There is hardly a combination of 3 words that excites more than gluten free Chocolate Beer Cake. Ok, there are a few other three word combinations that are pretty great, but when I say “I Love You Chocolate Beer Cake,” I truly mean it!
This light, airy, chocolatey gluten free cake is like no other. It’s not made like a regular cake: you make it on the stove-top (click for video).
It doesn’t taste like a death by chocolate cake or any kind of hit-you-on-the-head chocolate explosion.The dark chocolate undertones really highlight the cocoa here without weighing the cake down.
It’s hard to describe how fluffy and softly chocolatey this cake actually is. Its flavor is subtle but deep and unforgettable.
It’s the kind of recipe you will want to print and hold onto, to make again and again!
I offered this gluten free chocolate beer cake in Denver at a food show 8 or 9 years ago now, and I still hear from readers who met me for the first time at that show and remembered how amazing this cake was.
That’s really saying something about a cake! I didn’t even frost it for the show samples — cake without frosting that still makes an impact? That’s a rare commodity.
But the frosting on this cake does top it like a rich head of the beer and it’s so pretty! Don’t be daunted if you’re dairy-free – it’s just as delicious made dairy-free, even with the cream cheese frosting!
A lot of people are scared off by the “beer” portion of the gluten free Chocolate Beer Cake title. Don’t be.
You don’t even have to use beer. You can use a cola instead (one reader even shared that she used Diet Coke in place of the beer in this recipe with great results!). But if you want the full flavor of this cake to really shine through, I encourage you to try a gluten free dark beer in this cake for next-level impact.
Baking with Gluten Free Beer
I’m linking to my article on gluten free beers here for those who would like some recommendations on brands and for those who inevitably are concerned or confused about how a beer could be gluten free.
There are actually three kinds of beers in the world: barley beers (NOT gluten free); naturally gluten free beers made from gluten free grains; and gluten-reduced beers (NOT safe for celiacs). Find out the skinny on all of the above, plus find one that’s just perfect for this cake or for your Friday night in my popular article covering all the best gluten free beers and gluten free alcohol.
I can tell you that I’ve tried all kinds of different gluten free beers in this cake and the end result is a little different every time, but great every time. I’ve also had readers tell me they’ve made this gluten free chocolate cake with non-alcoholic cola or even ginger ale and they’ve loved the results, so go for it — whatever you have on hand. Just as long as it’s gluten free.
How to Bake this Gluten Free Chocolate Beer Cake
The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard — even dairy-free and vegan if you want them to be (choose aquafaba or your favorite egg substitute in place of eggs) — but be sure to stick with my award-winning gfJules Flour for the light and airy crumb you’ll love in this cake!
How amazing is it that this simple cake can go from such a humble beginning: batter in the pan …
To gorgeousness, even without frosting!
BUT you do not even have to bake it in a bundt pan. (Here’s the Nordicware Bundt Pan I used, above — so many people ask. It really is beautiful, isn’t it?) It’s actually also delicious baked in layers, and even makes an impressive birthday cake!
A few years ago I actually make it just that way for fellow celiac Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s birthday.
To transform it into a special birthday cake, I doubled the recipe and made 3 layers, the remainder of the batter going toward extra cupcakes which I left at FOX and Friends for the other anchors and crew.
I love this cake with Green’s Dubbel Dark Ale and it always receives wows. Click here to watch the video of the cake surprise on Fox and Friends!
If you really want to try the real deal though, ask your favorite local store to carry naturally gluten free beer for you!
Gluten Free Chocolate Beer Cake Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Beer Cake Recipe
It’s hard to describe how fluffy and softly chocolatey this gluten free chocolate beer cake actually is. Its flavor is subtle but deep and unforgettable. Its texture is light and airy. It's just yum all over.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark gluten-free ale (Ghostfish Brewing Company Stout or Ground Breaker Brewing Dark Ale or Green’s Dubbel Dark Endeavor Ale) OR diet cola
- 8 Tbs. unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch Alkalai Processed)
- 2 cups granulated cane sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy (Follow Your Heart® Sour Cream Alternative) OR Greek Yogurt OR full fat coconut milk, shaken with 1 Tbs. lemon juice added
- 2 large eggs (or egg substitute like aquafaba)
- 1 Tbs. (*not teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (270 grams) gfJules™ All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbs. (*not teaspoon) baking soda
Instructions
(*Note- you will need a large saucepan for this recipe, not a mixer and mixing bowl!)
Preheat oven to 350 F (static) or 325°F (convection).
Prepare a 9-inch springform tube or bundt pan or two 8-inch rounds by buttering and dusting lightly with gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour.
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla.
Measure out 1 cup of beer and let the head settle to be sure your measurement is correct. Pour the beer into a large saucepan (you can drink the rest!). Add the butter and heat just until melted over medium heat.
Whisk in the cocoa powder and the sugar until smooth.
Add the egg mixture into saucepan mixture and whisk. Sift in the the gfJules Flour and baking soda and whisk until mixed.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out fairly clean or with crumbs, not wet. Time will differ depending on the pan, so rely on the toothpick test.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then gently invert to remove from pan onto a cake plate.
