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This easy, Gluten Free Chocolate Loaf Cake is a real treat! A moist, rich chocolate loaf cake with a delicious, ganache-like chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for slicing up and serving to everyone – nobody will know it’s completely gluten free!
Why I Love This Chocolate Loaf Cake…
I absolutely love a gluten free chocolate cake, and even more so when it’s THIS quick and easy to make. This Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe couldn’t be any simpler!
Making a chocolate cake in a loaf tin is a great option for a smaller crowd, and it’s so easy to slice up and serve. Plus all the gluten-eaters will love it too!
This chocolate loaf cake is, of course, coeliac-safe but can easily be made dairy free too, meaning everyone can enjoy it. All you need is a few simple ingredients!
I decorated mine with a simple, decadent chocolate buttercream, which whips up kind of like a mousse – but you can top it however you like. It’s a great base recipe.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for this gluten free chocolate loaf cake recipe with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Self-Raising Gluten Free Flour: I usually use the FREEE self-raising gluten free flour. If you only have a plain gluten free flour, add 1 tsp gluten free baking powder per 100g flour to make your own self-rising gluten free flour.
- Cocoa Powder: Most is gluten free but always double check. I use this one.
- Vegetable Oil: Or another neutral oil, like rapeseed oil.
- Buttermilk: Or make your own by mixing half a tablespoon of lemon juice, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar with 100ml milk (dairy or dairy free milk both work) Stir and leave for 5-10 minutes before adding.
- Sugar: Use caster sugar (baker’s sugar) for the cake and icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) for the frosting.
- Eggs
- Chocolate: I use the Dr Oetker baking chocolate as it’s gluten free with no may contain warnings. A lot of chocolate is a ‘may contain’ for gluten so always double check!
- Milk: Substitute for dairy free milk if needed, like soya or almond milk.
- Unsalted Butter: Or use a harder, vegan butter substitute for dairy free.
How to Make a Gluten Free Chocolate Loaf Cake
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free chocolate loaf cake is to make.
Storing, Freezing and Making Ahead
TO STORE: This chocolate loaf cake will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week.
TO FREEZE: You can easily freeze any leftovers. I like to freeze slices between sheets of baking paper so I can defrost only what I need at-a-time!
TO MAKE AHEAD: You can make the sponge up to 24 hours before decorating. Wrap tightly in clingfilm once cooled. Alternatively, make and freeze the sponge, then defrost at room temperature and decorate when required.
Gluten Free Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 175 g self-raising gluten free flour
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 175 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 100 g milk chocolate, (melted)
For the frosting:
- 75 g unsalted butter, (at room temperature)
- 150 g icing sugar
- 15 g cocoa powder
- 40 g milk chocolate
- 40 g dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180’C/ Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4. Line a 2lb baking tin with a baking liner and set to one side.
- Melt the chocolate over a bowl of hot water until smooth, then remove from the heat. Leave to stand and cool slightly while you begin the cake batter.
- Add the oil, sugar and buttermilk to the bowl and beat together for 30 seconds using an electric whisk. Add the eggs and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Sift in the gluten free flour and cocoa powder then beat the mixture again until there are no lumps of flour.
- Pour in the melted chocolate and fold in with a spatula or wooden spoon. Once mixed, pour into the lined loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove and cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Break the dark and milk chocolate into chunks and melt either in a bowl over a pan of hot water, or by microwaving for 20-second intervals. Stir to mix together and set to one side to cool slightly.
- Add the butter, icing sugar, melted chocolate (cooled) and milk to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk on a low speed until it becomes a smooth, fluffy buttercream, almost like a chocolate mousse.
- Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cake. I used a 2D piping tip. Finish with a sprinkle of white chocolate chips.
Nutrition
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
If you like this gluten free chocolate loaf cake recipe then make sure you check out these other gluten free chocolate cakes and bakes too…
- For a larger, celebration-style cake, go for my Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, with it’s moist chocolate sponge and ganache frosting. So good!
- These Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes are the cupcake version of this loaf cake, and great for parties and celebrations.
- My Chocolate and Coffee Cake feels like the ‘grown up’ version of this bake, with an espresso and dark chocolate ganache frosting.
- And for some hidden veg, try my Chocolate Courgette Cake! You’d never know it’s packed with goodness – it makes such a rich and moist sponge.
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