Mocha Cake and friends for lunch, what could be more idyllic? Hey I know how about throw two puppies and two gorgeous little girls into the mix and an adult size drum kit…wait…what?
That’s just how we tend to rock and roll here in the Glutarama household, very little is ‘normal’ or ‘average’ here. Last Friday was a very long awaited meet up with two lovely bloggers (each previous date had been called off last minute by my dramatic life getting in the way!) To avoid any further disruptions Mel and Emma came to me and while Emma is a relative stones thrown from where I live, Mel has to travel miles and it took her 1.5 hours bless her, how I love them both. Even better, they each brought their youngest with them so I got to giggle with toddler antics and puppy chaos.
photos courtesy of Mel Knibb, Le Coin de Mel[/caption]
I’d promised to bake for Emma and Mel and Mel had specifically requested a coffee cake of some description, she’d seen my Chocolate Orange Cake and commented that it would be gorgeous as a mocha cake, so hey-presto, I had a few practise runs and come up with this beauty (which I’ve actually made twice more since for family). My bake for Emma, not being a fan of coffee, was my Chocolate and Pear Cake which I’m ashamed to say we never cut!
photo courtesy of Mel Knibb, Le Coin de Mel[/caption]
We had so much to catch up on and we laughed cried and laughed some more. Throw into the mix a hot bowl of soup for lunch and a brief bash on the drums for the girls whilst I prepared the food and by the time we realised we’d not eaten any cake the clock was ticking and Mel took these gorgeous photos of my Mocha Cake just in time before having to shoot off for school pick up. When I offered Emma a piece of cake with her last cup of tea before she too had to shoot off she declined! I’d not photographed it yet and do you know what, I accepted her decline…WHO AM I? Who is this person I have become that I invite a dear friend over for cake and lunch and don’t actually let her eat cake…Oh yes, that’s right, I’m a food blogger. For shame Rebecca, for shame!
Good news is, I’m seeing the girls again this week and I will make sure everyone has their cake and eats it this time!
photo courtesy of Mel Knibb, Le Coin de Mel[/caption]
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Gluten and Dairy Free Mocha Cake Recipe
Mocha Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g gluten free self raising flour
- 150 ml dairy free milk
- 40 g cocoa powder
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 50 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter)
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 6 tbsp water
- 1 tsp psyllium husk powder (optional)
- 40 ml strong black coffee or coffee extract
Icing Ingredients
- 40 ml strong black coffee or coffee extract
- 30 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter)
- 80 g icing/confectioners sugar
- 100 g 70% dairy free dark chocolate
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)
- Make your ‘egg’ by adding the ground flax seed and water to a glass and stir thoroughly to combine (if adding psyllium power add this too) leave to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl cream together the dairy free spread and sugar until light in colour.
- Add the cocoa powder, espresso and milk and beat to combine.
- Add the flax seed egg and after beating to combine add the flour, again beating to combine.
- Spoon the mixture which should be a soft easy dropping consistency into a greased and lined 8” cake tin.
- Pop into the oven for 25-30 minutes, when ready the cake will have a soft bounce and almost feel uncooked but a skewer will come out clean, the final setting process takes place on cooling so don’t be tempted to overcook.
To make the icing
- Simply melt the dark chocolate in a bowl in the microwave or over a saucepan of simmering water.
- Add the dairy free spread, and espresso and stir quickly to combine.
- Finally add the icing sugar and beat to a smooth ganache style icing.
- Once the cake is cool pour the icing over the cake and tease evenly to the edges with the back of a spoon.
Nutrition
I’ve shared this with various weekly linkies including Mel and Emma’s #FreeFromFridays. Mel write at Le Coin de Mel and Emma writes at Free From Farmhouse
Hmmm – I don’t have any psyllium powder – would it work without do you think? Thanks
Psyllium acts like glue, as does Xanthan Gum. I personally find that the former works better (much more gloopy) by adding it essentially prevents the cake from being too crumbly, however, if you can tolerate egg and use egg in this recipe, you won’t find the need for either. Hope it goes well, can’t wait to see the results.
I see – thanks. No egg fo us either – I think I have Doves Farm flour at the moment which has a bit of x gum so will maybe just use that. Will report back!
What a great post! Thank you for writing
What an absolutely gorgeous cake Rebecca, such a popular flavour and with a lovely frosting too! It certainly sounds as though you all had a great time together – even though the plight of a food blogger got in the way (the need for photos Lol :-) ). Thankyou so much for linking up with #BakingCrumbs,
Angela x
Thank you Angela, it’s a firm favourite in our family now :-)
I have the similar recipe to yours and made it for a couple of times. It is defintely the best mocha cake I have ever had.
Wonderful, it was a bit of a throw the ingredients in and hope for the best originally but I did have my Orange and Chocolate Cake that I’d perfected as a template…thrilled with how it turned out and made it countless times since ?
What a delicious-looking cake! It’s beautiful and I love that it’s gluten-free! The frosting looks to die for. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you Julie…it really is a rather special frosting! :-)
Yummy Cake lovely, but I am a TOTAL sucker for Mocha. The crumb on this cake looks amazing…… I have a bone to pick though…..How come I haven’t had an invite????? x
oh sweetheart, next time I’d love to have you, you just tell me when’s good for you xxx
What a lovely post! And what lovely girls :-) (All of you, not just the little ones!!) This cake looks delicious and such love photos – Mel is a clever lady!! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare :-D Eb x
Thank you Eb, need to add you to the equation when we meet up xxx
this looks so scrumptious, so moist and chocolatey. Mocha is such a great flavour for a hot drink or a cake I think.
That you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek x
Thank you Jenny, it is rather a match made in heaven…thanks for having me #BakeoftheWeek xxx
I still haven’t forgiven you – you owe me cake, haha!! Love the photos of the girls (and the cake of course)!
Oh my goodness Emma, you’ll get LOADS of cake next time I see to make up for it…make sure you’re hungry!!!
Ooh this is GORGEOUS! Adding this to my list of vegan baking recipes to try.
Thank you Mandy, thinks it’s one of Mel’s for sure :-D