Gluten Free, Vegan Chocolate Cake (Dramatic Date Nite Cake)

Dramatic Date Nite Chocolate Cake

It seems to me that whenever I do these things on a whim, they turn out phenomenally.  Tonight, case in point.  I feel like I’m learning so much more about gluten free/egg free/dairy free/refined sugar free baking, that I’m starting to be able to invent a little more on the fly.

I am flabbergasted. This cake took only 20-25  min to bake and 15 min to assemble. That was crazy fast!

Its taken me soo long to post this sucker because I wanted 3 perfect versions of it-  I’ve compromised and settled for 2 perfect versions.  So this is version #1. Its not super sweet, but it is decandent. The texture is thick and holds together, and the cake has a deep, complex chocolatey flavour.  The crumb is surprisingly fluffy. You are gonna flip.  FUUULLLIIIP. flip. flipazoid.

still flipping.

:)

Note:

 This cake is super dark, like an 80% cocoa bar. Its perfect with a bit of icing because it isn’t very sweet.  It is dense, and has no super strong binding agent. It results in a slightly fudgy texture, delicious.  The next cake I am posting, Version #2,  is sturdy enough for layering and decorating. So, hold tight there’s a Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate  Birthday Cake version of this beauty!

Now, nut- free chocolate cake version#3  is still in the works. Its based from cornmeal and olive oil  instead of almond meal and coconut oil… and I  am STILL fighting with it… maybe I’ll post it a bit later :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dark, Dramatic Date Nite Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Dry

• 2/3 cup ground almond flour
• 1/3 cup arrowroot starch
• 4 tbsp ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (use only the very dark powder. Regualr stuff like Fry’s won’t be chocolatey enough)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder  
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp instant dehydrated coffee granules

Wet

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon or lime juice)
• 1 cup water
• seeds of 1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter, or shortening)
• 1/4 cup honey (or agave  nectar)- if you want it sweeter, add date sugar, or maple sugar, or 1/2 a banana

 

Directions

1. Sift together the dry ingredients.  Do this to make sure everything incorporates without lumps. You may need to re-grind a few leftover pieces of almond or flax.
2. Put the water, vanilla bean seeds, coconut oil and honey in a separate bowl, and heat in microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds for everything to melt and incorporate.  If its warm, thats great- it will start the chemical reaction with the dry ingredients as soon as they mix, instead of waiting to heat in the oven. This makes a fluffier cake. Stir around the heated wet ingredients, and add the vinegar.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix, you don’t wanna lose the baking soda reaction.  Just mix gently enough so there are no lumps.
4. Pour into a parchment paper lined 8″ round cake pan.
5. Put in a hot oven (so important for the oven to already be hot.  Helps cake rise.) Bake at 350 for 20 min. Check at the 15 minute mark to see if the cake is solid enough, or if it needs additional time.  When done, take out of pan immediately, remove parchment paper, and let cool for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some great ideas for decorating this fabulous cake:

(all the recipes below will be posted this week, so hold tight!)

 
• Spread on a layer of Dairy Free Amaretto Ice Cream
• Spread on a layer of Honey Blackberry Raspberry Preserve
• ‘Ice’ it with Honey Cashew Creme
• Serve with Raspberry Blackberry Dairy Free Ice Cream

 

This recipe is similar to:

• Wedding Bliss Brownies
• Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Happy Birthday Cake
• Chocolate Free Dairy Free Brigadeiros
• Raspberry Chocolate Mocha Ice Cream

This recipe would go well with:

• Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
• Dairy Free Amaretto Ice Cream
• Vegan Rhubarb-Ginger Sauce