Name: Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 62 min
Yield: 15 slices
Ingredients: 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temperature; 1 Tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar; 2 Cups (280g) 1:1 gluten-free baking flour; 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar; 3/4 Cup (150g) packed brown sugar (light or dark); 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed); 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract; 1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee or hot water; 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 6 Cups (720g) powdered sugar; 1 Cup (90g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed); 6 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature; 4 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Method

9 steps

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting the bottoms with a parchment cake circle. If you have them, wrap the pans in dampened cake strips (it's optional though).
Add the vinegar into the whole milk, stir, and set aside. This will begin to curdle as you measure out the rest of the ingredients, which is a good thing! It means the right chemical reaction is happening.
In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients: gluten-free baking flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and the vinegar-milk mixture. Whisk together until fully combined, then add these wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until combined and uniform. Then, whisk in the hot coffee until combined. The batter will be very thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 32-36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and large bowl), beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and light in color, 4-5 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl and paddle, then add half of the powdered sugar, half of the cocoa powder, all of the milk, vanilla, and salt. Cover the mixer with a clean kitchen towel (to prevent ingredients flying out of the bowl), then turn the mixer to low speed and mix until the ingredients start to come together. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, then continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and uniform.
Once the cake layers are completely cooled, level them to get rid of any domed tops and create even layers. Add a swipe of chocolate buttercream onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Add a layer of chocolate buttercream and smooth it down to about 1/2 inch of filling, then place the next layer on top. Continue the process of filling and stacking the cake layers with the chocolate buttercream before placing the final cake layer on top, upside down so that the bottom of the cake becomes the top. Then, crumb coat the cake with chocolate buttercream. Refrigerate the cake for 15-20 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up.
To create the look pictured, use the chocolate buttercream to frost a rustic finish on the cake, then pipe swirls on top with Wilton Tip 1M. Garnish with gluten free rainbow sprinkles.

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