Amazing Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
This chocolate cake is life-changing! Super moist and ultra-decadent, you’d never know it was gluten-free!
This cake has taken over my mind and soul since I spied it on Sally’s blog. Sally promised me it would be lifechanging. That it is super moist and absolutely rich and decadent.
The thing that intrigued me the very most about it, though, is that it is made with quinoa.
No flour! Just quinoa and a bunch of other basic cake ingredients. Quinoa? In a cake? No flour? Huh? Nothing against gluten-free cake recipes but usually they call for special flour mixes that I never have on hand and can’t access in my small town; I’ve never seen one with cooked quinoa as a base.
But since this cake was calling to me and I always have quinoa in my pantry, I decided to do an experiment. I made this lovely cake one Saturday afternoon when Brian was entertaining the kids.
None of them knew I was frolicking in the kitchen blending up quinoa and eggs for a cake of all things. Brian and the boys kept sneaking glances at the finished masterpiece (because, while rustic since I didn’t frost the sides, it was quite the impressive piece of chocolate decadence) begging for a taste.
Shockingly it stayed safe for an entire night, and Sunday afternoon, I pulled out the beauty, divvied up the slices and we all dug in.
The Secret Ingredient
After a few bites (of which I was completely overwhelmed with utter chocolate cake bliss), I said to the crew, “So I’ll give you a second piece if you can guess the secret ingredient.”
We play this game a lot so I wasn’t surprised to hear guesses like “coconut oil” and “spinach” and “black beans.”
With a smug smile (mostly smug because I was going to get to claim the second piece as my own) I told them the cake was made with quinoa, and seriously, Brian almost fell off his chair. I really should have had a video camera going as I’m sure I could have won a lot of money on AFV for his reaction.
How it Works
Instead of mixing up a traditional cake batter of wet ingredients + dry ingredients, in this recipe, cooked and cooled quinoa is blended up with the milk, eggs, vanilla and butter until it is ultra-smooth (I use my Vitamix). Cocoa powder, baking powder and soda, and salt are whisked in and the batter is ready to bake!
Quinoa replaces the flour to add structure to the cake…and I actually think the quinoa contributes to how crazy soft and moist the cake is. This gluten-free chocolate quinoa cake is definitely one of the most decadent, rich, moist cakes I’ve ever tasted!
FAQs for Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
A lot of people in the comments have easily made this cake dairy free with substitutions – so read through the comment thread for details. One commenter, said: I made these into dairy free cupcakes by subbing 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup earth balance margarine for the butter and did a chocolate coconut cream whipped frosting. Oh. My. Delicious!!!
Yes, it freezes great!
Yes, and it works beautifully! It made 24 and I baked them for about 15 minutes. They don’t have the pretty domed top like bakery cupcakes, but even though they are kind of flattish, they still taste incredible.
I always use white quinoa.
My only attempt at making this chocolate gluten-free cake into a yellow cake was a total disaster. However Nadja commented below: “I just tried to adapt the recipe so it would be a yellow cake version. I simply added the same amount of gluten-free flour instead of Cocoa-powder. It turned out beautifully!!! The only thing to note is that without the cocoa, you can taste the quinoa much stronger, so I will experiment with some more flavors to make it less dominant.”
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Decadent Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (see note)
- ⅓ cup milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 2 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ¼ cups (213 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
- Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Process just until combined. Add the cooked quinoa and the butter. Blend well until smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the contents from the blender and mix with a wooden spoon or whisk until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake on a rack in the middle position for 28-30 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto cooling racks (remove the parchment paper stuck to the bottom of the cakes).
- For the frosting, place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan until it gently simmers. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let the mixture sit for five minutes. Whisk to combine until it is glossy and smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled and cold (2-3 hours). You can speed up this process by placing the bottom of the bowl in an ice water bath and stirring until cool. When fully chilled, use an electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld) to whip the mixture to soft peaks.
- Place one cake layer upside down on a serving platter or plate. Top with a generous portion (about half) of the whipped frosting, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the cake (it will press to the edge when the top cake layer is put on).
- Gently put the other cake layer upside down on top of the frosted layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. You could definitely frost the sides, too, but I like the more rustic look for this cake – frosting just the middle and top.
- Chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving to let the frosting set up a bit.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: cake from Good Dinner Mom (love Sally!) and frosting adapted from Sips and Spoonfuls
471 Comments on “Amazing Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting”
This cake is so moist, rich and delicious! You can’t even tell there’s quinoa. No weird texture or flavor that a lot of gluten free recepies have. Just delicious. My husband and daughter love it too. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
I love this recipe! It is so delicous and easy to make. Everybody loves it and it disappears off the table quicker than anything else.
Has any one been able to make this cake egg free with any substitutes for the eggs? I would appreciate any insight!
Very nice cake! Frosting didn’t work for me- when I whipped it it was very thick and hard, not soft and mousse-y like the photo. . I did leave in fridge overnight before whipping. Could it have been too cold? And I used standard cream instead of thick cream. In Ireland we have what we call single and double cream, but single cream makes a perfectly good ganache, so presumed it would be okay for this too. But maybe not?
This cake is so wonderful! So grateful to have this in my pocket for occasions requiring gluten free – and maybe any other occasion? its that good!
I did a scant 3/4 cup quinoa in my instant pot and it made 2 cups plus a little extra.
All my fault, but I ruined the frosting (I think there was a bit of water in my kitchen aid bowl still, after hand washing it, oops- it was a mess). But for anyone who doesn’t have cream on hand and is needing an alternative, Mel’s “Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting” worked as an excellent backup option. Though, based on the pics I’m guessing the original frosting is lighter/fluffier than a buttercream, soooo I’m guessing it would’ve been even better with that. Next time!! 🙂
Again, it was a hit! Thanks Mel!!
I have made this cake at least 20 times, and every time it has been PERFECT. Every time I tell someone it is gluten free AND that it is quinoa, they are blown away! I have had multiple people tell me that this is the best chocolate cake they have ever had, including my brother-in-law who jokes that he is “allergic to gluten free foods.” (Because he naively thinks all gluten free baked goods taste like cardboard.) I am making this again this weekend for my daughter’s birthday, and realized I have never left a comment, so had to do it!
My fave combos with this cake are: nutella frosting, peanut butter frosting, chocolate frosting with salted caramel and pecans, and cookies and cream with Goodie Girl gluten free “oreos.” No matter what flavor you pair it with, this cake is SURE to be a hit!
Look no further for a perfect chocolate cake recipe whether you are GF or not! It is a crowd pleaser for sure. I made it into cupcakes because I didn’t have time to frost a layered cake. They turned out great. I baked them at 350 for about 20 mins
I’m excited to try this! How would you recommend adjusting time and/or temperature if I were to make it in a bundt pan instead?
I haven’t made this in a bundt pan, so I’m not sure if the quantity of batter translates well to a bundt pan, but it’s worth a try. I’d keep the baking temperature the same and check after about 25-27 minutes.
I’ve made this multiple times for GF family members and love it! It’s an EXCELLENT recipe.
I have a baby shower for a GF family member coming up and want to use it, but she doesn’t like chocolate. I am wondering if I could substitute something for the cocoa powder or just leave it out to make it vanilla or another flavor?
Hi Kimberly, I haven’t tried making this into a vanilla version, sorry!
This is the best chocolate cake, gluten or no gluten! It has been my go to cake for years. I make the frosting with milk chocolate chips, and it is to die for. If you’re looking for a great cake, look no further!
Would this produce enough batter to fill three 6×2 inch pans and how would you adjust the temp and time? Thanks!
Yes, I believe it should work for three smaller 6-inch pans. I’d bake at the same temperature and check around 22 minutes.
Wow a real winner! If you like luxurious rich chocolate cake, this is it. I needed it dairy free for my SIL’s bday So I Used earth balance butter and vanilla almond milk. Also cooked 3/4 c quinoa in 2.5 cups water for 20 min and that really helped make it softer. Did blend it in my ninja for quite some time because I was afraid it would be grainy. It turned out oh so smooth and rich! Also only had 9 inch pans and those were done after 27 min. Put them in the fridge overnight after baking and cooling since a lot of the comments said it was better day 2.
Then today I frosted them with this frosting:
https://zestforbaking.com/easy-dairy-free-chocolate-frosting
It was the bomb. Thanks for a recipe all can love!!
I know I’m late to the party. Made this cake yesterday exactly per the instructions. Served it today and it was a huge hit. Probably the moistest cake I’ve ever had. Just as popular with guests with no gluten issues. Made the frosting base in the am, refrigerated it all day. Made cakes in the early evening, and frosted it all before bed. Key to cake texture is use powerful blender and blend until you can feel no gritty texture – maybe longer than you think. It will make perfectly smooth batter for smooth cake. Terrific!
