Recipe

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Chocolate cake that is delicious, decadent, and so easy to make. It's also gluten, dairy, and egg-free, so whether you make it for a birthday party, special occasion, or well-deserved treat, everyone can enjoy a slice, or two!

Say hello to your new best friend for birthday parties, special occasions, or anytime you need a chocolate fix: this allergy-friendly chocolate cake! A gluten, egg, and dairy free-recipe that everyone can enjoy!

a slice of chocolate cake on a white plate.

There is no denying that special occasions call for a slice of chocolate cake (or cupcakes!) but when you need an allergy-friendly recipe, things can easily get complicated -or worse, not turn out the way you hoped.

How to Make Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake

This allergy-friendly chocolate cake is to-die-for. It’s one of those recipes you can make for a party or gathering, and no one will guess that you just served up gluten and dairy-free dessert!

If allergy-friendly baking sounds intimidating, don’t worry! I’ll walk you through every step of the way in the recipe video below, and then you can print the instructions and follow along from your own kitchen!

Trust me, if you can mix cake batter you can make this recipe. It’s that easy. Check it with your own eyes in this video:

Can You Freeze Cake?

Of course, nobody bakes a cake the day of the party, so I’m sure you are wondering, can this allergy-friendly cake be frozen? The short answer is yes! You can bake the layers and freeze them, take the cake out of the freezer the day of the party, make the dairy-free frosting, and assemble it.

Want to save more time? Make the entire cake and freeze it, whole, and take it out the night of the party. If you have room in your freezer, then why not? Thawing out this cake does not affect its delicious texture and flavor, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time.

I know that making an allergy-friendly cake from scratch can seem overwhelming -where do you even find the ingredients? Well, for starters, you are probably using most of them already so know that they are often easy to swap for another brand. This recipe is not brand-specific.

For most people with severe food allergies, using a mix out of the box isn’t an option, so this version allows you to select your favorite gluten-free flour.

You’ll also find that the use of chocolate non-dairy milk gives this cake a moist, rich texture that will bring everyone back for seconds. You can find this dairy-free option in the refrigerated section of your grocery.

For more clean desserts that have no gluten or nuts and focus on clean sugars check out my latest cookbook, Clean Treats for Everyone.

Hold on, did I mention the frosting? We can’t forget about a homemade allergy-friendly frosting for this cake! Let’s just say it takes the cake… to the next level.

I recommend using vegetable shortening, to keep the frosting thick and easily spreadable. You might need to double the batch since half of it seems to disappear before I can even get the cake cooled for frosting.

So let’s look through a few recipe notes before you get started on making this chocolate cake:

Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar is essential since it will react with the baking soda and allow the cake to rise. If you hear a fizzing sound when you pour the milk/vinegar mixture into your dry ingredients, don’t be alarmed, this is good! It means it’s working! If you don’t hear fizzing, then it’s time to buy more baking soda
The batter will be quite runny but not liquid. It should still have a bit of volume to it.
Make sure to butter, grease, or line your cake pan with parchment paper so that you can lift it out after baking; it tends to stick a bit.

a chocolate cake on a plate from which a slice is taken

Ingredient Replacements

Through the years, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about possible ingredient swaps for this recipe. While the specific ingredients and measurements below are tried and true, I’m also sharing a couple of other options that can work if you simply must trade out an ingredient or two.

Sugar Replacements

Stevia
You cannot substitute the sugar for Stevia in this recipe as there would be a large volume difference to make up for.

Coconut Sugar
While I’ve not tested this recipe using coconut sugar, many of my readers have and report great results!

Maple Syrup or Honey
Any liquid sweeteners will change the consistency of the batter and you’ll end up with a very different cake. I do not recommend using liquid sweeteners for this recipe.

Flour Replacements

Almond Flour
While I love baking with almond flour it is not the right choice for this recipe. The liquid measurements would need to change if using almond flour and I have not tested the needed changes.

All-Purpose Flour
I have not tested this with All-purpose flour and this recipe was specifically created for gluten-free mixes. If hoping to use an all-purpose flour you would need a smaller amount of flour than listed below and could eliminate the xanthan gum.

Non-Dairy Milk Options

I used non-dairy milk, in this recipe but you can use rice milk, almond milk or coconut milk depending on what you have and what your family prefers.

Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum is a must-have for this recipe and for all gluten-free baking recipes. X-gum is what binds your flours together when there is no gluten in the recipe. This recipe won’t work without X-gum.

Be sure to double-check the flour you are using that it’s not already included in the mix. Some Gluten-Free Flour mixes already include xantham gum, and you wouldn’t need to add additional x-gum if your flour mix includes it.

Other Pan Sizes

Cupcakes
If using a cupcake pan adjust the cooking time to 18-22 minutes and check around minute 16.

13 x 9-inch pan
You can use a rectangle pan for this cake recipe but keep a close eye on the baking time as it will vary by a few minutes from the original recipe cooking time below.

More Gluten and Dairy Free Desserts

Want a fluffy Paleo Chocolate Cake version? This recipe is it. Made with coconut and almond flour, this recipe can also be frosted to celebrate any day! For a guilt-free snack, check out how these Healthy No-Bake Blondies are made.

If you crave pancakes, these Paleo Pancakes with Cassava Flour are fluffly, delicious, and easy to make. They will turn breakfast into your favorite meal of the day!

Gluten-, Egg-, and Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake

Servings: 2 layer 9-inch cake, 12 slices

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Chocolate cake that is delicious, decadent, and so easy to make. It’s also gluten, dairy, and egg-free, so whether you make it for a birthday party, special occasion, or well-deserved treat, everyone can enjoy a slice, or two!

4.95 from 195 votes

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Ingredients

3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons xanthan gum* if using
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate non-dairy milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat 2 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, xanthan gum (if using), and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Pour into greased cake pans and place in the preheated oven.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting.
Frost the cake by placing one base layer on your plate or cake stand, spreading about a cup of frosting on top, top it with another cake layer, and spread remaining chocolate frosting over the top and sides.