Gluten-Free Chocolate Dump-It Cake

This Gluten-Free Chocolate “Dump It” Cake hits all the notes you want in a gluten-free cake – soft, fudgy crumb, dense chocolate flavor, and creamy, dreamy frosting. Plus, it lasts for days in the fridge!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Dump-It Cake Recipe

This gluten-free chocolate dump-it cake is a gluten-free take on a classic New York Times recipe of the same name. Actually, the name doesn’t really matter – and it’s admittedly a little bit strange! – because the cake is good enough to not be defined by it. Suffice to say it’s a stellar gluten-free chocolate cake that can stand on its own.

I know, I know. Does the world need yet another gluten-free chocolate cake? Well … yes. I have loads of chocolate cakes I haven’t yet added to this site and they’re all unique enough that you could work your way through all of them without getting bored. I think there’s a chocolate cake for every occasion, and somehow you’ll just know what that occasion is.

This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe makes a perfect afternoon cake, a snacking cake that’s also elegant enough to whip out after dinner when an unexpected guest drops by. It’s so chocolatey and dense, and in a small feat for a gluten-free cake, lasts for days in the fridge without getting dry. It’s topped with a whipped ganache frosting that’s so simple and so delicious.

For more solid chocolate cake recipes, try my Oat Flour Chocolate Cake, Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake (gluten-free), or Gluten-Free Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting recipes.

Why Is It Called a “Dump-It” Cake?

Amanda Hesser, who published this recipe in the New York Times, writes: “A couple of years ago, my mother taught me to make her dense but moist chocolate birthday cake. She calls it ‘dump-it cake’ because you mix all of the ingredients in a pot over medium heat, then dump the batter into a cake pan to bake.”

I personally like to pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large bowl, then add the flour mixture rather than use it all in the pot. But it’s fine to pour everything into the pot to keep things easier!

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Well, there’s lots to love about this recipe. Here are a few reasons to make it:

• Simple gluten-free flour mix. This recipe includes my favorite trifecta of flours: Oat flour, sweet white rice flour, and tapioca. These three in combination and in the right balance create a gorgeous gluten-free crumb that you’d be hard-pressed to tell is gluten-free.
• Rich and decadent. I can’t help it – I really believe a proper chocolate cake needs to taste ultra-rich! This one has richness in spades. From the melted chocolate in the batter to the whipped ganache frosting this is definitely one for the “decadent” files.
• Not too sweet. I know I just extolled the virtues of this “decadent” cake yet it somehow manages not to taste overly sweet! I did reduce the sugar a bit from the original recipe, and it’s still plenty sweet and moist without being overly so.
• Easily adapted to be dairy-free. See my simple substitution options below for how to make this into a dairy-free cake.

What You’ll Need for Chocolate Dump It Cake

Be sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

• Sugar: I use brown sugar but you could use granulated sugar or a mix.
• Unsweetened Chocolate: I sometimes use semisweet chocolate instead (shhh).
• Butter: Unsalted butter is always best in baking.
• Oat Flour: Use gluten-free oat flour if needed.
• Sweet White Rice Flour: Sweet white rice flour is a wonderful binder in gluten-free baking.
• Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour brings a nice fluffiness to this cake.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: To give a proper rise.
• Salt: I use fine sea salt in this recipe.
• Milk: Whole milk brings richness and flavor.
• Vinegar: You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Eggs: Use large or medium size eggs.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract will give the best flavor.
• Chocolate Chips: Bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate will work.
• Heavy Cream: To make a gorgeous whipped ganache frosting.

How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Dump It Cake

1. Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 375℉ and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack to catch any drips as the cake bakes on the middle rack. Grease a tube pan. You can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to help remove the cake later.
2. Melt the chocolate with the butter and sugar. In a 2- to 3-quart pot, mix together the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter, and 1 cup of water. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all of the ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients and the milk and vinegar (separately). Meanwhile, sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. (Alternatively, you can use buttermilk.)
4. Whisk the milk and eggs into the chocolate. When the chocolate in the pot has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In several additions, whisk in the dry ingredients. When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice to blend.
5. Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and cool it on a rack, then let cool completely.
6. Now make the frosting. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature.
7. Whip the chocolate into the cream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the chocolate to make a frosting.
8. Frost the cake. When the cake is cooled, frost the top and the sides with the frosting.

Substitution Suggestions

It’s not hard to make ingredient substitutions! Here’s how to do it:

• Oat Flour – Substitute teff flour or sorghum flour. More about gluten-free flours.
• Sweet White Rice Flour – Substitute almond flour.
• Tapioca Flour – Swap for arrowroot.
• To Make Dairy-Free – Replace the milk with coconut milk. Use olive oil or coconut oil for the butter. Sub coconut cream for the heavy cream.
• To Make Refined Sugar-Free – Use coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar.

Storage Options

To store, place leftover gluten-free chocolate dump-it cake, tightly covered in foil or in an airtight container, in the fridge for 5-7 days. Bring to room temperature to serve for the best flavor and texture.