Vegan Gluten free Chocolate Cake

This Vegan Gluten free Chocolate Cake with vegan chocolate ganache is super moist, rich and packed with flavor. The best gluten-free layer cake and grain-free for all your upcoming celebrations.

Hungry for more?

My quick start guide has tips and secrets with easy recipes that you will LOVE!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Yes, send it to me!

This gluten-free chocolate cake is my new favorite celebration cake! It features a super moist crumb and it has the perfect fudgy, yet light texture. Trust me, this vegan chocolate layer cake recipe will soon be your favorite too.

The crumb is delicate, light and velvety  100% gluten-free and grain free thanks to a blend of almond flour and potato starch. Deeply flavorful and unapologetically rich and topped with an addictive, mega fudgy coconut milk chocolate ganache frosting. This will leave everyone saying I can’t believe this is Glutenfree! 

The secret to the light sponge? A small amount of club soda is added to the batter before baking. It gives the sponge cakes an extra rise. If you don’t want to use club soda, add 1/4 cup more non dairy milk,  whip up 1/4 cup aquafaba (chickpea water from a can , use unsalted) until soft sturdy peaks, and fold it in. Add more milk a tablespoon at time while folding the aquafaba, until you get a smooth batter

If you’re looking for a gluten-free vegan celebration cake, this recipe is for you. For a regular flour chocolate layer cake see my chocolate peanut butter cake.

Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Layer Cake (grainfree)

5 from 5 votes

By: Vegan Richa

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Chill time: 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

SaveSaved Pin Print

This Vegan Glutenfree Chocolate Cake with vegan chocolate ganache is super moist, rich and packed with flavor. The best vegan layer cake for all your upcoming celebrations. 

Save this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Save Recipe

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups almond flour, blanched preferable
• ▢ 2/3 cup potato starch
• ▢ 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 cup cane sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk such as almond or oat
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup club soda or a neutral flavored carbonated beverage

For the frosting:

• ▢ 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch, or arrowroot or tapioca starch
• ▢ a few drops of vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup Vegan semi sweet chocolate chips

For the syrup

• ▢ 2 tablespoons cheery preserves or raspberry preserves
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Make the cakes: In large bowl, mix together the almond flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt until well combined. You want to press and mix so that all lumps of almond flour break down.
• Then add the milk, oil, vanilla extract but do not mix.
• Open a fresh bottle of club soda or carbonated beverage that you plan to use so that is has the maximum aeration. Measure out 1/2 cup and add it to the bowl and then mix it in.
• If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon or so more of the club soda. The batter will convert from thick to a somewhat flowy batter. Let this batter sit for 3-4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prep your pans. This cake makes 2 6 inch pans. Put a parchment liner at the bottom and grease the sides of the pan. Then pour the batter into the 2 pans. (You can also use 1 tall 6 inch pan and slice cakes into 2, gf cakes are delicate so refrigerate for an hour and then slice)
• Cover the pans lightly with another parchment and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 c) for 22-24 minutes. Check using a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean then the cakes are baked. See notes for cooking in Instant pot.
• Remove the cakes from the oven. let them cool for 20 minutes covered by a parchment. Then try to tap them out of the container. Let this cakes cool completely (covered with a towel so they don’t dry out) before you frost them.
• If they are too domed, then cut off the top using a serated knife. You can use that portion of the cake to make some cake balls.
• Make the frosting: Add the coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar and cornstarch to a saucepan and mix well over medium heat. Heat until the coconut milk comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved. Take off heat. Add in the chocolate chips and vanilla and keep whisking. continue to mix until the chocolate completely melted.
• Transfer to a bowl. Let cool completely in the fridge for 30 minutes for a smooth spreadable consistency.

