Easy & Delicious Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
I’m all for fancy cakes, but sometimes it’s nice to have a quick cake recipe on hand for cake emergencies. You know what I mean. And one such cake that you should absolutely add to your arsenal is this Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Snack Cake. It’s a riff on my famous gluten-free chocolate fudge cake that is so easy, so delicious, so moist (am I still allowed to use that word?), and hands-down everyone’s favorite! Topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream and mini-chocolate chips, this snack cake is just as perfect for an afternoon treat as it is for an easy birthday dessert!
Jump to RecipeRecipe card updated with metric measurements 2/22/24.
This simple recipe for chocolate cake was the first gluten-free cake that I had any success with. This version, because it’s not layered or complicated to frost is the perfect recipe to get your toes wet with gluten-free baking. Even if you’re an old pro, it’s a great recipe to have in your back pocket for those times when cake is called for, but you just don’t have the time or energy to make a big production out of it.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
You will find that this is the easiest from scratch cake to whip up because it only requires ONE bowl. Don’t worry if the batter looks quite thin after the hot water is added. While I scaled this recipe down so it would fit a 8×8 inch square pan, you can absolutely double it and put it in a 9×13 inch pan.
Here are the ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 or Cup4Cup are my preferences)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, and xanthan gum (omit if using the flour blends above because they already have it in the blend)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (or milk substitute of your choice)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup canola oil (or avocado oil or mild olive oil)
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of piping hot coffee or hot water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8-inch square cake pan with gluten-free cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray again with cooking spray. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, flour, xanthan (if using), cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Next, add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Carefully whisk in the hot water. The batter will be runny.
Pour the cake batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
How to Make the Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
This is my go-to vanilla buttercream frosting recipe. It’s easy and reliable and easily enhanced with jams or extracts to make a differently flavored buttercream.
- 1/4 pound (113g / 1/2 cup / 1 stick) of butter, softened at room temperature
- 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
Beat the butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Next, add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and sea salt, and beat on low speed until it begins to become incorporated. If necessary, add additional milk one tiny splash at a time and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled cake.
Love gluten free cake? Check out these other recipes!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Best Ever Gluten Free Lemon Cake Recipe
- A Delicious Recipe for Gluten Free Cake
- The Legendary Gluten Free Lemon Lavender Cake from Ginger & Fox Bake Shop
If you make this gluten free Chocolate Chip Snack Cake or any other of our recipes be sure to leave a comment below and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Equipment
- 8" Square Cake Pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 or Cup4Cup are my preferences
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your flour blend already contains it – the two mentioned above do
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup whole milk or milk substitute of your choice
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup canola oil or avocado oil or mild olive oil
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup of piping hot coffee or hot water
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- ¼ pound butter, softened at room temperature 113g / ½ cup / 1 stick
- 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease one 8-inch square cake pan with gluten-free cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray again with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar, flour, xanthan (if using), cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Carefully whisk in the hot water. The batter will be runny.
- Pour the cake batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and sea salt, and beat on low speed until it begins to become incorporated. If necessary, add additional milk one tiny splash at a time and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips if desired
This was a really good cake. Moist with a great texture. My family could not tell it was gluten free. I added some chocolate chips to the cake batter rather than to the top. I used cup4cup flour and added a little espresso powder since I didn’t have coffee ready to go.
Could I double this and bake it in a half sheet pan?
Hi Donna – it should work! 🙂
I tried your recipe and it was bombastic. Soft, moist and creamy. Also my family loving the cake….
I made this cake with Cup4Cup flour and coffee. All I can say is WOW! One of the best gluten free chocolate cake recipes we’ve tried. Thank you for sharing! I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
So glad you loved it!