Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze

By
Teri Gruss, MS
Teri Gruss, MS
Freelance writer and nutrition expert Teri Lee Gruss, M.S. has written hundreds of recipes focusing on healthy gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/16/22
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze

The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
384 Calories
24g Fat
37g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 98mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 14%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 6g
Calcium 51mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This easy recipe for a gluten-free flourless chocolate cake with silky chocolate glaze is a decadent finale to any special celebration.

This is a gluten-free adaptation of a flourless chocolate cake. It is smaller than most flourless chocolate cake recipes but don't let the diminutive size fool you—one small wedge delivers a big dose of buttery-rich chocolate flavor.

If you have a 7-inch tart pan with fluted edges and a removable bottom, the cake bakes up with fancy edges and is easy to remove from the pan after baking. 

Ingredients

  • For the Cake:
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (​coarsely chopped)
  • 4 ounces butter (unsalted)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • For the Glaze:
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons milk (or light coconut milk)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave syrup (or honey)
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze ingredients

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  2. Heat oven to 350 F. Spray a 7-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. If you don't have a tart pan, use a 6- to 7-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper.

    Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  3. Melt 6 ounces of chopped chocolate and 4 ounces butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.

    Melt 6 ounces of chopped chocolate with butter

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  4. Add sugar and salt and reduce heat to low. Cook while stirring for about 1 minute, until sugar starts to dissolve.

    add sugar and salt to the chocolate

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  5. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. The mixture will look smooth and glossy.

    whisk eggs into the chocolate mixture

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  6. Use a mesh hand sieve to sift the cocoa powder into the mixture. This prevents lumps. Whisk until the cake batter is smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk again.

    sift the cocoa powder into the mixture

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the heated oven for about 25 minutes. The center of the cake should be just firm to the touch but be careful to not overbake the cake or it will be dry.

    Pour batter into prepared pan and bake

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate.

    Cool in the pan on a wire rack

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

Make the Glaze

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    chocolate glaze ingredients

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  2. Melt 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in the same saucepan you used to make the cake. When melted and smooth, remove the pan from heat.

    Melt chopped chocolate and butter in the same saucepan you used to make the cake

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  3. Add milk and agave syrup OR honey and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla and stir until smooth and glossy. Let the glaze cool for about 3 minutes before pouring it on the cake.

    Add milk and agave syrup to the chocolate mixture

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

  4. Pour all of the glaze in the middle of the cake. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing the glaze to evenly run down the sides of the cake.

    Pour all of the glaze in the middle of the cake

    The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

Make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.