Once cooled, dust with confectioner's sugar or frost with cream cheese frosting or sour cream frosting.
Notes
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Vegan Sour Cream Frosting Recipe
To bake this 3 tiered cake, follow along with the directions in this how-to post!
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 318Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 61mgSodium 28mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 1gSugar 37gProtein 4g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
Try this delicious cake with or without the frosting!
Pin for later!
I always use the mini Diet Coke. My family love this chocolate cake.
So glad to hear that the soda option works well in this cake, too! Thanks for letting us know, Miriam!!!
~jules
I’ve made this cake twice now and it is absolutely delicious – and lasts at room temperature, moist, for a week! One question: both times I made it in a bundt cake pan, and the bottom was very fudgy. I love that texture, but it was a little hard to get off the serving plate in one piece. Do I need to bake longer? It was definitely done.
I am now touting your flour everywhere I go! Thank you!
Hmmm, I haven’t had that experience with this cake! It’s always quite uniform. I’m guessing it’s either your pan or the placement in your oven. Maybe try a different rack next time? Also it’s always a good idea to check your oven temp for accuracy (most ovens don’t bake true to temp, shockingly!). If it hasn’t baked consistently I would say try baking it longer because that is usually an indication that it hasn’t quite cooked through, but changing the oven rack might help, as well. If you feel the top of the cake is done and you don’t want it to dry out, you can cover it with foil. One other thought is to change the liquid you’re using with this recipe and see if that changes the results at all. Just another variable!
So glad you’re loving this chocolate cake recipe and my gfJules Flour!
So excited to try this cake! But, need to know if monk fruit will work one to one for the sugar?
I don’t know for sure, as I haven’t tried it, but be sure the monkfruit is one that says it’s 1:1 for granulated sugar in baking. If you can unrefined coconut palm sugar or maple sugar instead, that will work well here, but the monkfruit may work.
~jules
Baking soda??
The entire cake taste like baking soda. 😞 Should it be baking powder? Please help. Thanks.
Hi Courtney, because of the sour cream, natural cocoa AND the gluten free beer, there’s plenty of acid to counteract any baking soda taste in this cake, so that shouldn’t have been a problem unless you used neutral or base substitutions for those. I suppose if you used Dutch processed cocoa instead, that might be enough acid reduction to upset the balance, but I wouldn’t have thought so with all the other acids in this recipe. Did you make any other substitutions like use Dutched cocoa or coconut milk without the lemon juice or something like that?
~jules
The only substitution made was coconut yogurt. Would that have made that much of a difference, Thank you!
Hi Courtney, that shouldn’t have done it, as I use coconut yogurt all the time! Are you certain that the cocoa you used was NOT dutch processed?
~jules
My first try with this cake also tasted like baking soda, a little too much. But I found out that at High Altitudes (Denver) the baking soda needs to be reduced 1/8 teaspoon for every teaspoon used in recipe. I did that with 2nd try and the cake was perfect!
So glad to hear it, Sarma! I made this cake in Longmont with no changes and it turned out beautifully, but I’m glad that the reduction in soda worked for you and you didn’t give up on the recipe! It’s a fantastic chocolate cake — happy to hear you were able to make it work!
~jules
Excellent! The texture was especially nice – very moist. I only had a gf pilsner on hand and it turned out great. Will definitely make again! Kids were a little freaked out by “Chocolate Beer Cake”, lol, but they loved it. And SUPER easy to make.
Isn’t it a fun recipe, Tim? So easy!!! And the name can be a bit off-putting, particularly for the younger set – LOL! But no one would ever know there was any kind of brew inside. It’s really a perfect marriage of flavors. I’m glad you went for it with your pilsner. I’ve tried this recipe with lots of different kinds of naturally gluten free beers, and it turns out delish every time!!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful picture, too!!!!
~jules
I’m going to bake this today for a two year old who the whole family is Gluten free .
I love all your recipes thankyou so much for sharing . 👍…and they all work which is the best part !!
Thanks so much, Kerry! I’m so happy to know you trust and rely on my recipes for your baking. I know everyone will love this recipe! It’s one of our family favorites, too!!!
~jules
I would love to use this recipe to make cupcakes.
How many cupcakes would one recipe make and what changes to bake time and oven temperature do you suggest?
Hi Mena, I’m not sure about how many it would make, but probably around 20-24 cupcakes. I’d start testing them after 18-20 minutes. ENJOY!
~jules
This recipe is too good not to share. I use Jules Chocolate Beer Cake recipe and I make a cream cheese/coconut filling with 1 8oz pkg of softened cream cheese, 1 egg yolk, 2/3 C powdered sugar, 1 1/2 C coconut shreds, and 1/2 tsp coconut extract that are beaten together. Grease a bundt or tube pan. Put 1/2 the chocolate batter in the pan. Make a circle of the filling and cover with the rest of the chocolate batter. Bake 45 to 55 minutes at 350* until a toothpick comes out clean. You can drizzle with a confectioners sugar glaze when cool. Photo… just out of the oven, no glaze yet.
Oh my! That filling sounds divine! Thanks so much for the inspiration!
~jules