We didn’t start off wanting to develop a gluten-free chocolate cake. But partway through the testing process, we ran out of all-purpose flour, and had to finish a version with Caputo gluten-free baking flour from Italy. The difference in texture was wonderful… rich, smooth, and moist. You can also make it with all-purpose flour, but try it gluten-free. In full summer, garnish with foraged or farmed summer berries like the wineberries shown here.
Tips for Baking with Gluten-Free Flour
This well-tested recipe is gluten-free, but if you’re looking to cut gluten out of a recipe, it can be really challenging to know how to adjust for a new ingredient. Some gluten-free flours often absorb more liquid. Start with 10-20% more liquid than the recipe calls for. You can also incorporate binding agents like xanthan gum or guar gum to help mimic the elasticity of gluten. Usually, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour works well. It’s a good idea to test your recipe substitutions at least once prior to serving the results to guests.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Caputo gluten-free flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp instant coffee crystals
- 1 cup almond milk (we like Chobani Original Vanilla)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Zest of one orange (optional)
- 1 cup boiling water
- ¼ cup amaretto, nocino, or Kahlúa liqueur
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and instant coffee.
- Mix in milk, oil, eggs, and extracts until combined. Add orange zest (if desired) and mix again.
- Cautiously and slowly add the cup of boiling water and mix. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowls so that all the batter is uniform. It will be quite loose and liquid at this point.
- Pour evenly into cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes and test with wooden skewer for doneness. When skewer emerges clean, remove from oven and let cool.
- Once cool, remove from pan and brush tops with liqueur. Ice with chocolate buttercream frosting. Garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries, and serve.
Story and Recipe by Keith Recker / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Platter by FD Ceramics
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