This Chocolate Blueberry Cake is made up of a rich chocolate cake, oozing with chocolate chips, surrounded by a gorgeous blueberry frosting. It is then topped with a decadent ganache, more frosting, chocolate chips and blueberries! It's the perfect combination of rich and sweet; the flavors will be dancing on your tongue!
This Chocolate Blueberry Cake combines the best of both worlds. It's sweet and rich and both balance one another out! It's so moist, it stays soft for days even with no eggs!
If you’re looking for more chocolate cakes recipes, try Triple Chocolate Layer Cake, Cookies & Cream Cake and Brooklyn Blackout Cake.
REASONS TO LOVE THIS CAKE
- Allergy Friendly- This cake is gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan).
- Soft & Fluffy- The cake is super soft, decadent and delicious.
- Blueberries- It has blueberries in the frosting!
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up in just one large bowl with a whisk!
- Chocolate- It has chocolate chips in the batter, chocolate ganache drip and chocolate chips on top.
INGREDIENT NOTES
FOR THE CAKE
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this one because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy.
- White Vinegar- We use this along with the milk of choice to make a homemade buttermilk.
- Vegetable Oil- This cake uses oil instead of butter/vegan baking stick to help it stay moist.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use two types but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened.
- Cornstarch Water- This helps bind everything together since the cake is eggless.
FOR THE FROSTING AND DRIP
- Butter/Vegan Baking Stick- Make sure to use softened not melted or your frosting will be a runny mess.
- Blueberry Jam- Makes the frosting that gorgeous all natural color.
- Water- This frosting uses water instead of milk.
- Heavy Cream- This is used for the drip but I discuss ways to make it vegan later in this post.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
MAKE THE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK
Measure out 1 cup of milk of choice.
Add in one 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and stir to combine.
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir again.
It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
USING TWO TYPES OF COCOA POWDER
People ask how I get my chocolate baked goods to be so dark. The secret is in that bit of dark cocoa powder.
Using two types of cocoa powder creates a richer color and flavor, which I adore!
However, keep in mind that cocoa powder is quite dry. Dark is even drier than Dutch or Natural Unsweetened.
If you only used the dark cocoa powder, your baked goods would be way too dry and bitter.
Therefore, if you don’t have both types of cocoa powders on hand, just use either the Dutch or Natural Unsweetened.
If you only use the one type, keep in mind that your cake and frosting won’t be as dark as my cake is.
SMOOTHING THE BATTER
Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked.
If you leave it misshapen, that’s how it will remain when baked.
When the batter is in the pans, gently smooth the tops with a butter knife.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PICTURES
Here are the steps to make this cake!
STEP 1: WHISK TOGETHER ALL THE DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt.
STEP 2: MAKE THE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK
In a large measuring cup, measure out 1 cup of milk. Add in 1 tablespoon of the white vinegar and stir. This is your homemade buttermilk.
Step 1 Step 2
Step 3: MAKE THE CORNSTARCH WATER
In a large bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Add the Liquid Ingredients
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add in the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk, the warm water, vegetable oil and vanilla.
Whisk until smooth and combined. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
Step 5: Add In The Chocolate Chips
Pour in the 1.5 cups chocolate chips into the batter and fold them in gently using a spatula.
STEP 6: SCOOP THE BATTER
Using a spatula, divide the batter equally between two greased and parchment lined 8 inch cake pans; smooth the tops with a butter knife.
STEP 7: BAKE THE CAKES
Bake the cakes in the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 47-50 minutes until slightly springy when carefully touched.
Step 6 Step 7
STEP 8: CUT THE CAKES
Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the cake pans.
Once the cakes have cooked completely, take them out of the pan and slice them in half horizontally to create 4 thinner layers of cake.
If the tops of your cakes have domes, you can very carefully slice them off to make the tops flat.
MAKE THE FROSTING
STEP 1: Make the Blueberry Jam
Follow this recipe to make the blueberry jam or you can use store bought to save time.
Step 2: CREAM THE BUTTER/VEGAN BAKING STICK
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
STEP 3: ADD IN THE VANILLA
Add in the vanilla and beat until combined.
STEP 4: ADD IN THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS HALF AT A TIME
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in half the confectioners’ sugar, half the blueberry jam and half the water. Beat until combined.
Then add in the second half of the ingredients and beat until combined again and smooth.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE TIPS
STEP 1: DIVIDE THE FROSTING
Separate the frosting into 5 equal sections.
STEP 2: FROST ONE LAYER
Place one layer of cake on a cake plate/stand. Scoop ⅕ (about 1 cup) of frosting on top of the layer and use an icing spatula to spread it around.
STEP 3: REPEAT THE PROCESS
Place another layer of cake on top; repeat this same process. Do this with 3 layers of cake.
STEP 4: KEEP THE TOP AND SIDES THIN
Once you get to the top layer of cake, place it bottom (or flat) side up so the top of the cake is nice and flat.
Use an icing spatula to frost the top and a thin layer on the sides
You should only use ⅕th of the frosting on the top and sides combined.
STEP 5: CHILL THE CAKE
Pop the entire cake in the fridge uncovered for 15-20 minutes. This will make it more stable to work with.
MAKE THE GANACHE
STEP 1: PLACE THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN A HEAT SAFE BOWL
Set the bowl with the chips aside.
STEP 2: HEAT THE HEAVY CREAM
Set the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly.
When it begins to simmer around the edges, immediately pour the cream over the chocolate chips.
STEP 3: LET IT SIT
Do not whisk the heavy cream and chocolate chips together yet!
