Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Cake
Rich, moist and simple Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Cake with a glossy ganache. Ideal for celebrations or warmed up for desserts and served with cream.
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- 55 g dark chocolate
- 120 g homemade gluten-free flour FTL Blend
- 50 g cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 90 g olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon espresso powder
- 180 g water
Chocolate Ganache
- 180 g double cream
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 180 g dark chocolate
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
- Line and grease 2 x 18cm (7 inch) round cake tins.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside whilst you prepare the rest of the batter.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl then set aside.
- Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add in the brown sugar, olive oil and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the rest of the wet ingredients.
- Add in the flour mixture and mix to create a thick chocolate batter.
- Boil water in a kettle then measure out the right amount into a medium sized jug. Whisk in the espresso powder until dissolved.
- Pour the hot coffee mixture into the chocolate batter and mix until smoothly combined.
- Divide the chocolate batter into your prepared cake tins and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven when the sponge is just starting to pull away from the sides of the tins and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the sponges to rest for 5 minutes in the tin before carefully removing onto wire racks to completely cool before frosting.
Chocolate Ganache
- Grate or process your chocolate very finely in a food processor so it’s as small as possible and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the cream, the golden syrup (if you’re making the dark chocolate version) and the salt into a medium sized saucepan. Heat very slowly and gently, stirring so the syrup and salt melt.
- The cream should just come to a gentle simmering boil so you are starting to see bubbles on the surface but don’t allow to boil properly.
- Remove from the heat then immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is completely submerged into the cream by poking down if necessary. Rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir from the centre or the bowl to the outer until the chocolate ganache has emulsified and is smooth and glossy.
- Add vanilla extract and stir to combine. The ganache should be thick and spreadable which means it is immediately ready to begin frosting your cake.
Assembly
- Place one of the chocolate sponges on a plate or cake board. Spread over ¼ of the ganache over the first cake layer until it evenly covers the surface.
- Place the second sponge on top and spread the rest of the ganache over the top and sides of the cake, swirling smoothly and evenly around.
Video
Notes
Dark chocolate. I like to use 70% dark chocolate here but you can use 50-60% for a creamier flavour. It will also produce a slightly softer ganache.
Gluten-Free Flour – FTL Blend: This recipe uses my Homemade Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. It is a balanced mix of wholegrain and starchy flours, eliminating the need for xanthan gum. The blend includes sweet rice flour, sorghum flour, oat flour, and tapioca flour, providing structure and texture without extra binders. For substitution tips, check the original post for this flour mix.
If you do want to substitute for another all-purpose gluten-free flour then you can use any brand but you must swap 50% of the total amount of the flour for almond flour so it has a good structural integrity and keeps the same moist texture.
Dairy-Free. The chocolate cake itself is dairy-free (as long as you use dairy-free chocolate). So then the only swap you need to make is to use plant-based double cream instead of double cream for the ganache. I like Coconut Collab’s double cre&m.
Golden syrup. You can swap for or liquid glucose, maple syrup, honey or corn syrup.
When your ganache is the right spreadable consistency don’t delay in frosting your cake otherwise it could become too thick to spread and smooth evenly.
Make Ahead. You can make the sponge cakes up to 2 days before making the chocolate ganache and assembling. Store the sponge cakes in an airtight container and keep in a cool dark place
Storing. You can store the finished cake at a cool room temperature for up to 24 hours. Otherwise keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing. You can freeze the sponge cakes successfully for up to 3 months before decorating. Thaw at room temperature overnight before filling and covering with the ganache.
Ingredient measurements: Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.
US customary measurements: These US measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups
Nutrition information: Please note that the nutrition information provided below is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. Please seek a professional nutritionist’s advice for further clarification.
The nutrition serving is for 1 slice of cake.