The Birthday Classic

To answer another often and recently asked question...

"Do you have a recipe for a gluten-free sugar free Chocolate Cake that actually tastes like the real thing?"

Boy, ever, do I, absolutely, make -it- everyday- kind of cake.

It comes from my good friend Shannon Mahoney who has an AMAZING gluten free cookbook called The Nurture Diet: a guide to family dining. It is one of the best ones I know. AND it is in constant use in our house. You should immediately get a copy for yourself. You will be so happy you did.

You can find it here.

But for starts, here is the birthday cake classic in our family:

Chocolate Cake (or cupcakes)

2 cups Brown Rice/Garbanzo Bean Flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons xantham gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups maple syrup (the real kind)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup organic canola mayonnaise (Spectrum)
1/4 cup applesauce (natural, no sugar added)
1 cup water

Begin by making the Brown Rice/Garbanzo Bean GF Mix: (Yields 9 cups)
4 cups brown rice flour
2 cups garbanzo bean flour
2 cups potato starch flour
1 cup tapioca flour

(You'll have way more of this than you need. You'll just be ready for baking the next time around.)

Preparation:

Step One - In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, xantham gum, baking powder and baking soda.

Step Two - In a large bowl, beat eggs, syrup and vanilla with electric mixer until smooth. Beat at high speed until light (approximately 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low and beat in mayonnaise and applesauce. Add dry ingredients and mix in slowly, adding 1/4 cup water at a time.

Step Three - Line muffin pan with liners and fill cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.

Option: Bake a chocolate cake instead of cupcakes. Oil and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Fill with mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.


I use a few different icing options for this cake. The first one of super simple.

Melt a little extra virgin coconut oil over low heat, add some cocoa powder, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. I don't have measurements. Just whatever combination tastes great. Pour this over the top of the cake. It will be liquid-y, not spreadable. It usually drips down the sides and covers the whole cake like lightning.

For a bakery kind of cake with traditional icing, try this recipe...substituting the cacao butter with coconut oil and adding more if needed to achieve the consistency desired. More agave can also be added to taste.