Gluten Free Classic Chocolate Cake
This cake is a nod to the most popular cake on my website, Simple Steam Oven Chocolate Cake. It’s not a direct translation of that recipe, but the key elements - soft, springy texture and deep chocolate flavor - are very similar. If the mark of a great gluten free cake is that the non-GF people are sold on it as much as the GF people in your life, this fits the bill perfectly.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 10 oz dark chocolate chopped; 70% cocoa solids is my preference
- 7 oz unsalted butter cubed
- 1 1/4 cups superfine sugar caster sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 5.6 oz gluten free flour blend store bought, or I like The Loopy Whisk's DIY blend
- 2.8 oz almond flour
- 5 Tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder don't use cacao or 'natural' cocoa; the acidity level is different and will change the way your cake rises
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum there's really no substitute for this; it's readily available online and in many supermarkets
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup water hot
Instructions
- Preheat your steam oven to Combi Steam, 320°F/160°C, 30% steam (or low steam, or convection humid). Grease and line the bases of two 8-inch/20cm round cake pans and set aside.
- Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and set over a double boiler to melt. Once it's a smooth, shiny mixture, remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.10 oz dark chocolate, 7 oz unsalted butter
- Whisk the sugar and eggs into the cooled chocolate mixture to combine very well.1 1/4 cups superfine sugar, 4 eggs
- Mix the gluten free flour, almond flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt together in a separate bowl. Scrape the chocolate and egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter without lumps.5.6 oz gluten free flour blend, 2.8 oz almond flour, 5 Tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp xanthan gum, 1/2 tsp fine salt
- Pour the milk and hot water into the mixture and whisk to combine; the batter will be smooth and shiny and fairly loose.1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup water
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake them until a skewer tests clean in the centre; about 25 minutes.
- Cool the baked cakes in the pans for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Frost and stack the cakes once they're cooled; the finished cake will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
Notes
- Weights. You may note the very specific weights of flours, rather than cup measures, in this recipe. I can't stress how important weighing your ingredients is in all baking, but especially gluten free. Cups and spoons can vary so much in volume between different GF flours and drastically affect the outcome. If you, like me, prefer to use metric weights, just toggle the little text button directly under the ingredients list for grams.
- Xanthan gum gives elasticity and structure to the cake batter; if you don't use it the cake will dry out faster and have a more crumbly texture.
- Cake pans. Don't be tempted to bake this in one thicker, single layer. Two thinner layers is key to evenly baked cake that stays moist.
- You can frost this cake with your favorite chocolate or vanilla frosting; I have a couple of options in my Steam Oven Baking cookbook, and one on the Steam & Bake site's Simple Steam Oven Chocolate Cake recipe.
- Depending on the frosting, your cake should keep at a cool room temperature, in an airtight container, for about 3-4 days. It can be frozen but is really only good for a month or so in the freezer, and even then should be well wrapped to help prevent it drying out.
- Nutrition information for this recipe is for the cake WITHOUT frosting or icing.
