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! Best yet, it's gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan!
This Chocolate Blueberry Cake combines the best of both worlds. It's a chocolate chip chocolate cake with blueberry frosting. It's sweet and rich yet both balance one another out! It's so moist, it stays soft for days even with no eggs and no mixer is needed to make the batter!
For more chocolate cakes recipes, try my simple yet decadent Chocolate Ganache Cake, my 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 Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate- It has chocolate in 4 ways! A chocolate cake base, chocolate chips in the batter, a 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 gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- White Vinegar- We use this along with the milk to make a homemade buttermilk.
- Vegetable Oil- This cake uses oil instead of butter/vegan baking stick to help it stay super moist.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use two types to give the cookies a dark color, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark. It will make the cake too dry, chalky and bitter.
- Cornstarch Water- This helps bind everything together since the cake is eggless.
- Chocolate Chips- To make this cake completely allergy friendly, remember to use allergy friendly chocolate chips.
For the Frosting and Drip
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature. If you use melted or softened, the frosting will be a runny liquidy mess that won't be able to be fixed by popping it in the fridge. If using vegan butter, make sure to use only vegan baking sticks (not vegan butter in a tub) and make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Blueberry Jam- Makes the frosting that gorgeous all natural color like in my Cookie Monster Cookies and my Chocolate Chip Blueberry Muffins. You can make your own by using my recipe for Blueberry Jam or you can use store bought.
- Water- This frosting uses water instead of milk.
- Heavy Cream- This is used for the drip but to make vegan, use a dairy free heavy cream alternative or use my drip recipe from my Strawberry Red Velvet Cake.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter in the frosting.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan. I love to use these vegan/gluten free chocolate chips.
- Only use a vegan heavy cream or use my vegan ganache recipe from my strawberry red velvet cake.
How to Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ½ cups packed AP flour (252 grams).
- Make sure to use ¾ cups packed cocoa powder (87 grams).
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Chocolate Blueberry Cake
Here are the step by step instructions to make this blueberry chocolate 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. Let sit 5-10 minutes and it will appear chunky. That's normal.
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 of the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 47-50 minutes until slightly springy when carefully touched.
Step 8: Cut the Cakes
Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the cake pans.
Once the cakes have cooled completely, take them out of the pans. If the tops of your cakes have domes, you can very carefully slice them off to make the tops flat.
Then slice the cakes in half horizontally to create 4 thinner layers of cake.
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. If using store bought, please make sure it is gluten free and allergy safe for you and your family.
Step 2: Cream the Butter/Vegan Baking Stick
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the unsalted 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 3 tablespoons of water. Beat until combined. It will look chunky at first.
Step 5: Add The Rest of the Sugar, Jam and More Water If Needed
Then add in the other 4 cups of confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of blueberry jam and beat until combined.
If needed, with the mixer still on, slowly add in the rest of the 3 tablespoons of water...a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
The frosting should be creamy and smooth but thick enough to not slide all over your cake.
Assembling the Cake
Step 1: Divide the Frosting and Frost One Layer
Separate the frosting into 5 equal sections.
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 2: Repeat the Process
Place another layer of cake on top; repeat this same process. Do this with 3 layers of cake.
Step 3: 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 of the cake. 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 Chocolate Chips in a Heat Safe Bowl
Set the bowl with the chips aside.
Step 2: Heat the Heavy Cream and Let it Sit
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.
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 chocolate chips and blueberries on top of the frosting swirl.
Expert Baking Tips
For the Cake
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
- 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.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the cake its dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know the color will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your cake too dry and bitter.
- 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.
- Make the Frosting the Day Before- You don’t have to do this the day before, but it definitely makes assembling the cake a much quicker process. Store the frosting in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature and rewhip to regain the creamy texture.
For the Frosting
- Cream the Vegan Baking Stick or Butter- You could technically put all the ingredients in the bowl together and beat them at the same time. However, this can leave chunks of vegan baking stick throughout the frosting. Your best bet is to beat the softened vegan baking stick first until it is smooth and creamy for about two minutes. Then beat in all the other ingredients.
