Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Chocolate Espresso Cake is so wonderful, your guests will beg for more!  While transforming this traditional Neapolitan recipe I chose to rely on eggs as the leavener to boost the gluten free flour.  The eggs provide protein, moisture and structure to baked goods.  Gluten Free flours are create weak bonds and require additional binding of Guar Gum; rise from gluten free Baking Powder; and alot of eggs to contribute rise, structure and moisture. I added a touch of baking soda to reduce the cocoa’s alkalinity during baking.  As with all gluten rich to gluten free baked good recipe transformations,  leaven must have close attention and work best in combination.   

     I would like to include a quick note concerning potato starch and potato flour.  They can not be substituted for one another in baking.  Potato Starch is a binder and provides bulk to baked goods.  Potato flour is a flour which provides bulk and helps recipes retain moisture, functioning as if contributing moisture to a recipe.  Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Chocolate Espresso Cake is rich with flavor and is an outstanding addition for the end of a simple or elaborate meal.

¾ cup Gluten free Sorghum flour

½  cup gluten free Brown Rice Flour

2  tablespoons gluten free Potato Starch

2  tablespoons gluten free Potato Flour

3  tablespoons Instant Espresso*

½  cup gluten free Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

2  teaspoon Baking Powder

1  teaspoon Guar Gum

1/8   teaspoon Salt

1  cup Butter (2 sticks) room temp

½  cup Sugar

4  whole Eggs

¾   cup Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan or 10″ bundt pan, set aside.  Combine dry ingredients (sorghum, brown rice flour, potato starch, potato flour cocoa, leaveners, espresso, salt) and whisk in bowl – set aside.

In bowl of mixer – cream together butter and sugar.  Then beat in one whole egg at a time. Mix and scrape down sides in between egg additions.

Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients in the bowl in the following way: alternate dry and milk additions in two parts each.  Be sure to aerate and scrape down batter from sides of bowl in between alternating additions.

Place batter in previously prepared pan.  Bake in center of over 25-27 minutes. Insert knife or baking pick, cake is done when inserted comes out moist but clean. Completely cool.  Serve with a sprinkling of fresh powdered sugar. Wrap air tight and store in fridge after initial serving.

Cook’s Note concerning Espresso in Baking:  Espresso provides boldness of flavor to chocolate in baked goods. Generally, Americans refer to this flavor as Mocha.  You can see the original recipe calls for instant espresso.  For those who keep espresso in the kitchen there is no need to purchase instant.  Place 2.5 tablespoons of espresso in a spice mill and grind until the espresso is powder.  Generally the 2.5 T will yield 3 T. The finished product functions as a perfect substitute for instant espresso.

Optional Topping:  Southern Italian baked goods are made with considerably less sugar than American baked goods.  In my desire to stay close to the original recipe, I chose to not increase the sugar.  To supplement the American palate, I sometimes serve this cake with a quick chocolate ganache like icing.  I usually have gluten free chocolate chips in the cupboard. I place a pat of butter in the top of a pre-warmed double boiler. Add some chips, allow to melt.  Once melted, I add a bit of cream to the mixture and whisk well till combined.  I then drizzle the chocolate icing across the top of the cake.  Allow to cool completely.  Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar and serve.

“Chocolate Espresso Cake” by Liz Conforti, Forget  What You Know About Wheat(c) 2013

Want more information about demystifying Gluten Free Baking?

“What is Gluten” 

“Some Basics in Learning to Bake Gluten Free” 

Additional Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Dessert Recipes

Cannoli Cheesecake

Sardinian Honey Cookies

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