This gluten free coffee and walnut cake has a *super* moist sponge thanks to the addition of buttermilk. A light and fluffy coffee cake with crunchy walnut pieces and a rich, sweet coffee buttercream frosting.
Preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm round baking tins and set aside while you make the cake batter.
Add the sugar, butter, eggs, coffee and buttermilk to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 1-2 minutes. Don't worry if it separates a little - it'll come together in the next step!
Sift in the flour and xanthan gum and beat again until smooth. Add the chopped walnuts and fold in. Pour the cake batter evenly between the two tins, smooth the tops and bake in the oven for approx 25-30 minutes. They're ready when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Place the cake tins on a cooling rack for approx 10 mins, then turn out the cakes and remove the paper. Let the cakes cool completely on the rack before decorating.
To decorate:
Beat the butter, icing sugar and coffee in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Slather half on top of one of the cakes, then sandwich the second cake gently on top.
Spread the rest of the buttercream evenly over the second cake and then decorate with the walnut halves.
Notes
Weighing Scales vs Cups: You can toggle this recipe card to convert the ingredients into cups – I have weighed each item individually to ensure the conversion is accurate as possible. However, I always recommend using weighing scales – these are cheap to buy and much more accurate. And in gluten free baking, a tiny variation can make a huge difference!
Dairy Free? See my FAQs above for instructions on how to make a gluten free dairy free coffee and walnut cake.
Storing: Check out the blog post above for more information on storing and freezing this cake.
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