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My Gluten Free Mocha Cake is fudgey, moist, and everything you want a chocolate-y cake to be, but totally free from wheat and grains. You will definitely find it hard to resist!
I’ve been inspired to make more of my recipes gluten-free because so many of you are looking for gluten-free options these days, as well as by my good friend Sandi of Fearless Dining, a leading gluten-free blog with hundreds of easy, step by step, family friendly recipes. All the photos in this post were taken by Sandi Gaertner of Fearless Dining.
I met Sandi on one of our California trips a number of years ago and we became good friends. Getting together was always fun, and on occasions we even baked together at Sandi’s home.
On one visit to Sandi’s kitchen, I adapted one of her delicious scone recipes to make Gluten Free Blackberry and Apple Scones and Sandi adapted my Raspberry Bakewell Tart Squares to make a Gluten Free Strawberry Lemon Bakewell Tart.
More recently, Sandi very kindly agreed to advise me on converting some more of my recipes to gluten-free, and where better to start than with my Mocha Cake with a Twist recipe! Rich chocolate, mellow coffee and a gentle hint of cinnamon make this a cake extra special.
A Huge Thank You
Sandi’s daughter is really creative and very talented at decorating cakes, and she frosted and decorated the cake for me. Isn’t it gorgeous?
I’m also so grateful to Sandi, not just for inviting me to work in her kitchen, but also for taking all the photographs for this post.
Which Gluten Free Flour Should I Use?
I’m relatively new to gluten-free baking and Sandi has given me some great advice. To start with, Sandi recommends using a gluten-free flour blend for great results. For this recipe, I used:
Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Sandi also recommends:
Is All Baking Powder Gluten Free?
Most baking powders are gluten free, but some contain wheat starch. If you are baking for someone with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, be sure that the brand of baking powder you choose is completely gluten free.
Can This Recipe Be Made As A Bundt Cake?
Yes, it can! You will need to bake the cake for longer – about 45 to 55 minutes – or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. You can also make Gluten Free Mocha Cupcakes. The recipe will make about 24 and they should be baked for about 15 minutes, again until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Can This Recipe Be Made Dairy Free?
The recipe has been tested with plant based spread instead of butter and coconut milk in place of the buttermilk and it was absolutely delicious. The texture was excellent too.
Which Frosting Works Best for Gluten Free Mocha Cake?
You can frost this cake with coffee, chocolate or even vanilla frosting. Sandi’s daughter used this Mocha Buttercream Frosting to frost my Gluten Free Mocha Cake.
Gluten Free Mocha Cake – Printable Recipe
Gluten Free Mocha Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened use plant based spread for a dairy free version
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large free range or organic eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup cocoa powder Be sure to use cocoa powder, not drinking chocolate
- 3 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved in ⅓ cup boiling water, cooled or use ⅓ cup (80ml) freshly brewed espresso
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature use coconut milk for a dairy free version
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C).
- Grease and flour two 8 inch layer cake pans.
- Cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix together well.
- Sift the gluten free flour blend, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- Beat together the cooled coffee and the buttermilk.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter alternately with the coffee/buttermilk mixture, beating after each addition. (Use two additions of the flour mixture and two of the liquid mixture.)
- Pour the mixture into the bundt pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for ten minutes before turning them out and cooling on a wire rack.
- Frost when completely cool.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
Want to Know More About Gluten Free Cooking and Baking?
How To Adapt Recipes To Make Them Gluten Free
More Gluten Free Cake Recipes
Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal
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Mocha cake is one of those things I’ve grown to *love* as I’ve become older. I never drink neat coffee, but in a cake, with plenty of chocolate, that’s altogether different. Thank you for this easy guide and non-wacky ingredients!
I never drink neat coffee either, Pauline 🙂 As you say, there’s just something about it when it’s combined with chocolate though. It makes it hard to resist!
