By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023
This delicious, gluten-free, dairy-free Caramel Macchiato Cake is bursting with caramel and coffee flavors and is topped with a dense, creamy vanilla bean frosting.
And wouldn't this gluten-free caramel cake be amazing with an iced coffee? It's like coffee on coffee and coffee lovers will appreciate that. I show you how to make iced coffee four ways, for anyone who's interested.
If you'd like to skip the coffee you can leave the coffee out (use water) or you can head over and check out my gluten-free chocolate cake. It's one of my favorite gluten-free cake recipes.
Note: This Gluten-Free Caramel Macchiato Cake post was originally posted February 4th, 2017. I updated the content and republished.
Gluten-Free Caramel Macchiato Cake
I have been planning on making this Caramel Macchiato Cake for at least a month. Something about vanilla, caramel, and coffee had me excited (well, who wouldn't be). A little secret that I don't share with a lot of people, although I love chocolate, vanilla cake is actually my favorite type of cake.
I love a good gluten-free vanilla cake topped with a rich buttery vanilla bean frosting. I have the perfect recipe for gluten-free vanilla cake, that I'll share with you soon, but fist let's dive into this Caramel Macchiato Cake.
What is a macchiato?
A macchiato falls somewhere between an espresso and a cappuccino. It's a shot espresso with a splash of milk or cream. It's not straight espresso shot and it's stronger than your regular cappuccino.
What is a caramel macchiato?
A caramel macchiato is a shot espresso with a splash of milk or cream and vanilla flavored syrup. Most coffee shops top caramel macchiatos with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
It may look complicated. It's not. I have some tricks that I'll share with you. The gluten-free cake is super easy to whip up and get into the oven. While you're cake is baking, you can make the caramel, and vanilla frosting.
That way when you're Caramel Macchiato Cake finishes baking and cooling, you'll be ready to assemble.
Is Caramel Gluten Free?
Yes, caramel is naturally gluten-free. Most caramel recipes only call for butter, sugars, vanilla and salt.
Frosting a Cake
I don't like frosting cakes because I tend to want it to look perfect. It drives me crazy when little crumbs are visible. I came up with a short cut to help me frost the cake quickly, and efficiently: I use a piping bag and piping tips.
I use a round tip for the top and a decorated tip (like a star) for the sides. Once I get the frosting piped onto the top, I use a butter knife to smooth it. I do the same with the sides of the cake, but I don't always smooth it. I like the look of frosting piped in a star up the side.
I always make the frosting from scratch, but sometimes I cheat and buy caramel if I'm not in the mood to make it. Don't judge me. I like shortcuts, even if it means buying something to make assembly easier.
I did make the caramel on this cake from scratch (I linked to the recipe I used below), so you guys could see the whole thing. And while I'm not a master cake decorator (and I have no desire to become one) I think it looks wonderful.
What causes a gluten-free cake to crack on top?
If your temperature is too high, or your cake is placed in the oven too high your cake may bake up into a high, cracked dome. The heat of baking activates the baking powder and causes it to release carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles and raises the cake. If your oven is too hot, that process is sped up. Make sure to place your cake in the center, and regularly check your oven’s temperature.
This gluten-free cake is super dreamy. It's rich, dense, but no too dense, and is filled with all the flavors of a Caramel Macchiato. I loved this cake so much, that after two pieces I knew I needed to share so that I didn't eat it all myself.
After I spread the love and shared, I regretted not saving just one more piece for myself. But it's OK. I can make this again and I will.
Gluten-free cake recipes:
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Grain-Free Hummingbird Cake
- Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Ganache Cake
If you are looking for cupcake recipes, just search cupcakes in the search bar on the right.
How to make gluten-free caramel cake
There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cake. First, you have to follow the recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.
Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs you’ll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cake rise. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.
Just a heads up, you'll see that I used a bunch of my favorite products to make this cake, and my favorite dairy-free caramel at Go Dairy Free. This post is not sponsored by any of them, but I wanted you to know exactly what I used to make this gluten-free cake. I hope you enjoy it as gluten-free caramel cake much as we do.
Did you make this gluten-free caramel cake? I want to know! Please leave a starred review and a comment below letting me know what you thought.
Caramel Macchiato Cake
The delicious, gluten-free, dairy-free Caramel Macchiato Cake is bursting with caramel and coffee flavors and is topped with a dense, creamy vanilla bean frosting.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup dairy-free butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Bobs Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup dairy-free milk (or milk of choice)
- ½ cup strong espresso
For the frosting:
- 1 cup dairy-free butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or gluten-free vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup dairy-free milk (or milk of choice)
For the caramel sauce:
- Vegan Caramel Sauce, or your favorite store bought one
Instructions
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt, and slightly brown the dairy-free butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla past; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, milk, espresso, and melted butter; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the center springs back when touched and cakes are very lightly browned.
