An autocatalytic gold bath capable of depositing gold from solution onto a substrate, wherein the substrate has one or more metal layers thereon. The autocatalytic gold bath includes (a) a chelator; (b) a gold salt; and (c) a reducing agent, wherein the reducing agent comprises an organic molecule having more than one carbon atom on the organic molecule. A process of plating gold onto the surface of the one or more metal layers on the substrate is also included. The gold plating bath can be used to deposit a final finish to the surface of the one or more metal layers which can be formed in an ENIG, ENEPIG, EPAG, direct gold over copper or gold over silver process.