Who doesn't love chocolate cake. This luscious, moist, perfectly sweet cake is a healthy indulgence. The secret ingredient of fresh brewed coffee gives it a rich creamy darkness. The Icing is infused with beet juice for its festive color.
Made with almond flour, that is rich in monounsaturated fat, which can help keep cholesterol under control. Also lower in carbs... Can easily be made vegan, substituting the eggs with unsweetened applesauce. Replace one egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce.
I made small cakes for valentines day, with a heart shaped cookie cutter. It was made from one 9'' cake, then cut out into small hearts. You can make petit fours with the scraps. You can also make a larger heart shaped cake. Look at cooks note for resources.
Season/ All
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes
9 " Cake Serves eight
Cake ingredients
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
2 tsp. psyllium husk, ground
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup coconut sugar, or monk fruit
1 cup GF Oat milk, or other milk
2 tsp. lemon juice, fresh
1/2 cup fruity olive oil, or other neutral oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract, or paste
2 eggs, room temp, for vegan, unsweetened applesauce, measurements above
1 cup fresh brewed dark roast coffee
1/4 cup cocoa nibs for garnish, and crunch, optional
Beet Coconut Icing
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk, very cold.
1/4 cup maple syrup, or to taste. start with less.
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 cup fresh beet juice, blend in a little at a time ,until desired color is achieved.
Separate the solid part of the coconut milk. add that to an electric mixer, with a whipping attachment, or emulsion blender with whipping attachment.
Reserve the liquid for another use. Add maple syrup, and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy. Slowly add the beet juice , until desired color is achieved.
Put whipped cream in a pastry bag with a star tip. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
If you don't have a pastry bag, use a large plastic freezer bag, and cut an opening on the corner to pipe the cream onto cake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 9" cake pan, including the sides. Line the bottom with parchment paper. I used a 9'' spring form pan, the cake releases easily. You can use a round 9'' cake pan as well.
Sift all dry ingredients together, into an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined.
Combine the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed. Slowly add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee, mix just until combined. Scrap the bottom by hand with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared cake pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
If you don't have a cake tester, cake is done when slightly firm to touch.
Cool cake on rack. Do not ice the cake, until completely cool. The icing will run. If making smaller cakes, cut them out, then ice. Sprinkle cocoa nibs on cakes, if using.
Store cakes in refrigerator if using within 2-3 days. Freeze cakes, well wrapped, up to one month.
Resources: Large Heart Shaped Cake Pans, available on Amazon
Cooks Note: Join us in Asheville, for gluten-free cooking classes. Seasonal cooking classes to be offered are Keto, Paleo, Low-Carb Pizza Making, Vegan , and gluten-free Italian, to name a few.