gluten-free Chocolate Cake

[JoyfulGF]

Wanted to see what everyone's favorite gluten-free chocolate cake mix is.

I've only tried making one brand so far, it was Betty Crocker's Devil's food. Super easy and doesn't involve a lot of ingredients to be added in. The taste was delicious and no one knew it was gluten-free, if I didn't tell them. Very expensive at $5.50 a box. I basically made a $12 cake (two boxes of mix and add in the price of the frosting)

Just bought a package of Bob's Red Mill chocolate cake mix. Haven't tried it yet, but I don't need to buy two packages because it says it will make two 8 inch rounds. Don't currently have any frosting so I can't make it anytime before Tuesday. The price was only $3.39, so far it sounds like a win for Bob's. I read the directions and it doesn't sound as quick and easy at Betty Crocker's, but I certainly look forward to trying it.

My grocery also carries the Hodgkins Mill cake mix and I haven't tried that yet either.

Just let me know what your favorite is and why.

Thanks!

[pricklypear1971]

You can't beat King Arthur, IMO.

[Lisa]

I expect that you will get a variety of answers. Hands down the best is Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. It's fudgie and decadent! I often add different flavorings like Raspberry or Mint.

And I get many compliments from company when I serve it. You can dress it up with ice cream and drizzled with raspberry sauce or a sprig of mint. It's YUMMY!

[sa1937]

You can't beat King Arthur, IMO.

A friend made King Arthur's and it's outstanding! Dang, now I'm hungry for chocolate cake....or at least chocolate frosting.

[JoyfulGF]

I expect that you will get a variety of answers. Hands down the best is Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. It's fudgie and decadent! I often add different flavorings like Raspberry or Mint.

And I get many compliments from company when I serve it. You can dress it up with ice cream and drizzled with raspberry sauce or a sprig of mint. It's YUMMY!

Hmm, I bet it is! I love their pancake mix. Isn't the cake mix expensive though? I know it's $5-6 for the pancake mix.

[love2travel]

Other. Homemade. Always.

[IrishHeart]

Other. Homemade. Always.

My. Choice. Too.

[Skylark]

Betty Crocker. It's super-easy, tastes great, and I can get the mix at my local supermarket.

[pricklypear1971]

I expect that you will get a variety of answers. Hands down the best is Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. It's fudgie and decadent! I often add different flavorings like Raspberry or Mint.

And I get many compliments from company when I serve it. You can dress it up with ice cream and drizzled with raspberry sauce or a sprig of mint. It's YUMMY!

Pamela's performs well but my family found it oddly salty. If you use it add the extra egg.

I prefer homemade, too, but haven't found a "plain" gluten-free chocolate cake recipe I'm comfortable with. I trend to small treats, anyway, or flourless cakes, etc.

KA is very good. Surprisingly good. Good enough I don't know if I'd bother trying to replace it with another basic chocolate cake. And that's coming from someone who NEVER, ever voluntarily used a cake mix since I was 9 (until gluten-free).

Btw I tried Betty Crocker and it was hideous. I mean inedible. I have no idea what went wrong, or if that's how it's supposed to taste (texture was horrid) but I won't waste my money to figure it out.

[IrishHeart]

If you make this chocolate cake once, I promise you will be very happy.

I made it for my friends, both professional chefs, and one of them kept eating and mumbling Omygawshishishfabshush!!

which I interpreted as "Oh my God, this is fabulous".

It's easy to make and is decadent with a little fresh vanilla (or almond)- spiked whipped cream and sliced berries.

Flourless Chocolate Cake (adapted from the King Arthur site)

CAKE

1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips( I used ENJOY LIFE chips)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred(in a pinch, Hershey's is fine)

GLAZE

1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.

Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla.

Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a sharp knife or nylon spreader, and turn it out onto a serving plate.

The top will now be on the bottom; that’s fine.

Also, the edges may crumble a bit, which is also fine.

Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.

TO PREPARE THE GLAZE: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.

Spoon the glaze over the cake, and spreading it to drip over the sides. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake. This cake is ultra-rich and a small serving is sufficient.

You should get 12 servings out of it, but we ate it in two days. which explains part of my "Celiac 15"...and my tight pants....you know like the "Freshman 15" weight gain kids experience in college?

[ciamarie]

I voted for hodgson mills, but my vote was based on having tried the Betty Crocker and the Hodgson Mills yellow cakes over the holidays. And the Betty Crocker chocolate cake did get better reviews on their web site than the yellow cake.

I just made a homemade gluten-free applesauce cake today, from a recipe I previously used with spelt flour. It's from a spelt cookbook, in fact. It's pretty darn good, though I need to play with the spice blend, I added some cloves for the first time and it may have been a tad too much. And reading some threads on here I think I'm going to try low sals, and some of the spices are very high sals. I'm going to eat the cake anyway!