- Add the Water a Little at a Time- When adding in the rest of the water as the final step, only add it in slowly, a little at a time until you get the desired frosting consistency. You may not need to add all the water. If your butter was fairly cold when making the frosting, you will probably need more water than if your butter was actually room temperature.
- Making The Frosting- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to stay put on the cake and not run off. If the frosting appears too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time.
Recipe FAQs
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.
This is not sponsored but the brand silk makes one. It says it’s gluten free but I don’t see a certified label, so I would look into that if you have celiac.
As for allergens, it does contain coconut, sunflower and faba bean protein, last time I checked. Always read the labels.
Storing: 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.
Eat extra slices within 2 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. If desired, warm each slice in the microwave in 5 second increments until warm. Be careful not to burn yourself!
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.
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 5 seconds if desired. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Other Blueberry Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1.5 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 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 cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups chocolate chips
For The Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 cups confectioners' sugar
- 4 tablespoons Blueberry Jam (See the Blueberry Jam recipe or use store bought).
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
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 lightly grease the parchment paper with vegetable oil as well.
- Whisk the 1.5 cups of gluten free flour, the 1.5 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup cocoa powders, 1.5 baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder and ¾ teaspoon salt in a large bowl until combined and lump free.
- Measure out 1 cup of milk of choice into a measuring cup. Add 1 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 4 heaping tablespoons of 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, 1 cup warm water, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. 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 and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
- Bake the cakes for about 47-50 min in the center rack of the 350 degree oven or until the cakes spring back at you when carefully touched.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the cake pans. Once the cakes have cooled completely, take them out of the pans. If the tops of your cakes have domes, you can very carefully slice them off to make the tops flat.
- 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 Blueberry Jam. If using store bought, skip this step.
Make The Frosting
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- Add in the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of blueberry jam and 3 tablespoons of water. Beat until combined. It will look chunky at first.
- Then add in the other 4 cups of confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of blueberry jam and beat until combined. If needed, with the mixer still on, slowly add in the rest of the 3 tablespoons of water...a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.The frosting should be creamy and smooth but thick enough to not slide all over your cake.
Assemble The Cake
- Separate the frosting into 5 equal sections. 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.
- Place another layer of cake on top; repeat this same process. Do this with 3 layers of cake.
- 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 of the cake. You should only use ⅕th of the frosting on the top and sides combined.
- Pop the entire cake in the fridge uncovered for 15-20 minutes. This will make it more stable to work with.
Make the Ganache
- Place 6 ounces chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl. Set aside.
- Place the ½ 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 and 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 and Decorate
- Take the cake out of the fridge and immediately spoon almost all the liquid ganache on top of the cake.
- 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.
- Put the remaining ⅕th of the frosting into a piping bag.Make swirls all around the edge of the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle some more chocolate chips and fresh washed blueberries on top of the frosting swirl.
Sam
i am planning on baking this for my family for Christmas. can you use regular flour instead of gluten free? I'm vegan but not gluten free. thanks!
Lee
Hi Sam! Yes! I just updated this recipe because it was old and I now explain it. I can’t test it due to celiac disease but I explain what to do in the blog post under “substitutions and variations”. I also list in the the notes section of the recipe card that you can print out. For this recipe, I would just make sure to use packed cups of flour (252 grams) and packed 3/4 cup cocoa powder (87 grams). Hope this helps!
Amanda
Made this for a Friendsgiving and it was a HIT. Everyone wanted to take some home! I submitted Earth Balance vegan butter and used extra creamy oat milk instead of regular, as well as vegan heavy cream. Everything went perfectly!
Lee
So glad and thanks so much for sharing what products you used!
Kanyon
This cake is phenomenal. Tastes better than a bakery cake! I used almond milk instead of regular and it turned out great. So moist, light and fluffy. My new go to chocolate cake recipe !
Lee
Thank you so much! So glad!
Nancy
My husband loves blueberry so I surprised him by making it and wow did he love it. Thank you for the recipe !
john
I loved how the purple color from the blueberries came through on my cake. The flavor was great too!