Vegan Hojicha Latte Cake (Print)

Fragrant roasted tea cake with creamy coconut frosting, gluten-free and naturally sweetened.

# Components:

→ Hojicha Sponge

01 - 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
02 - ½ cup almond flour
03 - 2 tablespoons hojicha powder
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
05 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
06 - ¼ teaspoon salt
07 - ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - ½ cup maple syrup
10 - ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Coconut Frosting

12 - 1 can (13.5 fluid ounces) full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
13 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

15 - 1 teaspoon hojicha powder for dusting
16 - Toasted coconut flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes to curdle.
03 - Whisk together gluten-free flour, almond flour, hojicha powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
04 - Mix the vegan buttermilk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in another bowl.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top evenly.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Scoop the solid part of the chilled coconut milk into a bowl. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, then beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.
10 - Spread the coconut frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake top.
11 - Dust with hojicha powder and garnish with toasted coconut flakes if desired.
12 - Slice and serve immediately or store for later consumption.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party, but the ingredient list reads like something a friend who actually cares about your health would make.
  • The hojicha gives you this subtle, toasted flavor that nobody expects in a cake—it's the kind of detail that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • Everything here is naturally sweet without refined sugar, so you're not fighting that guilty feeling after a slice.
02 -
  • Coconut milk texture matters enormously—if your can only contains liquid, refrigerate it anyway and come back in the morning; the fat will separate given time.
  • Overmixing the batter is the silent killer of tender cakes, even more so with gluten-free flour because there's nothing to stop the structure from becoming tough.
  • Hojicha is roasted, so it's darker and earthier than regular matcha—don't use them interchangeably or you'll wonder why the cake tastes bitter and thin.
03 -
  • Use refined coconut oil if you want the hojicha to be the only tea flavor, or unrefined if you want a subtle tropical whisper running underneath.
  • Make sure your coconut milk can has actually been refrigerated overnight—this is not a shortcut situation where room temperature separation will work.
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