[Diane-in-FL]

Kinnikinnick. I think it is much better than the Betty Crocker, but I haven't tried any of the others that folks have mentioned.

[Chrissyb]

I think I have tried every brand out there and I vote for King Aurthur all the way. So so moist.

[Skylark]

@IrishHeart - flourless chocolate cake is da bomb! I have a great recipe for one too.

[Mizzo]

I have tried all the brands and King Arthur is the best to me, plus it makes 2 - 8" pans so you can make a double layer or 24 cupckaes , second best and still very good is Pamela's.

[IrishHeart]

@IrishHeart - flourless chocolate cake is da bomb! I have a great recipe for one too.

A chunk of that with some champagne? oh baby, I'm purring like a kitten.

I'd love to hear your recipe too!!

I might as well totally burst the zipper on my jeans...

[freeatlast]

Years ago, Pamela's was my only choice other than scratch. And gluten-free recipes? Almost nonexistant on the web (that I knew about, anyway). Used to make Pamela's, but last time I tried, had a funny taste. The best I have tried so far, was 365 gluten-free cake, but apparently they don't carry it anymore at Whole Foods. Dang. It was the best! Have not tried KA's, but probably will due to the rave reviews here on this board

[Skylark]

This one is more like fudge than cake. It goes over really well even among glutenoids.

Flourless chocolate cake:

In saucepan, melt:

1 c. butter

1 lb. dark chocolate

1/4 c. coffee liqueur (amaretto is really good too!)

1 tsp vanilla

In bowl, beat until pale and thick:

7 eggs

1 c. sugar

Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Then fold the rest in. Pour in greased springform cake pan with removable bottom. Bake 350 degrees for 55 min. Let cool, release from pan.

[IrishHeart]

This one is more like fudge than cake. It goes over really well even among glutenoids.

Sounds de-lish!

The one I posted is more fudgy than cake-y as well. I should mention that, too.

Thanks, Sky!!

[pricklypear1971]

This one is more like fudge than cake. It goes over really well even among glutenoids.

Flourless chocolate cake:

In saucepan, melt:

1 c. butter

1 lb. dark chocolate

1/4 c. coffee liqueur (amaretto is really good too!)

1 tsp vanilla

In bowl, beat until pale and thick:

7 eggs

1 c. sugar

Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Then fold the rest in. Pour in greased springform cake pan with removable bottom. Bake 350 degrees for 55 min. Let cool, release from pan.

Ooooh. That's dangerously easy.

Hmmm....

[JoyfulGF]

This one is more like fudge than cake. It goes over really well even among glutenoids.

Flourless chocolate cake:

In saucepan, melt:

1 c. butter

1 lb. dark chocolate

1/4 c. coffee liqueur (amaretto is really good too!)

1 tsp vanilla

In bowl, beat until pale and thick:

7 eggs

1 c. sugar

Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Then fold the rest in. Pour in greased springform cake pan with removable bottom. Bake 350 degrees for 55 min. Let cool, release from pan.

This Sounds delicious. I just have one teeny tiny problem. I don't own a Springform pan. Any Suggestions?

[BirdWatcher]

I voted other. I like my homemade version. The only store bought I have even tried is Betty Crocker. It's fine when I'm in a hurry and it's extremely convenient because my local grocery store carries it.

I find that the Betty Crocker cakes (both chocolate and yellow but especially the yellow) are sensitive to over baking. I think they do better as cupcakes. Using the 8"/9" pan, the edges tend to get a little dry. (IMO)

I think I'll have to give the King Arthur's a try as well.

[Skylark]

This Sounds delicious. I just have one teeny tiny problem. I don't own a Springform pan. Any Suggestions?

I'm not sure. It's creamy enough that getting it out of a regular cake pan in one piece would be difficult. Maybe cook it in something attractive enough for serving?

You might be able to cut a circle of greased baking parchment to fit in the bottom and a strip to line the sides of a cake pan and be able to turn it out of the pan? I don't know because I've always had a springform.

[pricklypear1971]

I'm not sure. It's creamy enough that getting it out of a regular cake pan in one piece would be difficult. Maybe cook it in something attractive enough for serving?

You might be able to cut a circle of greased baking parchment to fit in the bottom and a strip to line the sides of a cake pan and be able to turn it out of the pan? I don't know because I've always had a springform.

That should work, really. You can just use one big circle - don't strip it. The weight will hold it down and you can crease it with your fingernail.

[sa1937]

I've used this recipe for Open Original Shared Link from the King Arthur website. It doesn't sound quite as decadent as the one Skylark posted but I've never had a problem getting it out of a regular round layer cake pan. I followed their directions and used a circle of greased parchment on the bottom and the sides can easily be loosened without a problem. My gluten-eating friends all asked for the recipe.