Celebrating with 25 Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes

Celebrations and chocolate cake go together perfectly! Always, right? January 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day. I’ve got you covered with 25 Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes to cover all your needs throughout the year.

Because we cannot simply celebrate chocolate cakes on a single day, right? Again, there are so many occasions that call for chocolate cake. Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, anniversaries, showers, graduation … Honestly, almost every possible special occasion could benefit from the addition of a chocolate cake.

In this recipe collection, you’ll see classic chocolate cakes, flourless chocolate cakes, fruit-enhanced chocolate cakes, chocolate sheet cakes, mug cakes, raw chocolate cakes, molten chocolate cakes, and more. Let’s get to them!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes Shared on gfe

~ Double Chocolate Clementine Cake ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegetarian

This double chocolate version of Nigella Lawson’s famous Clementine cake will totally delight you! And the way the Clementines are used in this recipe is pretty amazing. 

~ Flourless Chocolate Banana Honey Walnut Cake ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free

You all know I love flourless recipes. The bananas, eggs, and walnuts work the magic in this naturally gluten-free cake. It’s ideal for Passover but you can definitely enjoy it all year long.

~ Flourless Chocolate Cake (The Ultimate Chocolate Cake) ~ gluten free, vegetarian with dairy-free options

The easiest flourless chocolate cake you’ll ever make and also the best one you’ll ever eat in my opinion! You don’t even have to separate the eggs for this recipe (as you do for most flourless chocolate cake recipes). Admittedly, I LOVE that factor.

This cake is perfect for large gatherings as a tiny sliver is all guests really need. This cake is rich and decadent. I often refer to it as “death by chocolate.” By the way, I like it cold or at room temperature and my sister loves to heat a slice in the microwave and enjoy it with her morning tea. FYI—It freezes just fine. In fact, some readers like to freeze individual slices in plastic wrap so they can pull out dessert for exactly the number of folks needed.

~ Flourless Chocolate Quinoa Cake ~ gluten free, vegetarian

Yes, I just said “chocolate quinoa cake” and I’m not talking about a recipe that’s made using quinoa flour. This flourless chocolate cake is made using quinoa that you cook yourself (per the instructions in the recipe) and then blend with other ingredients to make the batter. This cake is rich and satisfying and gives you some extra health benefits because of the inclusion of quinoa!

~ Mediterranean Chocolate Cake (aka Chocolate Olive Oil Cake) ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian

This single-layer round cake is my “go to” recipe for birthday celebrations as family members request it again and again. (Here’s Mom proving my point!) The Mediterranean factor is the olive oil used. What a rich taste and perfect texture it provides in this recipe!

~ Mile-High Chocolate Cake ~ gluten-free, vegetarian

What could be better than chocolate cake? Three-layer chocolate cake, aka Mile-High Chocolate Cake. This recipe from Olivia Dupin of Liv Gluten Free is a stunner, no doubt! She likes to use a pumpkin filling between her layers but you can use any filling or icing that you prefer for this recipe. If you have a pretty cake stand that has gotten pushed to the back of the china cabinet, now is the time to pull that baby out!

~ Molten Chocolate Cake ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option

Molten Chocolate Cake is sort of a cross between a chocolate cake and a souffle. It’s sometimes called Chocolate Lava Cake. The basic ingredients are butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate, and in some recipes, flour. The recipe that I’m sharing is actually flourless and makes three ramekin-sized individual cakes. Which makes it perfect for Valentine’s Day or that special dinner for two—and you will still have a single cake left over, for sharing the next day.

If you’re looking for a lighter version, go for un-molten version, which is made without butter but still very, very good.

~ Polka Dot Chocolate Cake ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegetarian, paleo, primal

This grain-free recipe from Starlene at GAPS Diet Journey is so cute with its sliced almond “polka dots”! It also comes with a very luscious frosting.

~ Simple and Good Chocolate Cake ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, vegan

As its name states, this recipe is a simple and good chocolate cake that is gluten free and also happens to be dairy free, egg free, milk free, and vegan. It’s based on the original Wacky Cake, the World War II-era cake that could be made without the ingredients that were so often in short supply during that time. FYI: This recipe can also be used to make cupcakes.

~ Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegetarian

Add the ingredients to your slow cooker when you start cooking dinner and enjoy this warm and amazing Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake shortly after your meal. Warning: You’ll have to resist the urge to stand by the slow cooker with a long large spoon and keep taking just another taste!

~ Texas Sheet Cake (aka Secret Cake) ~ gluten free, vegetarian

There are so many different names for this very popular sheet cake. It doesn’t matter what you call it or even if you make a slight variation of my recipe, this delicious cake will always be a hit! It makes a perfect cake for a special event—such as a birthday, anniversary, or shower—because it can be made easily and quickly and serves a good number of guests.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes Made in the Microwave (aka Gluten-Free Chocolate Mug Cakes)

And when you need just a little bit of cake and you need it fast, try one of these 3-minute chocolate cakes that are made in the microwave.

~ 3-Minute Chocolate Cake ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, paleo options

This is an individual chocolate cake that you make in your microwave. There are so many delicious variations on the basic chocolate cake recipe (for example, Almond Chocolate Cake and Maple Chocolate Cake)—and they’re all shared in the post.

Readers contact me all the time to tell me that this cake has been a lifesaver for them when they need a chocolate treat. My friend Cherie of Our Gluten-Free Life recently shared: “It is the perfect recipe to have on hand when you remember your kiddo has a birthday party to go to and you forgot a safe dessert.” Brilliant!

~ 3-Minute Chocolate Beer Cake ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian

The combination of chocolate and beer, especially dark beer, is very flavorful. As long as you use truly gluten-free beer, you’ll end up with a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake! Note that truly gluten-free beer is beer that is made from all gluten-free ingredients. Truly gluten-free beer is NOT beer that’s labeled or considered “gluten-removed” or “gluten reduced.” Such beers are actually neither of those two things. They’re simply beers processed in a way that the gluten in them has been broken down into small enough fragments that it doesn’t show up accurately in traditional testing for gluten content.

More Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes from Friends

~ Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling from Fearless Dining (gluten free, vegetarian)

~ Chocolate Caramel Cake from Let Them Eat Gluten-Free Cake (gluten free, vegetarian)

~ Chocolate Cloud Cake from Let Them Eat Gluten-Free Cake (gluten free, vegetarian)

~ Chocolate Decadence from Flo and Grace (gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

~ Chocolate Mocha Layer Cake from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free (gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

~ Easy Chocolate Cake from Gluten-Free Palate (gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option)

~ Easy Chocolate Cake from Mama Knows Gluten Free (gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option)

~ Flourless Dark Chocolate Torte from My Gluten-Free Cucina (gluten free, vegetarian)

~ German Chocolate Cake from Elana’s Pantry (gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, paleo, primal)

~ No Joke Dark Chocolate Layer Cake from Zenbelly (gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, primal, vegetarian, with dairy free, paleo, primal options) 

~ Raw, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Black and White Chocolate Cake {Paleo} from Unconventional Baker (gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo)

~ The Ultimate Chocolate Birthday Cake from In Johnna’s Kitchen (gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

Now tell me … which chocolate cake recipe do you want to make and enjoy immediately?

Originally published January 27, 2022.