Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Made with Applesauce

4.65 from 17 votes

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Made with Applesauce

This gluten-free chocolate cake made with applesauce is my go-to gluten-free dessert, and it doesn't hurt that it's rich, moist and decadent too. I'm asked for this recipe all the time... and now you can have the recipe and eat it too. Enjoy!

Prep Time10

Cook Time37

Total Time47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: applesauce chocolate cake, chocolate cake, chocolate cake recipe with applesauce, gluten-free chocolate cake

Servings: pieces

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Jenny Levine Finke

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter 1 stick
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend 296 grams
2 heaping tbsps cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar (for topping)
1 cup chocolate chips (for topping)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F and line a 9" x 13" metal baking dish with foil. Spray with cooking spray to lightly grease the foil.
In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add to mixture eggs, vanilla, and applesauce. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Add flour mixture slowly to wet mixture, mixing on low and scraping sides to ensure all ingredients are combined. Mix for 1 minute until well combined. Transfer the wet batter to the greased baking pan.
Sprinkle the mixture generously with brown sugar and chocolate chips until nicely coated on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until center comes out clean with a toothpick. Allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into it. The cake can be made a day ahead of time and tastes great for 5+ days.

Video

Notes

Applesauce Tips: Use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened applesauce will make the cake way too sweet. You can also use cinnamon applesauce. If you do, omit the cinnamon in the recipe if you do. (Please note I edited this recipe to include only 2 cups of applesauce (vs. 2 1/2 cups) for a better overall texture.)

Cake Texture: The cake will be very moist. It tastes better when you allow it to sit for a few hours before serving. It tastes even better the next day.

Storing the Cake: Store extra cake in a sealed storage container. It'll keep for several days - even a week. The cake freezes well too. I often serve half of the cake and then freeze the other half for a rainy day.

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