Wow April, this cake looks as moist as a chocolate mousse, I can almost taste it ♥
It really is, Leslie! I hope you enjoy it if you make it. It’s one of the nicest gluten free cakes I’ve ever tried 🙂
April,
What an absolutely beautiful cake and it’s gluten free too- love it!!
Thank you so much, Judee! I’m so grateful to Sandi’s daughter for decorating the cake so beautifully! I can’t wait to convert more of my recipes to gluten free to make them more accessible to everyone!
I am pinning your cake recipe, I have been filling up my Gluten Free board on Pinterest and have made a lot of recipes. Thank you for sharing on Friday Features this week! Hope you have a lovely week!
Thank you so much, Karren. I really appreciate you sharing my recipe!
Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared.
Thank you so much for pinning and sharing, Marilyn, as well as for hosting! Have a lovely weekend!
Congrats, you are being featured on Over The Moon Linky Party.
https://eclecticredbarn.blogspot.com/2019/04/over-moon-linky-party.html
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you so much, Beverly!
Your Gluten Free Mocha Cake was recently featured on Full Plate Thursday and thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us! Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much for featuring it, Miz Helen! That is so kind of you 🙂
Chocolate is always a great treat! I like to add espresso powder to anything chocolate I bake, it enhances the flavor. This looks delicious 🙂
Thank you, Dawn!
Sorry I am late! I have been running behind this making memories! Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
It’s so important to make memories, Marilyn! I’m glad you are having some fun! Thank you for pinning and sharing.
This sounds phenomenal, April, chocolate and coffee together should be a treat 👍
Thank you so much, Hadia! There is also a recipe that is not gluten free if you prefer. I need to update it with new photographs as it is quite old, but here is a link https://apriljharris.com/mocha-cake-with-a-twist/ I made it as a Bundt cake for that post but it would definitely work as two layers as well 🙂
April – what an eye-catching mouthwatering cake – can’t believe it’s so yummy yet “healthy”!
Thanks for sharing your creativity at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy.
CONGRATS on being featured at this week’s party (#491).
Have a wonderful week! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ramona! That is so kind of you to feature me. What a lovely way to start the week! I hope your week is wonderful too 🙂
I am a chocolate lover and if it’s mix with coffee….so mouthwatering. I feel like I can’t wait to try this so delicious and moist cake. Thanks for the recipe. Your recipes are so good that you are always featured on one or the other linky party. You truly deserve it. A big fan of your recipes.
Thank you so much, Olivia!
What a wonderful looking cake, plus it’s GLUTEN FREE! Great idea to add the cinnamon too to add that extra depth of flavour.
Thank you, Rebecca!
April – I just love this cake!
Congrats on being a featured guest at our 500th Inspire Me Monday party at Create With Joy –
Come celebrate with us! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ramona! And what an honour to be featured a the 500th edition of your wonderful Inspire Me Monday party. I really appreciate it!
This looks so good, April! I am not gluten-free but my daughter-in-law’s mother is, so I often bake a special cake for her when we have parties. I pinned this one! I like Bob’s red Mill products too!
Thank you, Pat! It really is delicious and has a lovely texture. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for pinning too.
Sounds & looks amazing!
I am both Celiac & Lactose intolerant April but I use Lactose free dairy products (which are clearly marked in the dairy section & on the products) in my cooking.
I also use Gluten free Flour, Gluten free Baking Powder & Gluten free Icing Sugar for the frosting as some Icing sugars (powdered sugars) can also have wheat fillers added to them. As can some Cornflours, so everything gluten free & lactose free works with the taste & consistency not being compromised.
Blessings, Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer! I hope you enjoy the cake if you make it.
I am lucky not to have any food allergies or intolerances, but many of my friends and family do – and of course I always hope to be able to help my readers as well.
Most of our baking powders, cornflours and icing sugars here in the UK are gluten-free, but I always double check if I am cooking for someone who is celiac or needs to eat gluten-free. I always check oats as well, as some may have cross contamination. It is amazing the number of things that can have gluten that you just would not expect, and I would be so upset if I made a mistake.
Blessings to you!