Best Chocolate Cake with Coffee | Gluten-Free, Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate cake with Coffee is a match made in heaven! This rich chocolate cake is loaded with the goodness of protein and fiber from gluten-free flours, sorghum and roasted chickpea, the richness of organic cacao and the delicious smooth texture from butter and cream cheese.
Why add coffee to chocolate cake?
The nutty bitterness of coffee works perfectly with the richness of cacao powder/ chocolate. The contrast in flavor enhances the taste of chocolate with a subtle hint of coffee. This beautiful combination also is an energy booster due to the addition of caffeine.
Is it better to bake with Cacao powder or Cocoa powder?
Cacao beans are roasted and ground to produce cocoa powder. The powder produced from raw cacao beans is healthier than cocoa powder as it contains higher amount of antioxidants and minerals. However, cacao powder tastes bitter as compared to cocoa powder. I prefer using cacao powder as it is less processed.
How to make a gluten-free Chocolate cake with Coffee?
How much coffee should I add to my chocolate cake?
A key thing to consider is that chocolate is the dominant flavor so the coffee should not subdue it. Depending on the type of coffee you’re using, the ratios are:
- Instant Coffee: For a medium sized cake (approx 2.5 lbs), when using instant coffee, add in 1/2 tablespoon of the instant coffee directly into the dry ingredients.
- Brewed Coffee: Replace the liquid in the recipe with 1 cup of brewed coffee.
What Ingredients do I need to make the Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Coffee?
Dry Ingredients
Cacao Powder: The star ingredient of this recipe! Use a good quality unsweetened cacao/cocoa powder in this recipe for a rich chocolate flavor. I used Volupta’s gluten-free cacao powder.
Coffee Powder: I used Nescafe’s Taster’s choice instant coffee.
Flours: The combination of sorghum and roasted chickpea flours in a 5:1 ratio enhances the rich nutty flavor of this delicious cake. Feel free to switch out the roasted chickpea flour with almond flour or quinoa flour.
Leavening and Binding: Gluten-free baking powder makes the cake airy and light. A combination of baking soda and baking powder can also be used. I prefer using just baking powder, as if the baking soda is not used carefully, it may tend a soapy flavor to the cake . Roasted and ground flax seeds and Xanthan gum bind the cake in the absence of gluten. Add some salt to balance out the flavor.
Wet Mixture
Eggs: 5 large eggs.
Sugar: I used 180 grams of brown sugar and 50 grams of white granulated sugar. The sugars also serve as binding agents. Brown sugar keeps the cake moist. When using white granulated sugar alone, I recommend reducing the amount of sugar by about 10 grams.
Fat: Butter and cream cheese provide a lovely texture to this gorgeous cake.
Vanilla: Fresh vanilla extract blends beautifully with chocolate and coffee.
Milk: I have used 2% milk in the wet mixture for a smooth batter consistency.
Step by Step Process
Preparation:
- Measure/ weigh the ingredients per the recipe card. The weight of the flour, sugar and the fat should approximately be the weight equivalent to the weight of 4 eggs.
- Set the oven to 350 deg F.
- Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 inch round pan with butter, cut a parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides of the cake pan and set aside. (Pics 1 and 2)
Dry Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, sieve together the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Pic#3
- Blend in cacao powder and coffee. Mix them well to make sure there are no lumps.
Wet Mixture:
- In a stand mixer, blend softened butter and granulated white sugar (in 2 batches) on medium setting for about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one, making sure the egg is blended in well before adding in the next one. Scrape down the sides of the stand mixer to ensure the contents are mixed well.
- Add in the cream cheese and vanilla extract and blend.
- Then, add in brown sugar and beat for another 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
- Your wet mix is now ready!
The Batter:
- In the mixing bowl with the dry mixture, make a well in center and pour in a third of the wet mixture. Using a whisk, stand mixer or a hand blender, combine the wet mixture on a medium-low setting.
- Pour in the milk and continue blending until all of the wet mixture is combined well with the dry mixture.
- Taking a spatula, scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure there is no flour mixture left uncombined.
Baking:
- Pour the batter onto the prepared cake pan, place it on the middle rack of the oven, and bake at 350 deg F for about 40- 50 minutes or until a skewer/ toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Turn off the oven and let the cake stay in the oven for about 3-4 minutes. Then, take out the cake pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
How to make Cream Cheese frosting for my cake?
You just need 4 ingredients for this fantastic frosting:
- 1.5 cup Powdered sugar
- 7 oz Cream Cheese
- 1/3 cup Unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for about 4-5 minutes or until the frosting has a smooth, creamy texture. Sieve powdered sugar (Pic#15) and blend for 2-3 minutes. Your smooth cream chsee frosting is ready! Pic#16
Frosting:
Once the cake completely cools down, apply a generous amount of the delicious cream cheese frosting on your cake, deck up your cake and dig in!!
Related Recipes:
BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COFFEE | GLUTEN-FREE, CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer optional
- 1 Hand mixer optional
Ingredients
Wet Mixture
- 5 Large Eggs
- 180 grams Brown sugar
- 50 grams Granulated white sugar
- 113 grams Unsalted Butter 1 stick
- 2 oz Cream Cheese
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Dry Mixture
- 200 grams Sorghum flour gluten-free certified, aka jowar
- 40 grams Roasted chickpea flour gluten-free certified, aka sattu
- 30 grams Cacao powder
- ½ tbsp Baking Powder
- 1 tbsp Roasted and ground flax seeds
- ½ tbsp Instant Coffee
- 1 tsp Xanthan gum
- ½ tsp Salt Iodized
Instructions
Preparation
- Measure/ weigh the ingredients per the recipe card. The weight of the flour, sugar and the fat should approximately be the weight equivalent to the weight of 4 eggs.
- Set the oven to 350 deg F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 inch round pan with butter, cut a parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides of the cake pan and set aside.
Dry Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, sieve together the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.
- Blend in cacao powder and coffee. Mix them well to make sure there are no lumps.
Wet Mixture:
- In a stand mixer, blend softened butter and granulated white sugar (in 2 batches) on medium setting for about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one, making sure the egg is blended in well before adding in the next one. Scrape down the sides of the stand mixer to ensure the contents are mixed well.
- Then, add in brown sugar and beat for another 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Add in the cream cheese and vanilla extract and blend.
The Batter:
- In the mixing bowl with the dry mixture, make a well in the center and pour in a third of the wet mixture. Using a whisk, stand mixer or a hand blender, combine the wet mixture on a medium-low setting.
- Pour in the milk and continue blending until all of the wet mixture is combined well with the dry mixture. Taking a spatula, scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure there is no flour mixture left uncombined.
Baking:
- Pour the batter onto the prepared cake pan, place it on the middle rack of the oven, and bake at 350 deg F for about 40- 50 minutes or until a skewer/ toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Turn off the oven and let the cake stay in the oven for about 3-4 minutes. Then, take out the cake pan and place on a wire rack to cool.