I get a lot of requests for a gluten free chocolate cake recipe. And I had run across a recipe for caramel sauce which made me think of a cake recipe my sister used to make. It had a caramel-like sauce and walnuts placed beneath a chocolate cake batter in a bundt pan. Often some of the caramel and nuts would stick to the pan, but it was so so good! I wanted to convert this to a gluten free chocolate cake recipe, but she has lost the recipe. I’m sure she’ll find it one day but stored it away once the caramel sauce wasn’t turning out right. She thinks the corn syrup is made differently nowadays.
Meanwhile, I decided to make my gluten free caramel sauce and nuts separately, and instead of using corn syrup I used much healthier ingredients. It doesn’t take much longer, and it is worth the extra time it does take. I hope you enjoy this newest gluten free chocolate cake recipe. It is much healthier than my first recipe. However, if you wish a more traditional, richer, moister cake see the link at the bottom of this recipe. Enjoy!
A healthier dairy-free gluten free chocolate cake recipe that will knock your socks off!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup potato starch
- 3/4 cups sweet sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-3/4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder*
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon guar gum
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum*
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons milk of your choosing (I used homemade raw almond milk)
- 3/4 cup agave syrup
- 2 Tablespoons unsulphurated molasses
- 1/2 cup oil (I used grape seed oil)
- 2 large eggs (Ener-G Egg Replacer and warm water equivalent)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Corn-Free Caramel Sauce Recipe
- Nuts of your choice: walnuts, pecans, etc., chopped
- Oil and extra potato starch for preparing pan
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl (not your mixing bowl) add all dry ingredients, whisk together, and with the back of a spoon flatten any lumps from cocoa powder or other ingredients. Whisk again; and set aside.
- In the large mixing bowl of your mixer, add all wet ingredients and mix thoroughly on low speed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until all dry ingredients are moist and smooth on medium-low speed (starting out at low). Scrape bowl at least one time.
- Grease a bundt pan with oil or spray oil. Don't be shy on the amount you use. Dust it with potato starch. Do not do this step prior, as the oil tends to settle to the bottom of the pan, if done before.
- Place the batter in the pan and distribute evenly with a spatula; smooth out the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cake is firm and springs back when touched.
- While cake is baking, make the caramel recipe. About 5 minutes before cooking time is completed toss in the nuts and continue to stir; then cool at room temperature for 10- 20 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Transfer, upside down, to a cooling rack to cool for another 15 minutes or so. Then transfer, upside down, to a cooling rack.
- Pour caramel sauce (recipe link in ingredients list above) mixed with nuts over the top of cake.
- Cut with a serrated knife and serve warm or cool.
Tips
I made the cake in the photo with 1/3 cup oil, but increased it to 1/2 cup in the recipe above. It was okay, but just needed a bit more moisture. You can increase the oil and/or the sugar for additional moisture. Or you can add some apple sauce for low calories/fat. I used my third batch of caramel sauce on this cake which was cooked too long (30 minutes instead of 20) and cooled in the frig instead of at room temperature, and it was very hard to cut the cake. It caused some of it to crumble. The softer areas were fine, though. Therefore, just a reminder, not to over cook or over cool the caramel. If you wish to use this recipe in a layer cake, you'll probably need to bake it a shorter time.
*Corn-free dieters should use guar gum to replace the xanthan gum, as most contain corn. Also, ensure to use a corn-free baking powder (see link below for one brand). If you cannot find one, you can try this recipe for Gluten Free Corn-Free Baking Powder.
Check out a very moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe converted from a Hershey’s recipe. This cake is to die for!