- Let cakes cool in the pan on rack for five minutes. Remove cakes from pan onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together butter and vanilla paste until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of dairy-free milk until all ingredients are blended.
- Beat in additional dairy-free milk if needed to obtain desired constancy.
- Assembly: Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread ½ cup (or as much as you like) of cooled caramel sauce over the top. Center the second cake on top. Frost.Drizzle with additional caramel sauce if desired.
- Store cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. They never cost you extra.
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KitchenAid KHM7210ER 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk - Empire Red -
Cuisinart AMB-9RCK 9-Inch Chef's Classic Nonstick Bakeware Round Cake Pan, Silver
-
M KITCHEN WORLD Heat Resistant Silicone Spatulas Set | Rubber Spatula Kitchen Utensils Non-Stick for Cooking, Baking and Mixing | Ergonomic, Dishwasher Safe Bakeware Set of 4, Orange
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 slice of cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 500Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 375mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 0gSugar: 61gProtein: 3g
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
How pretty! Caramel is always delicious!
chrystal
Thank you. I've never had it on cake until now. Loved it!
Becky
I would love to make this recipe but - expresso? I don't have an expresso machine. Can you buy it in grocery stores? Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Becky,
Yes, you can buy it from a coffee shop (ask for strong coffee though) or use cold brew from a store.
Best,
Chrystal
Bridget
What milk did you use in the caramel sauce? Almond?
chrystal
I don't have a recipe for caramel sauce. You can use store bought or your favorite caramel sauce recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
chrystal
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy it.
Kelly @ TastingPage
I love how something this delicious can be both gluten free and dairy free. Hooray!
Diane
Since I'm not dairy-free, would this cake work with real butter?
chrystal
Hello Diane,
Yes, I first tested it with regular butter. It's wonderful! Enjoy!
Best,
Chrystal
Denis
Wow!! I'm trying this too!!! Love caramel.
Loraine Green
I'm so excited to try this recipe! I'm amazed by your talent Chrystal!
chrystal
Awe. Thank you for the compliment 🙂
Megan
LOVE that this is dairy-free and love that piping. What a fancy cake!
chrystal
Thank you Megan 🙂
Kortney // Allergy Girl Eats
This cake looks amazing! I love how the caramel sauce seeps into the cake - yum!
Alisa Fleming
What a dream cake Chrystal! I really should bake this for my husband for Valentine's Day. He's a big cake fan. Glad the caramel sauce from my site works well for this one - thanks for linking!
chrystal
No problem at all! Hope you enjoy it!
Amanda
This looks amazing...I don't think I would want to share...I could definitely see myself eating the whole thing in one sitting!
Reem
This looks amazing!! I'm wondering if I could use liquid vanilla instead of the paste? I don't have any on hand
chrystal
Hi Reem,
Yes, you can use the same amount of vanilla extract.
Best,
Chrystal
April
What egg replacement is best for egg free ppl in these cupcakes ?
chrystal
Hi April, I haven't tried an egg replacer in this recipe but some people have had luck with chia egg and Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. I hope that helps.
Best,
Chrystal
Bindi
Hi Chrystal, did you make two layer of cake? From the picture, it looks like you have two layers and caramel between them. Thanks
chrystal
Hi Bindi,
Yes, it's a two layer cake with caramel in the middle.
Best,
Chrystal
Wun Ling Tsang
Which dairy free milk did you use for this cake? Thanks!
chrystal
I use almond milk.
Best,
Chrystal
KJ
Could I use baking cocoa to make it chocolate flavored? Anything else I would have to adjust?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi KJ,
I have not tried it, but give it a try and let us know.
Wun Ling Tsang
Which dairy free milk did you use for the cake? Many thanks
chrystal
We used almond milk.
Best,
Chrystal
DEBBIE
I may have missed it in the instructions - from the picture it looks like you also spread caramel sauce on the top layer, yes? If so, can you tell me about how much? Thank you.
chrystal
Hi Debbie,
You can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup caramel sauce to the center layer or to the top. More or less if you like.
Best,
Chrystal
Krystal
Have you ever tried this cake using your GF flour blend? I tens to not like the after taste of bobs so just thought I’d ask if it would work with your blend which I use most often!
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Krystal,
Yes, you can.