Let it sit for one minute and then whisk until combined and smooth.
MAKE THE DRIP
STEP 1: SPOON THE GANACHE
Take the cake out of the fridge and immediately spoon almost all the liquid ganache on top of the cake.
STEP 2: PUSH THE GANACHE
Using an icing spatula, push the ganache around the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides.
Work quickly because the cold cake will quickly stop the ganache from dripping too much.
DECORATE THE TOP
STEP 1: MAKE SWIRLS
Put the remaining ⅕th of the frosting into a piping bag.
Make swirls all around the edge of the top of the cake.
STEP 2: ADD MORE Chocolate Chips and Blueberries
Sprinkle some more gluten free/nut free/vegan chocolate chips and blueberries on top of the frosting swirl.
HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN
Follow these simple steps to make sure the cake is vegan:
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Use allergy friendly chocolate chips such as these.
- Only use a vegan heavy cream or use my vegan ganache recipe from my strawberry red velvet cake.
FAQ
No you do not! You can eliminate them completely.
If you want, you can swap out all the chocolate chips for 1 cup of fresh blueberries or you can do ½ cup fresh blueberries and ½ cup chocolate chips.
Make sure you use fresh blueberries and not frozen or the cake will have way too much moisture.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make this cake the night before and then do the ganache and pipe the extra buttercream in the morning.
If making the night before, keep the cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to decorate.
Yes!
This recipe will make 24 regular sized cupcakes.
Bake them for 25-28 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To decorate the cake, if you don’t have a piping bag you can use your icing spatula or butter knife or the back of a spoon to make swirls or marks all over.
You can look at my Vegan Vanilla Cake for inspiration.
That is because no food coloring is required to get that amazing hue; it's all natural so the color will be different every time.
The color of the frosting will vary depending on what brand of blueberries you use to make the jam, how ripe they are and if you used fresh or frozen.
The color is never 100 percent the same, which makes it so fun.
For example, in my Blueberry Cupcakes I used fresh blueberries to make the jam and the frosting came more purple. In this cake I used frozen blueberries to make the jam and it came more magenta.
If you can't have cornstarch, make my Triple Chocolate Cake recipe for the cake itself and then follow the rest of the recipe here for the Blueberry Frosting.
STORING AND FREEZING
STORING
Since gluten free and eggless baked goods are best the first day, we want to try to keep this chocolate blueberry cake as fresh as possible.
Once the cake is cut into, it’s best to cut the entire cake into slices, wrap each slice in foil and store in a zip top bag in the fridge.
This is if you will be eating all the slices the next two days.
When ready to eat, let the slices sit on the counter, in the foil for about an hour or until the cake is room temperature and soft.
I like to warm each slice in the microwave for 10 seconds.
FREEZING
If not eating all the extra slices in the next two days, take the slices wrapped in foil and in the zip top bag and freeze them.
I would remove any blueberries on top of the cake prior to freezing and use fresh when reserving. They can make the icing very wet when they defrost.
You can keep the slices frozen for up to 30 days.
When ready to eat, put the slices in the fridge the night before or leave them out on the counter for 2 hours prior to eating or until the cake is room temperature and soft.
Warm each slice in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Other Blueberry Recipes To Try
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Chocolate Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1.5 cups gluten free flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder I use ½ cup Dutch cocoa and ¼ cup dark
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup of warm water
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups chocolate chips
For the Jam
- See the Blueberry Jam Recipe or use store bought.
For The Frosting
For The Ganache
- 6 oz chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
For Decorating
- 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips
- Handful of fresh blueberries
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans with vegetable oil, line bottoms with parchment paper and then grease the parchment paper with vegetable oil as well.
- Whisk the gluten free flour, sugar, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined and lump free.
- Measure out one cup of milk of choice into a measuring cup. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar into the mix and stir with a spoon. Let it sit for 5-10 min and stir again. It should look slightly chunky. That’s normal.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 6 tablespoons of water and mix together with a spoon until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first. Set aside.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the cornstarch water mixture, milk and vinegar mixture, warm water, oil and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. If it starts to get too thick, use a spatula to mix the rest.
- Add in 1.5 cups of chocolate chips using a spatula to combine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two greased cake pans.
- Bake the cakes for about 47-50 min in the center rack of the oven or until the cakes spring back at you when carefully touched.
- Let cool completely in the cake pans. Turn out from pans, and place on cooling racks.
- Once they're cool, use a cake knife cut a thin layer off the tops of each layer to make the cakes level and flat on top.
- Then, slice both cakes in half horizontally. Now you have 4 thin layers of cake.
Make the Jam
- While the cake is baking, make the jam or you can use store bought.
Make The Frosting
- Make the Blueberry Frosting.
- Divide the frosting into 5 equal servings.
Assemble The Cake
- Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ⅕th of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
- Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or an icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. This should be a semi naked cake.
- Pop in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden.
Make the Ganache
- Place chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Place heavy cream in a pan on the stove over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly until the edges begin to simmer. Immediately pour on top of chips and do NOT mix!
- Let sit 1-2 min then whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- Make the Drip and Decorate
- Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon almost all of the liquid ganache on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the ganache around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Work quickly since the cold cake will harden the ganache fast.
- Put the rest of the frosting into a piping bag and pipe swirls all around the edge of the outside of the top of the cake.
- Top with extra chocolate chips and extra washed blueberries.
john
I loved how the purple color from the blueberries came through on my cake. The flavor was great too!
Nancy
My husband loves blueberry so I surprised him by making it and wow did he love it. Thank you for the recipe !