No one will know this Chocolate Sheet Cake is gluten free! It's moist and delicious, and the icing has just the right amount of chocolate.

Everyone needs a go-to chocolate sheet cake recipe that can be made without fail for every special occasion, and this will become your new favorite. It's easily made with Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour.

I like using a gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum, so I don't have to add anything. I also added some almond flour to give it a little more oomph. The texture is just right, which can be hard to achieve when baking with gluten free flour.

The chocolate buttercream frosting is made with just a bit of melted semisweet chocolate chips, which makes it just chocolatey enough, and it's the perfect topper for this moist chocolate cake.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Cake

unsalted butter
granulated sugar
pure vanilla extract
applesauce (unsweetened)
pure maple syrup
almond milk (or dairy milk)
gluten free all-purpose flour ( I always use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
superfine almond flour
cocoa powder
baking soda
baking powder
salt
melted milk or dark chocolate ( I used Enjoy Life chocolate chips)

Frosting

unsalted butter, room temperature
powdered sugar
pure vanilla extract
salt
melted milk or dark chocolate

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until fluffy. Add the applesauce, vanilla, pure maple syrup, and melted chocolate chips and mix until combined.
Add all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl; almond flour through salt and whisk.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the almond milk to the mixer bowl. Mix on low for a few seconds each time.
Pour batter into a 13 x 9-inch cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cook on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

Cream butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time mixing well after each addition.
Add the vanilla, chocolate, and salt and continue to mix well. Frost the cake when it is completely cooled.
Store with a lid or covered with foil in the refrigerator for up to four days.

If you prefer, you can make 12 cupcakes or 2 round layered cakes. Just make sure your cakes are super cool before putting the frosting on. This would make the perfect birthday cake!

Tips and Tricks for Making Gluten Free Cake

How do I keep a gluten free cake moist? Gluten free cake can be tricky as it will dry out faster than a regular cake, and it is essential to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I added applesauce to the batter to keep it moist. You could also use sour cream or substitute buttermilk for the almond milk in this recipe.
What is the best flour for gluten free cake? I prefer Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour. Both offer a one-to-one substitution for regular flour, and you don't need to add any extras. Gluten free baking has come a long way, and you no longer have to make your flour blend. Please do not use a single gluten-free flour like cassava, oat, or almond; it will not work independently.
Can you replace gluten free flour with regular flour? I recommend the above if you use the two flour blends; this will work in most cases.
Can you over mix gluten free cake batter? Gluten makes cakes pillowy and fluffy by creating little air pockets in the batter. Plus, it's a protein that gives the cake structure, so it doesn't fall apart. Adding gluten free flour with protein (almond flour) to the batter helps keep this cake from crumbling and falling apart. Other protein-rich flours are buckwheat, oat, teff, and chickpea.

More Easy Gluten Free Recipes