I wrote about a favorite chocolate cake almost two years ago, during the early days of the pandemic. I called it "A Hug in Cake Form" and it remains my most-used chocolate cake recipe. I've been wanting to adapt it to gluten-free and finally did so last weekend. I had another recipe I was planning to post today but I switched up my schedule for this cake because it is so good, so needed, and truly like experiencing a wonderful hug while you eat it.

For the flours I did a mix of buckwheat, almond, and sweet white rice. I also reduced the sugar in the original recipe and swapped in coconut sugar and maple sugar. Olive oil and yogurt keep the cake fluffy and tender, but not delicate. (I do like a sturdy chocolate cake.) It's frosted in a thin layer of chocolate buttercream that's lightly sweetened with homemade coconut powdered sugar. Buckwheat flour is wonderful here, giving an unexpected flavor note, but if you don't care for the taste of buckwheat, try substituting sorghum flour by weight.
Times continue to be a bit tough, cake and hugs are certainly welcome. Hope you get lots of both this weekend.
Til next time - N x

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For Cake
- ¾ cup/125 g buckwheat flour
- ¾ cup/100 g sweet white rice flour
- ¼ cup/25 g almond flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ¾ cup maple sugar or sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup hot coffee
For Frosting
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature (or 20 seconds in the microwave)
- 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
- ¼ cup¼ homemade powdered sugar or powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
Make Cake
- Grease a tube pan. Have a baking sheet ready.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt and milk. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the olive oil, vanilla, and maple syrup if using. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Then add the coffee and whisk lightly or stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place the pan on the baking sheet to catch any drips, and Let batter rest for up to 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place cake, on baking sheet, in the oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Remove from oven, place on a rack, cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting
- In a large bowl, whip the butter with a mixer until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and the powdered sugar and whip to combine, then add the milk (more if needed) to make a smooth, fluffy frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting.
- Cake will keep, well-covered in the fridge for 3 days.
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