{Gluten and Dairy Free} Mocha Cake with Vegan Butter Cream Frosting

I found this recipe in my facebook feed from Go Dairy Free. This is what I want for my birthday. Too bad my birthday is in the summer time. I may have to test it out beforehand just to make sure it's good. ;0)  Sarah Bakes Gluten Free has a flour blend that she suggests when she makes it. Her site looks like a gluten free paradise. Go check it out!

photo from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free

Gluten-Free Mocha Cake with Vegan Coffee Buttercream

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour

This decadent vegan and gluten-free mocha cake was created by Sarah of Sarah Bakes Gluten Free and shared with us by So Delicious Dairy Free as a recipe contest runner-up!

Author: Sarah Bakes Gluten Free

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake:

• 2-1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (see Sarah's homemade blend)
• 2 cups organic cane sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage (such as So Delicious Dairy Free)
• 1 cup warm water
• ⅔ cup mild flavor oil (such as sunflower seed, grapeseed, or canola)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vegan Coffee Buttercream

• ½ cup dairy-free margarine (such as Earth Balance Soy-Free), softened
• ¼ cup organic non-hydrogenated shortening
• 3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 2-3 tablespoons dairy-free coffee creamer (such as So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Creamer)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vegan Chocolate Ganache:

• 2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
• ½ cup dairy-free coffee creamer (such as So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Creamer)
• Candy pearls, optional

Instructions

For the Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Line the bottom of 2 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray each with cooking spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour blend, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the coconut milk beverage, warm water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture and beat for 1 minute.
5. Evenly divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Vegan Coffee Buttercream:

1. Place the margarine and shortening in a mixing bowl, and beat for 1 minute.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in the tablespoon of warm water.
3. Add the coffee, powdered sugar, coffee creamer and vanilla to your mixing bowl, and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add another tablespoon or 2 of the coffee creamer, if needed, to make the buttercream until light and fluffy.
4. To frost, place one layer of the cooled cake on serving platter or cake stand. Top with half of the buttercream and smooth out to the edges. Place remaining buttercream in piping bag with star tip. Top with the other cake layer and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While it's chilling, make the ganache.

For the Vegan Chocolate Ganache:

1. Mix the chocolate chips and coffee creamer in a small microwave-safe bowl, and heat for 30 seconds. Stir, and heat again in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate has just melted. Whisk until smooth.
2. Pour ganache over the top of the chilled cake. With an offset spatula, immediately spread the ganache evenly on the top, then the sides of cake (ganache sets fairly quickly). Place cake back in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes.
3. Take the piping bag with remaining buttercream and pipe rosettes on the top of the cake, starting with the outer edge. If desired, sprinkle with candy pearls.