Just when you think your bloggin’ days are over… you make a cake that is so mind blowing you just HAVE to share!
It’s like I’m over here with the secret formula for a fast, 10-pound weight loss, but I’m withholding it from friends because I want to be the skinniest one in the group! (Not saying I’m above that, it’s just we’re talking about food here and it feels like sharing this recipe is caring…)
I can’t be the only one in on this cake-party, so I’m going to do the right thing and disclose the deets!
Are you ready for it?
This fudge-filled dessert is dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and just damn delicious.
I used a formula I found for a Paleo cake, but made some significant swaps.
The initial recipe called for COCONUT FLOUR (which to me is gritty and heavy in coconut flavor), COCONUT MILK (I subbed my own homemade vanilla almond milk which is lighter in flavor) and 6 EGGS which I swapped out for flax eggs. I also added vanilla, but kept most of the measurements the same.
Now… this was the first time I had ever used more than TWO flax eggs in a recipe and I was neeeeeervous. (Ground flaxseed or flaxmeal as it’s called, is high in FIBER and omega 3’s, great way to up the nutrient level.)
I thought for sure this was going to come out overly fiber-rich, tasting like a baked bran flake… you know… something the elderly in an old folks home might enjoy consuming to keep things on the reg- .
Much to my surprise though, there was no hint of fiber (in any way 😉 ) just chocolaty, rich goodness that my family could not get enough of!
It’s also as moist as any conventional cake, which also really surprised me.
Vegan baking can be tricky and often on the dry side, but this was quite the opposite.
It was so good my daughter actually asked me to make this for her birthday cake this year.(I’ve in fact made it for two family birthday parties this past month.)
You can make it a few ways: a simple, single layer 9” cake, round or square, shown above with vegan Fancy Sprinkles, OR a three layer, 6” inch round cake shown below (a “smash” cake size).
You can frost the sides, or leave it exposed like the pic above and add some sprinkles or fruit.
There’s so many ways to fun-this-up, it’s worth experimenting with.
The frosting is a simple two ingredient concoction: chocolate chips (I used dairy free chips) and full fat coconut milk.
Just warm the milk on the stove, throw in the chips and let them melt, stir it well then pop it in the fridge for an hour or so to firm up.
It’s shocking, but this shiz actually looks and tastes like real frosting.
The first batch I made, never even made it onto a cake, because my daughter and I sampled it so hard, we ended up eating it all.
You’d expect some coconut flavor, but nope, not really. It’s as good as the real thing, but with no chemicals or junkie ingredients packed inside.
The frosting layers almost remind me of mousse or something.
When it’s butted up against the moist cake it’s true dessert perfection.
Ok, enough of me trying to convince you how amazing this is.
Lemme just pass on the recipe now and you can try it for yourself!
ENJOY!
Dairy Free Chocolate Cake:
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mills Gluten Free Flour
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 6 flax eggs (1 egg = 1 tablespoon flaxmeal + 3 tbsp HOT water) so, 6 tbsp flaxmeal + 18 tbsp hot water
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon non alcohol vanilla
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Two Ingredient Frosting:
- 1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 3/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips
***If making a three layer cake double this recipe!
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease pan(s) well with coconut oil spray, set aside.
3. Make flax eggs. Warm water on the stove, bring to HOT temp (doesn’t have to be boiling). In a small mixing bowl add 6 tablespoons flaxmeal (ground flaxseed), then add in 18 tablespoons hot water (it’s a little over 1 cup). Stir. Set aside for 5 minutes to firm up.
4. Make frosting. Place coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove until warm. Take off the stove, add chocolate chips. Let chips soak until melted then stir, place in sealed container and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. ****** For a 9″ round cake or square cake, you only need one batch of frosting, for a 6″ three layered cake, double frosting recipe.
5. In a large mixing bowl add coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, room temperature almond milk and flax eggs. Stir until creamy.
6. Next, stir in your gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cacao powder. Stir until well combined.
7. Pour batter into pan(s), smooth out with a spatula.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes. (Do not overcook! I’ve baked this multiple times and 22 minutes seems perfect for 9″ round. Closer to 24-25 minutes for the three layer cake.)
9. Once cake has cooked and cooled, frost with icing, decorate with sprinkles or fruit and serve.
NOTES:
*Store cake in fridge, it will last 4 days at least.
*If you have left over coconut milk, you can store it in the fridge in a sealed container and make another batch of frosting a few days later. The frosting might not be as thick as the first batch though.
*This is the ground flaxseed (flaxmeal) that I use. You can get it on Vitacost.com or Amazon. I do not recommend Bob Red Mills Flaxmeal. It is very nutty tasting, not good in this recipe.
