The Best Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This is a long time family favorite recipe that we have been making gluten-free for years. It's moist, chocolatey and so yummy! It can be made with with a chocolate or vanilla frosting, and can be made as a single cake or made twice as a double layer cake.
Author: Healthy Gluten-Free Family
Recipe type: Dessert, Baking, Cake
Cuisine: Gluten-free
Ingredients
Pan size:
- Recipe makes a 9x13x2 inch pan OR an angel food cake pan (the10 inch round pan with hole in center) OR a 2 9 -inch round springform pan (as I used here for a double layer cake)
Cake
- TIP: For a double layer cake, split batter between 2 spring form pans OR cut the recipe in half and make once for each pan if you want to be extra sure that the cakes are the same size
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¾ all purpose flour (I use GFJules) (affiliate link)
- ¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup strong black coffee (I used decaf) or 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (to sour milk: use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 c. OR buy the buttermilk and use remainder in pancakes)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Frosting (This is enough to cover one cake, double if doing a double layer cake)
- 1 box confectioner sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ stick butter
- 4½ tbsp milk
Chocolate Frosting (This is enough to cover one cake, double if doing a double layer cake)
- 6 Tablespoons butter softened
- ¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2⅔ cups powdered sugar
- 4 to 6 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour whichever pan(s) you're using.
- In large mixer bowl, blend sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be thin).
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 min. or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Frost as desired.
Vanilla Frosting
- In a small mixing bowl, beat butter. Add remaining ingredients, and mix until combined and creamy.
Chocolate Frosting
- In small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency. Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting
How much vegetable oil? Only says 1/2.
Thanks!
Hi Tina! Thanks so much for catching this! It’s 1/2 cup. I will update the recipe now.
My Mother’s made this cake for us all the time. She would color the frosting of the time of year or holidays. My favorite chocolate cake!
Yay!It is my extended family’s go to cake as well! Love the idea of coloring the frosting to make it more festive! Thanks for sharing!
This looks amazing and I plan on making it for a friend’s birthday next week as she has celiac disease. One question though, can’t I just use 2 round cake pans? Is there a reason for the spring form pan?
Thank you! And yes, you can certainly use 2 round cake pans… I just find it easier to remove with the spring form but either work! Hope your friend loves it!
I have King Arthur GF Flour. Can I use that in lieu of your flour? Thank you!
It should work fine! Just double check that it has xanthan gum…. hope you love the cake!
I just made this cake last night. It was easy to make and tastes delicious. It really is the best chocolate cake! My only concern is the center of the cake was concave…it did not rise like a typical cake. Any thoughts on what I did wrong?
Will absolutely make again!
I made this cake today, and it was absolutely, wonderfully, delicious. Usually when I make gluten free cake it’s very dense, not the case with this recipe. This cake was moist, and fluffy, and the icing was fantastic!
My family loved it, and will definitely be making this again.
Happy you all loved it! Thank you!
I made this as cupcakes today for my daughter’s birthday. We are a family of 3 Celiacs and my birthday daughter is also lactose intolerant. I substituted with oatmilk and water instead of coffee. Used vegan butter in the frosting as well.
This was the most moist and flavourful GF chocolate cake/cupcakes I have ever tasted. Thank you so much. Will definitely make it again ❤️.
So happy you loved them! Love your substitutions! Thanks so much for sharing!
Can I use another unsweetened cocoa powder? I’m not a fan of Hershey’s. I don’t even have any in my pantry. My husband’s birthday is coming up, and I would love to make this for him. I’m the one who has to be gluten free and I hate to deny him a real cake.
Great question! And of course! Use any cocoa powder you love! I’m also linking to your yellow sheetcake in case you want one without any cocoa powder. https://www.healthygffamily.com/recipe/yellow-sheet-cake-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/