THIS mocha COFFEE CAKE WITH An espresso infused icing IS SOFT, MOIST, AND PACKED WITH coffee and mocha flavors, MAKING IT PERFECT FOR any time of day! MADE WITH espresso, MAPLE SYRUP, COCONUT SUGAR, AND ALMOND FLOUR, THIS mocha coffee CAKE IS PALEO, NATURALLY SWEETENED, and gluten free.

What’s one of the best parts of my morning?

Definitely enjoying a couple of moments of peace along with my morning cup of coffee is at the top of the list.

Now, imagine that first cup of coffee transformed into a warm, delicious slice of mocha coffee cake!

I promise this mocha coffee cake dream is much closer to reality than you think.

Don’t believe me?

Well, let me show you!

Make this mocha coffee cake for an upcoming brunch or even as an after-dinner dessert.

Because honestly, mocha and coffee go so well together at any time of the day.

Not only is this beautiful cake gluten free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly, it’s also a warm nostalgic hug for your tummy whenever you need that coffee cake fix.

If you like this recipe, you’ll want to check out my fun gingerbread coffee cake, as well as my easy to make apple butter coffee cake.

DOES COFFEE CAKE HAVE COFFEE IN IT?

The mocha coffee cake is cut into squares and drizzled with mocha glaze on top

Traditionally speaking, coffee cake does not typically have real coffee in it. However, this recipe is made with an added teaspoon or two of an espresso powder of your choice and it adds a beautiful depth of flavor that is subtly reminiscent of a lovely, brewed cup of coffee.

ARE THERE ANY HEALTH BENEFITS TO MOCHA?

Glad you asked! According to this article, “Cocoa increases cerebral blood flow, which increases cognition and attention.

Caffeine alone can increase anxiety,” explained study researcher Ali Boolani, in a recent press release. “This particular project found that cocoa lessens caffeine’s anxiety-producing effects — a good reason to drink mocha lattes!”

So, you’re telling me I could potentially increase cerebral blood flow while ALSO eating a delicious treat?

Sign me up!

What ingredients are needed for Mocha coffee cake?

Ingredients are laid out for mocha coffee cake

This recipe is divided into 3 sections; the Mocha Glaze, the Coffee Cake, and the Streusel Crumble topping. All ingredients are Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Dry Ingredients
Almond Flour: This is one of my favorite flours to use in grain free and gluten free baking.
Tapioca Flour: It is a kind of flour made from the cassava root, which is also gluten-free. I incorporate tapioca flour when i need to give my baked goods a bit of a chewy and starchy texture
Espresso Powder: You can use baking espresso powder here. It is a fine powder that is similar to ground coffee. Espresso is the key to enhancing that rich chocolate flavor!
Baking Soda: make sure the baking soda you are using is not expired (this has come up to many trouble shootings I do for you all)
Cocoa Powder– this ingredient is rich in polyphenols, which are naturally occurring antioxidants in foods. Read more about is here
Coconut Sugar: It is unrefined and my favorite way to replace brown sugar. It adds a hint of caramelized flavor which is perfect for this coffee cake recipe.
● Dash of salt

Wet Ingredients
Eggs (room temperature)- This is because if the eggs are cold, it will solidify the coconut oil, and create unincorporated pieces of the coconut oil in the batter
Melted coconut oil– and cooled to room temperature
Maple syrup

Glaze Ingredients

  • Milk: Any dairy-free milk works here as well. You can also use coffee or latte to give it even more intense of a coffee flavor.
  • Espresso Powder
  • Organic Powdered sugar

how to make mocha coffee cake

For the crumble topping

Dry ingredients are mixed together in a bowl
In a small bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.
Ingredients for crumble toppings have fully been mixed
Mix well the crumble mixture and store it in the fridge.

Coffee Cake Batter

Dry ingredients for mocha coffee cake are mixed in a bowl
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until there are no clumps.
Wet ingredients are being mixed together for mocha coffee cake
In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and apple cider vinegar.

