Winter Spiced Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free)
This cake is one of my favourite recipes. It’s a big claim, but having just had a slice of it I’m confident that it’s a firm favourite in our household!
It’s a moist, fluffy chocolate sponge spiced with ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, with a nutmeg and vanilla buttercream frosting. I can’t think of a better treat alongside a cuppa while you’re snuggled up watching Christmas films.
I decorated mine with festive sprinkles and gluten free gingerbread men to make it extra festive.
I’d love to see your photos of my winter spiced chocolate cake - you can find me on Instagram @the.gfg
Dairy free?
The cake itself can be made easily dairy free by using dairy free milk. For the icing, you could use dairy free butter - I like the stork baking block - and dairy free milk.
Don’t like coffee?
Don’t worry! I promise you can’t taste the coffee at all and it really adds a delicious richness and moisture to the cake. If you really don’t want to take the risk, you could use hot water instead.
Ingredients
For the cake:
350g caster sugar
235g gluten free self raising flour (I use Freee)
70g cocoa powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
0.5tsp ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
2tsp baking powder
235ml milk (or dairy free alternative) (1 cup)
235ml weak, hot coffee (1 cup)
117ml vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
For the icing:
115g unsalted butter (softened)
250g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
2tsp milk
0.5tsp nutmeg
Optional: mini gluten free gingerbread men and sprinkles to decorate (make sure your sprinkles don’t contain wheat)
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and spices.
Whisk in the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and combine. Then gently (so you don’t get hot coffee everywhere!) whisk in the coffee.
Grease your loaf tin and pour in the runny cake mix. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into it comes out clean. Once the cake is ready, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make your icing. Beat the butter, then gradually mix in the icing sugar and the milk, alternating between the two. Stir in the vanilla extract and nutmeg. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more milk.
Once the cake is completely cooled, frost with your nutmeg and vanilla icing, decorate however you please and dig in.
