This gluten free chocolate espresso layer cake is vegan, soft, moist and scrumptious.It makes the perfect vegan espresso dessert and delicious gluten free birthday cake!
2 9 inch baking pans (or 1 pan only, you can cutthe cake in half)
1 Blender
1 kitchen scale
Ingredients
For the cake batter (7 inch round pan)
150gramsgluten free almond flour
150 gramsgluten free brown rice flour
120grams gluten free potato starch
1tablespoonbaking powder
1teaspoon(decaf) coffee powder
4tablespoonsunsweetened cacao powder
90grams brown sugar
60gramsseed oil or coconut oil
3 tablespoonsapple sauce(for a vegetarian option, it can be replaced with 2 eggs)
290gramsrice milk (or other gluten free vegan milk)
100gramsdairy free dark chocolate(+ more for decoration)
For the coffee cream
320gramsboiled/soaked unsalted cashews
180grams(decaf) espresso coffee (instant coffee is ok too)
1 tablespoonsicing sugar (or other sweetener)(more, if desired)
vanilla extractto taste
Instructions
For the coffee cream
Brew some espresso coffee and let it cool down, or make instand coffee
In a blender add cashews and coffee and blend until you have a smooth, "spread-able" cream, then add the sugar (or other sweetener) and the vanilla extract, adjusting them to your own taste
For the cake batter
Pre-heat the oven at 180° C / 360 F
In a bowl add the apple sauce, milk and seed oil and mix (better if with an electric whisk) for a minute
Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or in a double-boiler
In another bowl mix sugar, flours, starch, baking powder, cacao powder and coffee powder
Add the liquid mix to the dry ingredients, mix well then add the melted chocolate and incorporate well
Divide the batter into two 9-inch pans and bake for 25-30 minutes (or until when inserting a toothpick, it comes out clean). If you only have one pan, bake the whole batter in it for 40-45 minutes.
Once baked, let the cakes (or cake) cool down completely before removing them from the pan (and slicing it into two discs, if baking one cake only)
Set the first cake/disc on a serving plate, spread a layer of coffee frosting and grate some dark chocolate on top
Add the second cake disc, spread more coffee frosting on top and on the sides and grate some more dark chocolate on top
If you want to serve it as a dessert or for a birthday, for best result bake the cakes early enough to completely cool down and frost it before serving.Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple days.