Triple Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free!)

You’ll want to make this gluten-free triple chocolate cake for any special occasion! Perfect for holidays, birthdays, or a lazy Sunday afternoon baking adventure. We’re using a combination of cocoa powder, baking chocolate, and dark chocolate to bring delicious deep chocolate flavors all throughout this healthier chocolate cake. A simple frosting made with cream cheese, maple syrup, and cocoa powder gives this cake the extra special touch.

Triple chocolake cake

When I first took a bite of this cake 10 years ago, my mind was blown!

First, I couldn’t believe that I made a cake this good.

Second, I couldn’t believe that it was gluten-free and still fluffy goodness.

Third, I couldn’t wait to share with others!

The chocolate chips that you secretly find sprinkled through the cake batter offer a fun crunch throughout the soft texture of this cake.

The touch of frosting, or glaze, makes it extra sweet and takes the chocolate flavor to another level.

If you are a chocolate fan, this cake is for YOU!

Can you tell that it’s a healthy gluten free cake?

If you didn’t tell anyone this cake was gluten-free, they would never know. I promise you that.

It’s fluffy and flavorful. Sweet and delicious. As chocolaty as it gets!

We’re swapping out white flour for a combination of oat flour, brown rice flour, and coconut flour.

We also swap vegetable oils for avocado oil + applesauce.

And another healthy swap is simply using much less sugar than a traditional cake recipe calls for.

Don’t worry, you sure can’t tell!

What you need for triple chocolate cake

• eggs
• unsweetened applesauce
• almond milk
• avocado oil
• vanilla extract
• oat flour
• brown rice flour
• coconut flour
• cocoa powder
• natural cane sugar
• baking powder
• sea salt
• dark chocolate chips
• unsweetened baking chocolate

Frosting Ingredients

• cream cheese
• maple syrup
• cocoa powder

How to make triple chocolate cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line the base of two 6″ round cake pans with parchment paper, and oil the sides.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
3. Add the oat flour, brown rice flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk to combine. Do not over stir. It will look slightly lumpy.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips and grated chocolate.
5. Pour the batter evenly beweetn your prepared pans.
6. Bake for 30-34 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. You want a slightly moist toothpick. Not gooey but not bone dry. It will spring back when you press it lightly.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire wrack.
8. Once the cake is cooling, whisk together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and cocoa powder to make the frosting. When the cake is cooled to the touch, spread the frosting on the top of one cake, top with the other, and then thinly spread the frosting on the top and sides.
9. Store your triple chocolate cake covered in the fridge.

Watch how to make this recipe!

Watch the how-to video below, or over on the Fit Mama Real Food YouTube channel.

Substitutions

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this triple chocolate cake recipe.

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Oat flour – Whole wheat flour works as a substitute for oat flour.

Brown rice flour – Almond flour works as a substitute.

Coconut flour – Don’t have coconut flour? Sub in equal amounts of brown rice flour + 2 additional tablespoons.

Cocoa powder – Cacao powder works just a well!

Natural cane sugar – Coconut sugar is a great alternative to cane sugar in this recipe. Regular white sugar will work too!

Unsweetened applesauce – Try canned pumpkin instead!

Unsweetened almond milk – Use regular milk, or your favorite milk alternative to replace almond milk.

Dark chocolate chips – Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work as well.

Maple syrup – Honey works as an alternative. Watch your cake because honey tends to brown a bit quicker in baked goods.

Cream cheese – To get that bit of tang, you can substitute the cream cheese for plain greek yogurt.

Helpful tools when making triple chocolate cake

Here’s what you’ll need to simplify making this cake:

• two 6″ round cake pans (you can also use one 9″ round cake pan)
• parchment paper
• zester
• silicone basting brush

More recipes you’ll love

• Triple chocolate beet muffins
• Gluten free blueberry crumb cake
• Vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
• Healthy no sugar smash cake

If you try this triple chocolate cake recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather

Originally published March 2012. Updated February 2022.