This Gluten-free Chocolate Cake made with whole grain flours and sweetened with unrefined coconut sugar, is a super moist, chocolatey treat!
There is something extremely satisfying about stirring up a bowl of cake batter, pouring it into the pan, and then not-so-perfectly frosting it in a back and forth swoop-y fashion. Simple, no frills, and utterly delicious. And when things get frenetically busy, as they seem to every May, having an easy chocolate cake recipe in the arsenal seems of the most high importance.
This last weekend my husband graduated with his second Masters degree. Amidst the graduation and other planned events, I wanted to make him a special treat that he would like to eat. If you’ve followed the blog long enough, you may recall that my husband is not into sweets of any kind, (very unfortunate, I know) except for simple chocolate cake and the occasional chocolate chip cookie.
And so, inspired by Bon Appetit’s chocolate vinegar cake recipe—it’s secret weapon for moist, rich chocolate cake being plain old distilled white vinegar—I started working on my basic gluten-free chocolate cake game.
Using a mix of whole grain sorghum and millet flours, some tapioca flour, and sweet white rice flour that acts as the binder, this cake boasts some nutritional power as well as a nice moist and flavorful crumb. It’s sweetened with coconut sugar for some caramel-y notes and a sweet-but-not-too-sweet disposition. So whether you have a celebration, a picnic, potluck, or just in need of some dang chocolate cake, I think this will fit the bill.
Make a Salted Plains recipe? I’d love to see! Tag your creations on Instagram with #saltedplains!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3/4 cup sweet white rice flour
- ½ cup millet flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch
- ¼ cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar*
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee**
- sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
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For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
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In a medium bowl, whisk to combine sweet white rice flour, millet flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. In another medium bowl, beat together with electric mixer butter, coconut sugar, and egg.
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Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, stirring to incorporate. Add the water, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir until completely combined. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely prior to frosting.
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For the frosting: In a medium bowl combine butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and coffee. Using electric beater, mix until smooth.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Bon Appetit and my Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Spice Frosting
*You can blitz unrefined cane sugar in the blender to make your own refined sugar-free powdered sugar if desired.
**If you prefer not to use coffee, sub the called for amount with unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Well, first off congrats to your husband on such an accomplishment! I couldn’t think of anything better to celebrate than this gorgeous, chocolatey, decadent cake Tessa! That icing look incredible. I have several friends who eat gluten-free and I’m always looking for delicious desserts to make for them. This one is definitely going on my list. Thanks so much for sharing!
Tessa says
Thank you, Mary Ann!! It is definitely a cake for sharing! :) Hope you had a great weekend! xo.
Abby @ Heart of a Baker says
Congrats to your husband! 2 Master’s degrees, dannng! Also, I agree, sometimes it’s nice to step away from the frills and just have a dang good chocolate cake. This reminds me of whipping up a box mix and eating it out of the pan with me mom :)
Tessa says
Haha, I know, right?! Thank you! And, YES, it totally reminds me of the box mix cakes we’d make growing up. xoxo
Amanda Paa says
wow, kudos to your husband on his 2nd masters degree! and i’m sure your support helped loads. such a special celebration with this chocolate cake! it sounds perfectly balanced and the frosting, with a little coffee…. money.
Tessa says
Thank you! He has certainly put in a lot of work! This is what I want to call dangerous cake – if it is sitting on the counter, I can’t keep from eating a piece. ;)
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Woah!! Now this is what I’d call a snack cake, Tessa. You totally had me drooling on instagram… and I thought about this cake with it’s image in my head for far to long to be called normal. Love the salt, coffee and richness of this beauty. I’ll be picnicking this weekend. Now I want a chocolate cake! Congratulations to your hubs for his x2 Masters! What a fantastic accomplishment!!
Tessa says
Hahaha, so funny. I am going to say that seems completely normal! ;) Thanks so much, Traci – I will pass along your kind words!!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This cake is lovely! Such a classic- chocolate cake is a must, especially with that flaky sea salt :)
Tessa says
Thank you, Medha! If I’m having something with chocolate, I will always find a way to put flaky sea salt on it! ;)
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
That would be a big yes on May (+June) being the busiest time of year in this family as well ~ it’s a protracted version of the December school wrap-up with graduations, end of year concerts, plays, ceremonies, proms + parties… (did I mention soccer tourneys?) life is definitely full :o. Congrats to your husband on his achievements and it sounds like you found a winner of a way to please his palate. I’ve got to try that vinegar trick! It’s the second time I’ve come across that counsel – I’m so curious. Tessa, your frosting… Oh.My. don’t know if it would ever make it to the cake :O)
Tessa says
Haha, YES, just like December! And although I don’t have kids, working in a high school puts me at all those events as well! Professional dance chaperone, right here. :) When I read about the vinegar trick I knew it had to do some good with gluten-free baking! Thanks so much, Kelly! <3
Emily says
Vinegar! I’ll have to try that trick sometime- so interesting. You are the sweetest wife for making a treat perfectly suited for him. (And what an over-achiever btw!) That frosting with the coffee sounds and looks so wonderful. Happy celebrating!
Tessa says
I know, I never would have thought white vinegar to work such magic. Thank you, Emily – he is a total over-achiever! :) xoxo