Flavoured with strong filter coffee decoction, this snack cake is soft, moist and decadent. Baking becomes even more pleasurable when the house gets enriched with the refreshing aroma of filter coffee. A perfect treat for Coffee Lovers!!
Filter Coffee Jaggery Cake is vegan and gluten-free. Best suited for those who want to Go Gluten-free and Dairy-free. Before we get into the recipe, I would like to give an insight of Vegan and Gluten-free concepts in baking (for beginners or those who are new to GF Vegan baking).
About Vegan Baking
Going Vegan is all about following a plant-based diet and omitting animal milk or fat. A pure Vegan diet consist of plant-based fats and milk-substitutes obtained from almond, cashew, peanut, coconut, soya bean, hemp, rice and more. You can also opt for non-dairy milk or fats that are readily available in the market.
About Gluten-free Baking
Gluten-free(GF) baking excludes the ingredients that contains a protein called ‘gluten’. To know all about Gluten-free concept, vital facts and how distinctive it is from traditional baking.. Please follow the link : ABCs of Gluten-free Baking..
About Gluten-free Flours
In GF baking, we use an array of GF whole grain flours and plant-based starches to provide good structure and rise to the bake. Using a combination of flours enhances the flavour, colour and texture of the finished product.
Here, for Filter Coffee Jaggery Cake I have used Brown Rice Flour, Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch and Cornflour. GF flour needs a binder to act as gluten and hold together while baking. Plant-based gluten Xantham Gum plays the role of a binder here.
Though these flours are easily available in the market, it can be replaced with any of the given ingredients. The hydration level differs from flour to flour. So, you may have to slightly increase or decrease the liquid content (almond milk) given in the recipe.
The substitution for ingredients..
For Brown Rice – Almond Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Amaranth Flour
For Sorghum Flour – Bajra Flour, Oats Flour, Chickpeas Flour
Plant-Based Starches – Arrowroot Powder, Cornflour, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch
For Xantham Gum – Guar Gum
Here’s the recipe for making Filter Coffee Jaggery Cake(Vegan, Gluten-free)..
Tin Size – 6” round or square
Baking Time & Temp – 180 C for 35 to 40 mins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- Sorghum Flour – 53 g
- Brown Rice Flour – 45 g
- Potato Starch – 21 g
- Tapioca Starch – 18 g
- Cornflour – 13 g
- Xantham Gum – ¼ tsp
- Salt – 1/8 tsp
- Baking Powder – 1 tsp
- Baking Soda – ¼ tsp
- Roasted Hazelnuts or Walnuts – 2 tbsp chopped
Wet Ingredients
- Almond Milk – 120 ml
- Vegetable Oil – 60 ml
- Flaxseed Meal – 2 tbsp
- Jaggery Powder – 100 g
- Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tsp
- Strong Filter Coffee Decoction – 60 ml
- Vanilla Essence – ½ tsp
Method
- Keep ready all the given ingredients at room temperature.
- Prepare flaxseed meal : mix 2 tbsp of grounded flaxseed with 6 tbsp of water. Keep it aside.
- Sieve together the dry ingredients namely sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, cornflour, xantham gum, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl, add almond milk, vegetable oil, flaxseed meal, jaggery powder, apple cider vinegar and blend till jaggery gets dissolved.
- Add strong filter coffee decoction and vanilla essence. Blend well.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl.
- Mix well using a spatula till wet ingredients gets incorporated with dry ingredients.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more of almond milk if required. The batter should be of dropping consistency.
- Transfer the batter to a greased or lined baking mould. Tap it twice to release air bubbles if any.
- Let the batter rest for 15 to 20 mins.
- Sprinkle the roasted, chopped hazelnuts or walnuts to garnish the top layer.
- Preheat the oven at 180C for 10 mins.
- Once the oven is ready, pop in the cake tin along with oven thermometer.
- Bake it for 35 to 40 mins.
- Remove from oven (Not necessary to have the toothpick test done. GF bakes are wet when they are hot, once cooled they get the desired texture).
- Let it cool for at least for 3 hours to get soft, fluffy texture.
- To serve hot, slightly warm it in oven or MW and relish.
Notes
- The recipe calls for a branded, already cleaned jaggery powder since we are using it as such without cleaning.
- Usual white vinegar can be used in place of Apple Cider Vinegar. But ACV enhances the flavour and taste of the bake.
Happy Baking!