Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cake

This Chocolatey Chip Cake Is Amazing!

There's something about the combo of a sweet, vanilla-scented cake that's offset by little bursts of mini chocolate chips. This cake is unbelievably moist and tender, and I know you will not be able to tell it's gluten-free! Here are some of my favorite things about it:

• Kid-friendly. My kids love anything chocolate chip, and they seriously could not get enough of this cake. But here's a secret: adults adore it too!
• Secretly gluten-free. I dare you to serve this and see if your guests notice it's gluten-free! There's not a bit of grittiness or dryness that you may find in other gluten-free bakes, and it tastes just as good as a regular cake!
• Easy ingredients. Nothing fancy here, just pantry and fridge staples, yet they come together to make something super special.

What You'll Need

I've outlined what ingredients go into the cake and frosting components below, with some notes if needed. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions!

• Gluten free flour - My homemade gluten free flour blend works perfectly in this recipe! You can use your preferred 1:1 gluten free flour by weight in the recipe.
• Baking powder - Check to make sure that your baking powder is fresh so the cake will achieve a lovely, fluffy rise.
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works fine.
• Butter - You'll use unsalted butter in the cake and in the frosting.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature will easily blend into the batter.
• Oil - Vegetable, canola, avocado, or coconut oil all work great.
• Milk - I like whole milk for richness; 2% is also fine.
• Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Mini chocolate chips - Semisweet chips are a must so the cake isn't overly sweet. You'll need them for the cake and the frosting.
• Powdered sugar - Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting to remove any clumps.

A Few Tips

• Rest the batter - Make sure to rest the batter before baking to allow the gluten free flour to hydrate, or at least as long as it takes the oven to preheat (this is why we turn the oven on after we make the batter, unlike in traditional baking recipes which often has to preheat the oven as the first step). This is especially important if you use a commercial gluten free flour mix, which can be gritty if not properly hydrated.
• Dairy free - If you keep dairy and gluten-free, use non-dairy milk and non-dairy butter in the batter and buttercream.
• Soften your butter - For the best results, bring the butter to room temperature before using it. This is especially important in the frosting because you don't want to see any clumps or streaks of butter that can happen when the butter is too cold.
• Sift your powdered sugar - Another easy way to avoid lumpy frosting is to sift the powdered sugar. This quick step is SO essential to making perfect frosting!
• Swap buttermilk - For an extra-tender cake, substitute the whole milk in the batter for buttermilk.
• Try chocolate frosting - For an extra hit of chocolate, make chocolate frosting instead of chocolate chip frosting! My chocolate buttercream frosting works great, and you can fold in some mini chocolate chips too if you like.

Storage

• Fridge - Cover the cake with foil and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cake come to room temp for about 15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
• Freezer - Wrap the chilled cake in plastic and foil, then freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake completely in the fridge before serving.
• Make ahead - Cakes can be double-wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer, wrapped in plastic and placed in a sealable freezer bag for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw the cake thoroughly before frosting it.