Gluten-free chocolate cake
Moist, deeply chocolate sponge made with gluten-free flour and a glossy chocolate ganache — perfect for birthdays or a weekend bake.
This gluten-free chocolate cake is reliably moist and seriously chocolatey — the kind you slice when guests arrive and pretend you’ve been meaning to make all week. It uses gluten-free plain flour and ground almonds for texture, with oil and yoghurt for a tender crumb.
Make it for birthdays, teatime or any occasion that calls for a no-fuss, indulgent bake. The ganache is forgiving and gives a professional, shiny finish without messing about with buttercream.
Ingredients
- 200 g gluten-free plain flour
- 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 50 g ground almonds
- 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 5 ml baking powder
- 220 g fine caster sugar
- 5 ml salt
- 3 large eggs
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 125 g full-fat natural yoghurt
- 60 ml milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 120 ml hot water — very hot, nearly boiling
- 150 g dark chocolate — for ganache; 70% recommended
- 150 ml double cream
- 25 g unsalted butter — optional, for a shiny ganache
Equipment
- 20cm round cake tin
- cooling rack
- electric hand whisk or stand mixer
- heatproof bowl
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Sift the gluten-free plain flour and unsweetened cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, fine caster sugar and salt; whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl whisk the large eggs with the sunflower oil, full-fat natural yoghurt, milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined — don't overmix. The batter will be fairly thick.
Stir the hot water into the batter a little at a time until smooth; the batter will loosen to a pourable consistency.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin, level the top and bake for 33–38 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely for a further 45 minutes before decorating.
Make the ganache: place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently heat the double cream until just below simmering, pour over the chocolate and leave for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the unsalted butter until glossy.
Leave the ganache to cool for 10 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to thicken to a spreading consistency.
Spread the ganache over the cooled cake with a palette knife. Let it set for 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing and serving.
Tips
- Weigh your gluten-free flour — different blends absorb liquid differently; weighing avoids a dry or gummy sponge.
- If your gluten-free flour mix contains xanthan gum, keep an eye on texture; if it doesn’t, add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum for structure.
- Warm your palette knife under hot water and dry it before smoothing ganache for a glossy finish.
- Make ahead: bake the sponge and wrap in clingfilm once cooled; it keeps well for 2 days at room temperature. Ganache can be made 48 hours ahead and chilled.
- To test doneness precisely, press the centre lightly — it should spring back slightly and a skewer should show moist crumbs, not raw batter.
Substitutions
full-fat natural yoghurt → Greek-style yoghurt, same quantity
Stays closesunflower oil → melted sunflower or light olive oil, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → full-fat coconut cream, same quantity (ganache flavour will be coconutty)
Noticeably differentdark chocolate → dairy-free dark chocolate, same quantity (check gluten-free label)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 8 g
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 26 g
- Sugar
- 240 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I know my gluten-free flour is suitable?
Use a blend labelled 'gluten-free plain flour' suitable for cakes — blends differ, so if yours contains no binder add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes: swap double cream for coconut cream and use dairy-free dark chocolate; results will be slightly different in flavour and texture.
Why add hot water to the batter?
Hot water blooms the cocoa, intensifying the chocolate flavour and loosening the batter to give a moist crumb.
How long will the cake keep?
Wrapped in an airtight container at room temperature it keeps 2–3 days; refrigerated with ganache it will last up to 5 days (bring to room temperature before serving).
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
