Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cake

Sep 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Medium

Gluten-free dark chocolate vanilla layer cake made with Ugandan vanilla

Gluten-free dark chocolate cake flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An intermediate recipe: 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking; serves 10. Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 25 min

Cook 30 min

Total 55 min

Servings 10

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (240.0 g)gluten-free flour blend
1 ½ cups (300.0 g)granulated sugar
¾ cup (170.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3.0large eggs
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
2.0 tsp (8.0 g)baking powder
½ tspfine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
¾ cup (130.0 g)chopped dark chocolate

Make it at home

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
Cream the softened butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition so the batter stays smooth.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then add to the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk and mixing just until combined.
Gently fold the chopped chocolate into the batter.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 28 to 32 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Tips

Use chocolate between 60% and 70% cacao so its bitterness balances the vanilla's sweetness.
Don't toss the scraped pods: tuck them into a jar of sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Choosing vanilla: Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky) suits this recipe best; Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla cake?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 10 servings.

How should I store vanilla cake?

Store unfrosted layers wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months; refrigerate a frosted cake.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This version uses 1 split vanilla bean. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder instead; they're interchangeable at these amounts. Beans give the most visible specks and the fullest aroma.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

416 Calories / serving

19.9g Fat

58.0g Carbs

3.7g Protein

37.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~4160 cal · 199g fat · 580g carbs · 37g protein · 375g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 416 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 79 min·4.6 mi·~9250 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 56 min·2.8 mi·~5600 steps
Moderate cycling 42 min·8.4 mi
Swimming laps 58 min
Jogging 41 min·3.4 mi·~6550 steps
Stair climbing 38 min·~3400 steps
Dancing 68 min
Bodyweight circuit training 42 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 97 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.