  You can also put it in the freezer and check after every 5 minutes to see. Mix the frosting after the 5 minutes so that the edges that are setting up can mix in , repeat until frosting consistency is achieved
• Before frosting the cake, moisten the cake with either the preserves or a simple syrup. Mix the cherry preserves and hot water and brush that all over. Or mix 3 tablespoons of hot water with a tablespoon of sugar. Drizzle and brush this water all over the cakes. (Gluten-free cakes can tend to dry out easily, so add as much moisture back at this point. Poke holes using toothpick, and brush and drizzle all of the syrup if possible. )
• frost the cake: Spread the frosting between the two layers and place the one layer on top of the other. Then frost the top and the sides.
• You can top the frosting with some chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, raspberries or other toppings of choice. Let the cake sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

Storage:The cake can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months

Club Soda substitute: club soda adds air to batter before baking, which is essential for gf cakes. Use non dairy milk instead of club soda and add Either 1/2 tsp citric acid or 1 tsp eno fruit salt to the batter, fold in just before baking. 

Instant Pot: add 3 cups of water to a 6 or 8 qt instant pot. Cover the cake pans with foil, place in a long handle trivet,(one pan over the other)  then lower into the instant pot. Close the lid, Set the vent to “Venting”, then press steam. Since the vent is open, the time will not count, so use an external clock and steam for 34 minutes. Then cancel, let the pressure knob fall, then open the lid and carefully remove the cake pans. 

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 86mg, Potassium: 239mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Ingredients:

• a blend of almond flour and potato starch creates a light yet moist crumb
• cocoa powder – use all-natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
• a blend of baking powder and baking soda allows for the perfect rise
• a small amount of oil is needed to make the cake rich and velvety
• club soda lightens up the cake batter
• chocolate – use high-quality chocolate for the frosting
• coconut milk is the vegan substitute for cream in the vegan ganache. Use full-fat
• coconut oil adds shine to the ganache

Tips:

• Use good quality chocolate. It adds amazing flavor and texture.
• Don’t skip soaking the cake layers – it allows for this cake to stay moist for days
• You can use apricot or peach preserves instead of cherry preserves. Or make a simple syrup

How to make Vegan Gluten free Chocolate Cake

In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt until well combined. You want to press and mix so that all lumps of almond flour break down.

Then add the milk, oil, vanilla extract but do not mix.

Open a fresh bottle of club soda or carbonated beverage that you plan to use so that is has the maximum aeration. Measure out 1/2 cup and add it to the bowl and then mix it in.

If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon or so more of the club soda. The batter will convert from thick to a somewhat flowy batter. Let this batter sit for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep your pans. This cake makes 2 6 inch pans. Put a parchment liner at the bottom and grease the sides of the pan. Then pour the batter into the 2 pans.

Cover the pans lightly with another parchment and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 c) for 22-24 minutes. Check using a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean then the cakes are baked.

Remove the cakes from the oven. let them cool for 20 minutes covered by a parchment. Then try to tap them out of the container. Let these cakes cool completely before you frost them.

If they are too domed, then cut off the top using a serrated knife. You can use that portion of the cake to make some cake balls.

Make the frosting: Heat the saucepan. Add the coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar and cornstarch and mix well. Heat until the coconut milk comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved. Take off heat. Add in the chocolate and vanilla and keep whisking. continue to mix until the chocolate completely melted.

Transfer to a bowl. Let cool completely in the fridge for 30 minutes for a smooth spreadable consistency.
You can also put it in the freezer and check after every 5 minutes to see. Mix the frosting after the 5 minutes so that the edges that are setting up can mix in until frosting Consistency is achieved

Before frosting the cake, moisten the cake with either preserves or simple syrup. Mix the cherry preserves and hot water and brush that all over. Or use  3 tablespoons of hot water mixed with a tablespoon of sugar. Drizzle and brush this water all over the cakes to soak

Then frost the cake: Spread the frosting between the two layers and place one layer on top of the other. Then frost the top and the sides.

You can top the frosting with some chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, raspberries, or other toppings of choice. Let the cake sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

The cake can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:

You can prepare the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months