The batter for mocha coffee cake is being made
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixture.
The batter has been fully mixed for the mocha coffee cake
Gently combine using a spatula.

Mocha coffee cake is ready to bake in the oven
Pour the cake batter into an 8×8 parchment-paper-lined baking dish and spread an even layer of cinnamon sugar crumble on top.

The crumble mixture should have hardened slightly while in the fridge.

Use your hands to combine smaller crumbles together to create larger pieces.

Bake in the oven at 350 F for 23-25 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center to check for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Enjoy!

tips to make the best mocha coffee cake

A slice of mocha coffee cake is stacked on top of eachother with mocha glaze

Gluten-free baking can sometimes be intimidating but this recipe is sure to make it to the winner’s circle. I’ve got a few tips to help make it even easier and for how to take the paleo dessert to the next level.

Measuring
I personally use a food scale since packing flour can be tricky and potentially create a drastically different texture. This sadly could lead to a floppy or a dry coffee cake, which we want to avoid.

Oven Temperature

I have an oven thermometer that allows me to achieve a more accurate read on what temp my oven is at. All ovens are not created equally and sometimes they need to be recalibrated. If you don’t have time to fuss with calibrating your oven (because who does??) simply insert an oven safe thermometer to make sure you get the best baking results.

Whisking

Sometimes there are clumps in the flour, so it needs to be whisked until evenly combined. I recommend doing this for all dry ingredients.

HOW TO STORE HEALTHY COFFEE CAKE

The mocha coffee cake is cut into squares and drizzled with mocha glaze on top

This healthy coffee cake is great to use for presentation on the counter because it stores well at room temperature for 1-2 days, which allows it to maintain a soft and fluffy texture.

If you need to keep it longer you can store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for 5-6 days.

And YES, you can freeze it too!

I recommend cutting the healthy gluten-free coffee cake into squares and then wrapping them individually before freezing.

When you are ready to enjoy this coffee cake, leave it on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Warm it up in the microwave for 20 seconds or so.

Ways to Serve this Mocha Coffee Cake

A slice of mocha coffee cake is on a small plate with mocha glaze with a bite taken out

There are a few ways to enjoy this delicious mocha coffee cake. Why not enjoy it with a Mocha Latte!? If that isn’t your jam…then enjoy it, one of these ways:

  • As is…with mocha icing on top
  • With ice cream, as a night cap
  • With a nice cup of joe or tea in the morning
Mocha Coffee Cake | This delicious mocha coffee cake gets a healthy makeover, is made paleo, low carb, and gluten-free, yet still easy to make. Soft and fluffy mocha coffee cake sprinkled with sweet espresso cinnamon crumble toppings that melts in your mouth. This mocha coffee cake makes the perfectly healthy and delicious treat for the whole family to enjoy. | #glutenfreedessert #coffeecake #healthycoffeecake #paleodessert #healthybreakfast

Get the recipe:Mocha Coffee Cake {with Almond Flour}

This soft and moist Mocha Coffee Cake with crumble topping is packed with espresso and chocolate spices. It's Paleo, naturally sweetened & gluten-free.
5 stars (3 reviews)

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup almond flour, packed
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp ground coffee or espresso powder

Coffee Cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups almond flour, packed
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil , melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp espresso powder
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch salt

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp mocha

Instructions 

Crumble Topping

  • In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and cinnamon for the crumble topping.
  • Store the crumble mixture in the fridge while you’re preparing the coffee cake batter.

Coffee Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F and line or grease an 8×8 baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until there are no clumps.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and apple cider vinegar.
  • Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients together with a spatula.
  • Pour the cake batter into an 8×8 parchment-paper-lined baking dish then layer cinnamon sugar crumbles on top (Use your hands to combine smaller crumbles together to create larger pieces).
  • Bake for 23 – 27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the coffee cake to cool on a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy it!
Serving: 1g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

A slice of mocha coffee cake is on a small plate with mocha glaze