I’m obsessed with this cake. My mother-in-law made this for a family dinner a few weeks ago and I couldn’t stop thinking about it after. So when I needed to make a cake for my mom’s birthday, this is what immediately came to mind. It turned out delicious and everyone loved it. But the frosting was a bit of a fiasco in the beginning. I followed the instructions, but when I went to whip it, it fluffed up for a minute and then fell and separated into granules of chocolate and a puddle of chocolate cream at the bottom. Luckily I had extra cream and whipped that up on its own and then folded in the chocolate granules. That did the trick, but it was stressful for a bit! Any idea what went wrong? Perhaps it wasn’t cold enough when I tried to whip it? I touched the top and it felt cold, but I didn’t check all the way through.
Hey Valerie – what brand of heavy cream were you using? Do you happen to know the percentage of milkfat?
I received a lot of complements on this cake but I felt like the whipped cream frosting was a bit bitter. I used half semi sweet and half bittersweet chocolate. Next time I will try all semisweet or add some powdered sugar. I have made chocolate whipped cream using cocoa powder and powdered sugar and like that a lot. Personal preference.
Mel, should this cake be refrigerated up until it is served or can you tell me how long it can sit out at room temperature?
It’s fine at cool room temperature for a few hours but any longer than that and I would refrigerate it.
I’ve made this cake several times to rave reviews even to people who don’t need it to be GF. This last time, I had too many balls in the air that day in the kitchen, and set the bowl of melted butter in the freezer to cool off for a min… and found it the next day! No one even noticed it was missing! The cake still tasted amazing without it!!! Crazy!
Cake was delicious and moist. I made 1.5 recipe and baked in 9×13 pan. Whipped frosting was a weird texture. Ended up making my own chocolate buttercream instead. Will definitely make this again. Even the skeptics in the family loved it.
This was way more work than it should have been and it’s so rich that it really doesn’t taste that good to me.
This cake is incredibly rich and delicious and easy to make! So hard to believe that quinoa substitutes for flour. I’ll be making this again and again! Thank you, Mel!
1/2 cup of dry quinoa only makes about 1 cup cooked. I think you meant 1 cup dry in the notes?
Quinoa increases about 3 times when cooked (and a bit more if there’s more water, which is helpful in this recipe so the quinoa is nice and soft), so you’ll likely need between 1/2 and 2/3 cup.
I admit I was super skeptical about this recipe! But I wanted to make cupcakes GF so my daughter in law could have some. They exceeded all expectations!!! Thanks for a delicious GF option!
This recipe is amazing. Can I substitute the butter with vegetable oil?
You can try – it may affect the outcome (overall texture of the cake)
I have used melted coconut oil and I actually think it’s better than butter especially when the cake is cold from the fridge!
How much melted coconut oil? Really like this adaptation. Thank you.
This is my go to chocolate cake recipe. Most people I serve it to cannot taste any difference. It is so light and fluffy. I make this with allulose to give to my stage 4 cancer patient sister. It is her fave!!! Love this recipe.
Best chocolate cake and frosting ever! I followed it exactly as written except I used multi colored quinoa and baked it in a 9×13. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe. Next time I may try baking it in a Bundt pan. Thank you for sharing!
Can you substitute using cooked quinoa with just quinoa flour? I have a ton of this flour but I would assume it is raw quinoa.
I haven’t tried using quinoa flour – it has a different consistency and volume per cup than cooked quinoa, but you could experiment.
Marvelous! I can serve a wonderful dessert to my food allergy friends. How empowering! Thank you for the thousandth time, Mel.
This has been my go to chocolate cake recipe for years. Half of my husband’s family is GF or Celiac. Whenever I have a church event I make this & it always goes first. 🙂
I frost the whole cake with the whipped ganache frosting and put a cream cheese buttercream between the cake layers. I now put Smuckers sour cherry jam on top of the buttercream between the layers as well. YUM!!
This last time I made it, I finally had a Vitamix & was super pleased with how smooth the batter came out. I under baked, per normal for here. But the crumb was crumbly. The cake didn’t taste dry. But I kept having crumbs fall off forks or when I sliced. Should I try adding 2 Tbs of sour cream or a little more milk? I live in Upstate NY. So it is very dry here right now. What would you recommend to moisten the cake a little?
I am wondering whether this cake freezes well? Thanks in advance for you answer!
Yes, it freezes great.