Mocha Coffee Cake {with almond flour}

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?

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?

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

Just like the ingredient list suggests, this mocha coffee cake is made in three different steps. 

First, 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 cake batter

Next, in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until there are no clumps.

In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and apple cider vinegar

Then, gently combine the wet and dry ingredients using a spatula.

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

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

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

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

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