Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

Jump to Recipe

This Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe is all you’ve ever wanted in a cake; rich chocolate mocha flavor, moist texture, and decadently topped with a fluffy rich vegan buttercream frosting.

A square of vegan gluten free chocolate cake on the a white plate with more cake in the background.

Gluten-free flour, rich cocoa powder, and your usual chocolate cake ingredients come together for an out-of-this-world cake I’ve topped with a rich and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Get a cold glass of milk ready because this one is super chocolatey!

There’s no need to compromise on flavor or texture when it comes to gluten and dairy-free desserts and this cake is the perfect example. Soft and fluffy with a deep mocha flavor from the espresso powder and the coffee, this cake is then covered with a rich and fluffy vegan chocolate buttercream frosting. Believe me, no one will ever know this cake is dairy and gluten-free.

If you’re looking for more vegan gluten-free desserts, you may also like this Gluten Free Vanilla Cake, these Vegan Donut Holes, or this Lava Cake Recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

Decadent: Moist and chocolatey, topped with luscious buttercream makes for a truly indulgent cake.
One bowl: You’ve got to love a cake that only requires one bowl to clean up.
Crowd-pleaser: You know everyone is going to want a piece of this scrumptious dessert. Who doesn’t love chocolate cake?
Allergen-free: Made without eggs or dairy, this recipe is free of two of the most common allergens.

Ingredients

Here's a quick look at the ingredients you will need for your vegan chocolate cake!

Dry Ingredients

Flour: For a gluten-free cake use a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour or gluten-free cake flour (I like King Arthur) or if gluten-free isn’t important you can use all-purpose flour
Cocoa powder: Natural unsweetened cocoa powder adds just the right amount of chocolate flavor.
Sugar: I used white granulated sugar but you can also use coconut sugar. Note coconut sugar may alter the flavor and texture slightly but the cake will still taste great.
Espresso powder: I find espresso powder helps deepen the chocolate flavor. You can eliminate it if you like or substitute it with instant coffee powder though you won’t get as intense a flavor. Decaf espresso powder also works if you are worried about the caffeine.
Baking powder and soda: Both of these will help the cake rise and give it a nice and fluffy texture.

Wet Ingredients

Vegan buttermilk: Make your own by combining your preferred dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar you can use lemon juice.
Hot coffee: Make your favorite cup of coffee to add to the batter for a hint of mocha flavoring. Decaf is fine!
Vegan yogurt: Unsweetened vegan yogurt adds moisture to the cake batter. If you only have vanilla yogurt you can leave out the vanilla extract.
Neutral oil: A neutral oil also adds moisture. I used canola but grapeseed or olive oil are also good options.
Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract to help bring out the sweetness in the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream for Sheet Cake

Vegan butter: I used vegan stick butter to make this buttercream. Bring it to room temperature so it blends more easily. You can also use the vegan butter you get in a tub which is softer and easier to mix.
Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioner’s sugar this gives the buttercream its texture and sweetness.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

Turn the cake into cupcakes: Bake the batter in a lined muffin tray for chocolate cupcakes. Watch the bake time as cupcakes typically bake faster than cake.
Make a chocolate buttercream layer cake: Split the batter in two and pour into two round baking pans and then layer with the buttercream. You may need to make more buttercream to do this. Note, the individual cakes will be thinner and require less baking time.
Use a different frosting: Make a vegan cream cheese frosting or prepare a simple chocolate frosting instead.

How to Make Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven and get your baking pan ready!

Step 1: Prepare the buttermilk: Whisk the dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar together and set them aside for a few minutes so the milk can curdle.

Cake batter in a bowl with the dry ingredients added on top.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add the dry ingredients.

Vegan gluten free chocolate cake batter mixed together in a bowl.

Step 3: Mix the batter. Whisk everything together until the batter is creamy.

Pouring the chocolate cake batter into a pan.

Step 3: Transfer to a pan. Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking dish.

Chocolate cake after baking removed from the pan and sitting on parchment.

Step 4: Bake the cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool and use the parchment to lift the cake from the pan.

Step 5: Frost the Cake. Whisk together the chocolate buttercream ingredients. Add the buttercream on top.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy. Use an offset spatula or knife to spread the frosting on top of the cake. Cut it into slices and serve!

Serving Suggestions

Gluten-free chocolate desserts go well with pretty much anything! Here are some great recipes to serve this cake with:

Pair this gluten-free vegan cake with these Sour Patch Grapes or these Frozen Yogurt Fruit Cups for your next kid’s party.
Make for your home movie night with this Vegan Deep Dish Pizza or this Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza.
Make and serve this gluten-free dairy-free chocolate cake on game day with Buffalo Cauliflower Wings and this Vegan Seven Layer Dip.

A piece of vegan chocolate cake with buttercream frosting showing the top of the cake.

Expert Tips

Sift the flour and cocoa powder: I highly recommend sifting the flour and cocoa powder, or you might get uneven clumps in the batter.
Use a mixer: To get light and fluffy buttercream, use a stand or hand mixer to beat the butter first, then slowly add the powdered sugar, and cocoa while mixing on medium speed.
Watch the bake time carefully: There’s nothing worse than dry cake so make sure you test this gluten-free vegan chocolate cake for doneness a few minutes before the recommended bake time.
Grease the baking pan: Lightly coat the baking pan with cooking spray so it comes out easily.
Store leftovers: Uneaten cake will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container. To extend its shelf life store it in the fridge. You can also freeze leftover cake for up to 3 months.

Recipe Video

Recipe FAQs

Can I omit the espresso and coffee in the cake?

You can omit the espresso powder in the cake without compromising the cake. The hot coffee will need to be replaced with another liquid of the same quantity. You could use hot water or plant-based milk instead.

Can you make a chocolate cake without eggs?

Yes, you can! Vegan chocolate cakes don’t contain eggs but usually have other ingredients that help bind the cake like flax eggs, applesauce, tofu, or yogurt. Look for cake recipes that have been developed without eggs to ensure they work out well as opposed to eliminating the eggs in recipes that have been developed with eggs.

Is a cake with coffee suitable for kids?

A cake made with coffee is usually okay for children as the impact of the caffeine should be minimal. If you are concerned, you can substitute with decaffeinated espresso and decaf hot coffee.

A piece of gluten free vegan chocolate cake held up above the whole cake.

More Delicious Vegan Chocolate Recipes