GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE - INCLUDING VEGAN AND DAIRY FREE VERSIONS

Posted by Bryna Bear

Yesterday, by special request, I made this cake for a friend's birthday party.

I am a chocoholic.  My favorite cake is a dark chocolate one.  Converting an old favorite chocolate cake recipe into a GF one has been a challenge for me.  Sometimes the recipe was a success and then sometimes, even with the same recipe and ingredients, it would have a crater in the center.  The cakes all tasted great, but not wanting the giant indent, I decided to search the internet for a GF Chocolate Cake recipe that someone had already perfected into a crater-free success.  I found a great recipe on food.com: recipe #209764 by Queen Bead.  I made it as it was the first time and then I changed the flours and added coffee granules.  It has a moist texture, a wonderfully chocolate taste and a dent free result every time.   (***see below in the ingredient list my new favorite flour combo to use in this recipe to make the cake even lighter and fluffier)

This recipe is also very easy to make into a GF vegan or dairy free version with excellent results.  I will put vegan/dairy free replacements in the recipe.

I have tried this as cup cakes, a 9" round and as a bundt cake (with the recipe doubled), each one has a great texture.

The Chocolate Glaze is easy to make and dairy free.

These cupcakes are made from the same recipe.

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup	Sorghum Flour
½ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup*	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour  ***My new favorite flours to use here instead are 2 Tbs. Chickpea + 2 Tbs. Coconut Flour.  The coconut flour gives the cake a lighter and fluffier texture.
½ cup	Cocoa Powder
1 cup	Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice or other unrefined sugar for a cake with a not too sweet taste.)(for Vegans make sure that the sugar is vegetarian...*see note at bottom of post about this)
½ tsp.	Salt
2 tsp.	Baking Soda
3/4 tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
5 Tbs.	Oil or Melted Butter (for Vegans or Dairy Free use oil. Olive oil or canola oil work well in this recipe.)
1 Tbs.	Vinegar (I use raw apple cider vinegar)
1 tsp.	Vanilla Extract
1	Egg (for Vegans: in a separate cup put 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp oil, 1 Tbs. cornstarch or tapioca flour, 1/8 tsp baking powder and 1/16 tsp. xanthan or guar gum. Mix together with a fork or a small whisk until frothy, then add to the batter where an egg is indicated.)
1 cup	Water or Milk (for Vegans or Dairy Free use water or soy milk or other non-dairy milk)
1½ tsp.	Instant Coffee Granules

PREHEAT OVEN  to 375 degrees.

Grease and 'flour' pan with cocoa powder.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk.

Add all liquid Ingredients EXCEPT for the VINEGAR and mix well.

Add the vinegar and mix in well.

Bake in a 9" round or square pan lined with greased parchment or wax paper for 30-35 minutes.  

For Cupcakes use ungreased paper liners in muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes.

For 10" (12 cup) Bundt Cake pan, double recipe and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Cake is done when it springs back when touched lightly with your finger or when a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

INGREDIENTS

¼ Cup	Water
¼ Cup	Sugar (*For Vegans make sure sugar is vegetarian, see notes on sugar below.)
1 Cup	Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (for Vegans use Vegan Chips, for Dairy Free use Vegan or dairy free chips)
1½ tsp.	Raspberry extract (optional) if you want a nice raspberry flavor. Add Orange extract for an orange flavor; Mint Extract for a mint flavor, etc. These three flavors work well with the dark chocolate flavor of the cake.

In a small saucepan heat sugar and water together until water is boiling and sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove from heat. Immediately add the chips and stir with a whisk until smooth.  Cool until slightly thickened, about a minute.  Do not leave it to cool too long or it will set and thicken and won't pour.  Pour over cake to glaze it.  For cupcakes dip cupcakes into glaze and set on plate or rack to cool and dry completely. 

*ABOUT VEGETARIAN SUGAR

Many people ask what makes a sugar vegetarian. Sugar itself is vegetarian. Some of the refined white sugars (and even brown sugars) produced from sugar cane are put through a process that involves passing the sugar through charred animal bones in order to make the product very white.  After going through this process sugar is no longer suitable for vegetarians. Unrefined sugars, evaporated cane juice, sucanat, organic sugars and many others are vegetarian as they do not go through this process.  Not all white sugar is processed through animal bones, beet sugar is never processed this way. Whole Foods sells some white sugar labeled "Vegetarian".  To verify if your sugar is vegetarian, you may need to do an internet search or call the company and ask.

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS 1 cup Sorghum Flour ½ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour ½ cup Cocoa Powder 1 cup Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice or other unrefined sugar for a cake with a not too sweet taste.)(for Vegans make sure that the sugar is vegetarian...*see note at bottom of post about this) ½ tsp. Salt 2 tsp. Baking Soda 3/4 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum 5 Tbs. Oil or Melted Butter (for Vegans or Dairy Free use oil. Olive oil or canola oil work well in this recipe.) 1 Tbs. Vinegar (I use raw apple cider vinegar) 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 1 Egg (for Vegans: in a separate cup put 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp oil, 1 Tbs. cornstarch or tapioca flour, 1/8 tsp baking powder and 1/16 tsp. xanthan or guar gum. Mix together with a fork or a small whisk until frothy, then add to the batter where an egg is indicated.) 1 cup Water or Milk (for Vegans or Dairy Free use water or soy milk or other non-dairy milk) 1½ tsp. Instant Coffee Granules PREHEAT OVEN to 375 degrees. Grease and 'flour' pan with cocoa powder. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk. Add all liquid Ingredients EXCEPT for the VINEGAR and mix well. Add the vinegar and mix in well. Bake in a 9" round or square pan lined with greased parchment or wax paper for 30-35 minutes. For Cupcakes use ungreased paper liners in muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes. For 10" (12 cup) Bundt Cake pan, double recipe and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when touched lightly with your finger or when a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. CHOCOLATE GLAZE INGREDIENTS ¼ Cup Water ¼ Cup Sugar (*For Vegans make sure sugar is vegetarian, see notes on sugar below.) 1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (for Vegans use Vegan Chips, for Dairy Free use Vegan or dairy free chips) 1½ tsp. Raspberry extract (optional) if you want a nice raspberry flavor. Add Orange extract for an orange flavor; Mint Extract for a mint flavor, etc. These three flavors work well with the dark chocolate flavor of the cake. In a small saucepan heat sugar and water together until water is boiling and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Immediately add the chips and stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened, about a minute. Do not leave it to cool too long or it will set and thicken and won't pour. Pour over cake to glaze it. For cupcakes dip cupcakes into glaze and set on plate or rack to cool and dry completely.

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