your family loves it too. Thanks for commenting, Emm! I appreciate it.
Best,
Melissa
It’s very rare that I review something on Pinterest, actually I’m not sure I ever even have! But this cake is seriously the best chocolate cake you will ever make. This is the third year in a row making it for my husband‘s birthday. I also make the chocolate and molasses buttercream frosting from this site as well! It will probably always be his cake of choice!
I really appreciate that you to the time to share and comment. Reading this makes my day, Caitlyn! Thank you!
Best,
Melissa
This delicious cake turned out perfectly and was a hit with everyone at my mom’s birthday party. It was exactly as described-easy to make and very moist, but not dense or gummy like other gf cakes I’ve made. Saving this in my favorites for sure! I also used the recipe for fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting, which was equally amazing.
Loved reading this, Kristine! I appreciate you taking the time to share.
Best,
Melissa
Made for my mom’s birthday with a raspberry filling & mascarpone frosting. Was thrilled that nobody believed it was gluten free until the 1 celiac kid ate it! so excited to finally have a cake that wasn’t dense or crumbly dry!
I did use hot weak coffee vs the water – coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Oh how wonderful! Great tip about the coffee. Thanks, PsychE!
Best,
Melissa
Wow! Hands down the best gluten free recipe I’ve ever tried! That includes all recipes, not just cake! I use Bobs Red Mill measure for measure flour. The brand of GF flour makes all the difference! The only other thing is I had 3/4 cup of raw cream that got left out over 24 hours. It had a slight sour smell so I used that plus 1/4 whole milk. I made 6 giant muffins/cupcakes Costco size) and baked 28 minutes. I even used my blender to mix the batter. So easy and virtually messy free. I always measure by weight right into the bowl or blender.
Thanks, Deb! I appreciate you taking the time to leave this note.
Best,
Melissa
This is my Go-To cake recipe now. It comes out amazing, moist, and soooo satisfying. I even made a double batch of the dry mix, and pulled out half to store for us to make individual microwave mug cakes with!!!
What a great idea, Cayenna Rose!
Best,
Melissa
Hi can I make this cake in a 9 x 13 cake pan ??
Hi Bonnie,
Yes! I’ve done it many times. It will take about 45 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted in the middle to check. It should come out without any wet batter.
Best,
Melissa
USE THIS RECIPE!!!! Not only was it incredibly straight forward and quite simple to make. This cake was the most delicious gluten free chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I am not gluten free, but a friend of mine is and I made it for her birthday. The plush crumb and chocolatey flavor were on par with a great regular degular cake. Please don’t waste ingredients using a bunch of different recipes to find the one. This is the one!
This makes my day, Emma! Thanks for boldly sharing, I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
This chocolate cake is incredible! Was looking for a 1st bday smash cake recipe more on the healthy side when I found this. No one would guess it was GF!!
Substitutes/brands I used: Great Value All Purpose GF flour, 1 cup Coconut sugar, 1 cup Great Value Monk Fruit & Erythritol sweetener, almond milk & melted coconut oil. Baked it 4 days ago and still as moist as the first day!! In love!!!!
That’s amazing! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note, Kelly, I appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
This chocolate cake recipe is the best one I’ve ever tried, especially since I’ve needed to be GF. Not only is it delicious, it’s also moist and not grainy or crumbly like other GF recipes I’ve tried. I was so pleased with it that I couldn’t wait to make it again!
Thanks for taking the time to leave me this note, Tammy! Made my day!
Best,
Melissa
I made this delightful cake for a friend’s birthday last week and it was truly the best chocolate cake… gluten free or not. Everyone went on for days about how moist and delicious it was. The birthday girl admitted she even had a leftover slice for breakfast the next day. This recipe is a keeper!
I love hearing this, June! Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Best,
Melissa
This is pretty well the same recipe i have used for years. It is the original Hershey’s factory cake recipe; Best chocolate cake ever! Try switching out the boiled water for a cup of hot coffee.
Fantastic idea!
Best,
Melissa
Very moist. Even my grandson ate it, and he’s very particular in what he eats!
Love that your grandson approved! Thanks for sharing, Kelly!
Best,
Melissa
Moist & dense (in all the right ways!) and just chocolatey enough to satisfy my chocolate cake craving 😄 Just a really good recipe. I used a DIY better than Cup4Cup flour blend which was easier for me. This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you for sharing, Mary-Lyn!
Best,
Melissa
Has anyone tried this with only one cup of sugar instead of 2 and had good results? I would like to just cut down on the sugar but not sure if I need to replace it with something else if I only do one cup. Please let me know. Thank you!
Hi Emily,
You wouldn’t have to replace the sugar with anything, but the cake will have a tendency to be a little drier because sugar adds moisture as well as sweetness. If you have a sour cream on hand, I might add a couple tablespoons to increase the moisture level.
Best,
Melissa
Hi! I want to make this recipe for my mom. But she has allergy on egg. How can I make this egg-free?
Hello Nathaline,
I haven’t personally tried this, but I believe commenters on Pinterest said they have done it with success. I would use an egg replacer, such as Neat Egg.
Best,
Melissa
I had been in the mood for a chocolate cake recently so when I found this recipe, I ended up making it for my parents 60th wedding anniversary. It was a hit with the entire family! The recipe is easy to follow in. The cake is so chocolatey and moist… Extremely yummy! I even had family members asking me for the recipe. I will definitely make this one again! Thanks, Melissa. PS I made one small change by adding hot coffee in place of the hot water.
Oh hot coffee – nice! Love it when people use my recipes to celebrate milestones and a 60th wedding anniversary is quite the milestone. Congrats to your parents! Thanks for sharing, Priscilla! I appreciate it.
Best,
Melissa
I love this cake! It was a big hit with my sister as well who is also GF. I used Bobs Red Mill 1-1 GF flour mix. Would I be able to use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hey Jessica!
Yes, you can find the gluten free cupcakes recipe here that I adapted from this recipe. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
Absolutely delicious! Tastes like a regular very moist cake. Excellent recipe and I will make this many times again.
Wonderful! I love hearing this Penny. Thank you for commenting.
Best,
Melissa
Does oat milk work as a milk substitute in this recipe?
Yes, for sure, Peggy!
Best,
Melissa
Not sure what happened. The cake was so moist it stuck to the cooling rack which tore the tops some..it is more like a chewy brownie. Not fluffy at all. The buttercream frosting is gritty but as I looked for other same frosting recipes they were all much alike except for the molasses and I can’t tell the molasses makes a difference. I was very disappointed. I followed the recipe as it is written.
My apologies, Lynne. Chewy brownie consistency definitely doesn’t sound right. I’m curious why the frosting was gritty as well. What are you mixing the cake and frosting with?
Best,
Melissa
I mixed with a hand mixer, but the grittiness was from the cocoa which with softened butter did not melt in like it does with melted butter. It was better by the next day and the cake still tasted good. It was just not the texture of a fine cake texture and fell apart when you cut it.