This delicious coffee and walnut cake is vegan and gluten-free, though you can make it with regular flour if you prefer.
Soft and moist, it’s packed with coffee flavour, topped with coffee buttercream and chopped walnuts. Make it as two 15cm layers or a single 20cm cake.
I don’t believe special-diet baking has to mean bland or boring. This coffee and walnut cake proves you can have an indulgent, satisfying dessert that’s both vegan and gluten-free. The sponge is tender and moist with a deep coffee note, while the buttercream brings a creamy espresso hit. Walnuts add crunch and a classic flavour pairing.
This cake is perfect for celebrations, afternoon tea, or a weekend treat. It’s straightforward to make and adaptable: scale it up to make a larger two-layer 20cm cake or keep it as two 15cm layers for a smaller celebration. If you omit the espresso and walnuts, the base becomes a lovely vanilla cake instead.
What Do I Need To Make Coffee And Walnut Cake?
Instant espresso powder: Use instant espresso powder to deliver a clean, concentrated coffee flavour—it’s the best choice for this recipe.
Gluten-free flour blend: If you need the cake to be gluten-free, use a plain gluten-free flour blend rather than a single flour. If gluten is not a concern, replace the blend and ground almonds with plain (all-purpose) flour.
Ground almonds: These improve texture and moisture. If using regular flour, replace the ground almonds with the equivalent weight of plain flour.
Cornflour (cornstarch): Adds lightness to the crumb. If you don’t have it, a bit more plain flour will work but the texture may be slightly different.
Xanthan gum: Common in gluten-free baking to prevent crumbling. Omit it if you use regular flour or if your gluten-free blend already contains it.
Plant milk and yogurt: Unsweetened plant milk (soy preferred for protein) and plain vegan yogurt keep the cake moist and act as egg replacements.
Vegan butter and oil: A combination of vegan block butter for flavour and a neutral oil for moisture gives the best result. Use block butter for the buttercream to prevent splitting.
Vinegar: Reacts with bicarb to help the cake rise—apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice will work.
Sugars and raising agents: Caster sugar for the sponge and sifted icing sugar for the buttercream. Use both baking powder and bicarbonate of soda for lift—don’t substitute one for the other.
Vanilla extract and walnuts: Vanilla enhances flavour; walnuts are traditional with coffee, though pecans also work.
How To Make This Coffee And Walnut Cake
(Full measurements and a printable recipe card follow in the recipe section below.)
Start by preheating the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F / gas mark 4. Grease and line two 15cm (6 in) round tins, or one 20cm (8 in) round, 5cm deep tin.
In a large bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour blend, ground almonds, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum, instant espresso powder and a pinch of salt until well combined.
In a separate jug whisk together the melted vegan butter, neutral oil, vegan yogurt, plant milk, caster sugar, vinegar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk until you have a smooth batter. Fold through the chopped walnuts.
Divide batter between the prepared tins and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow cakes to rest in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To make the buttercream, mix the espresso powder with a teaspoon of milk to form a paste. Whisk the softened vegan block butter until fluffy then add sifted icing sugar, the coffee paste and vanilla. Start mixing slowly to moisten the sugar, then beat on high until the frosting is light and airy. Spread half the buttercream on one layer, sandwich with the second layer and decorate with extra walnuts.
Top Tips
Weigh your ingredients for accuracy, especially when using gluten-free flour blends—cup measures vary a lot between brands. Follow the recipe closely: small substitutions can change texture and rise.
The cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for around four days. Un-iced sponges freeze well for up to three months—wrap completely and defrost at room temperature before decorating.
If you want a regular-flour version, replace both the gluten-free flour and the ground almonds with the same total weight of plain flour and omit xanthan gum.
Recipe Card
Coffee And Walnut Cake (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Soft, coffee-flavoured sponge with coffee buttercream and walnuts. Two 15cm layers or one 20cm cake.
Ingredients — Cake
- 150g plain gluten-free flour blend
- 40g ground almonds
- 10g cornflour (1 packed tablespoon)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum (omit if using regular flour)
- 1½ tbsp instant espresso powder
- Pinch of salt
- 60g melted vegan butter
- 60ml neutral oil
- 60g plain vegan yogurt
- 120ml unsweetened plant milk (soy preferred)
- 140g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 65g roughly chopped walnuts (plus extra to decorate)
Ingredients — Buttercream
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp plant milk
- 100g vegan block butter, slightly softened
- 200g icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 15cm tins or one 20cm tin.
- Whisk all dry cake ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Whisk melted butter, oil, yogurt, milk, sugar, vinegar and vanilla in a jug.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients into a smooth batter. Fold in walnuts.
- Divide batter between tins and bake about 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
- For buttercream, mix espresso powder with milk to make a paste. Beat butter until fluffy, add icing sugar, coffee paste and vanilla and whisk until light.
- Assemble: spread half the buttercream on the first layer, top with the second, cover with remaining buttercream and decorate with walnuts.
Notes
- Use a scale for best results—cup measures vary with gluten-free blends.
- Double the recipe to make two 20cm layers.
- To use regular flour: replace the gluten-free flour and ground almonds with plain flour (same total weight) and omit xanthan gum.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it goes—leave a rating or comment.
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