Trialled already by hundreds (maybe even thousands!) across the globe, this will likely become a staple for you, too! Being gluten free and the option to be dairy free, it is the perfect birthday cake to suit 'most' intolerances, but still leave everyone including the children... ridiculously happy.
You have the option of a dairy free avocado chocolate icing, or a real deal buttercream icing. Both beautiful.
If you cannot tolerate sugar for any reason, you can easily swap the sweetener for stevia if you prefer.
Please note: The below recipe makes one cake, if you would like the two layered cake, you will need to double the cake ingredients and bake in two separate cake tins. The chocolate icing makes the perfect amount for the 2 layered cake. If you are making one layer, it is good to make the same amount as listed here, and just have extra to store in your fridge or drizzle over as you are serving each individual piece.
The Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond meal (preferably activated)
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 4 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup coconut oil OR 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup cacao butter
- 1 cup coconut cream
- ¾ cup maple syrup or use stevia to taste for sugar free
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.
- Combine all ingredients in your blender and mix well until fully combined, and as smooth as you can make it.
- Scoop into a lined cake tin, and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer or knife comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on your bench top.
Incredibly Decadent Chocolate Icing (DAIRY FREE)
NOTE: You will have a generous amount of the below, so store the remaining in your fridge if you do not use it all and drizzle more over as serving, or halve the recipe for less. It is the perfect amount for the 2 layered cake as pictured.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup thick coconut cream (I use the Ayam brand)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cacao butter
- 4 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 110g avocado flesh (1 medium avocado)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- Roughly 1/4 cup maple syrup, or use stevia to taste - please add sweetness to taste as you and/or your audience may require more as all tastebuds with chocolate vary!
Method:
- Melt down the coconut oil and cacao butter, and then blend all ingredients together until well combined.
- Taste the mixture to ensure there is enough sweetness for you and your audience, and adjust if required.
- Allow to cool just slightly before drizzling it over the cake. This will allow it to not thicken slightly and to ensure it does not drizzle all the way off.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake once the cake has slightly cooled, and if you are doing another cake layer, simply place the other layer on top, and then drizzle again over the top layer. Set in the fridge for the effect as shown in the photo.
- Enjoy every, delicious and incredibly decadent mouthful!
Or… Buttercream Icing
Ingredients:
- 350g unsalted butter, softened slightly and chopped into cubes
- 1/2-3/4 cup granulated sweetener of choice
- 2 tsps vanilla essence
- If needed, 1-2 tbsp water if you'd like the result slightly softer as the butter hardens in the fridge.
- Optional: 2-3 tsps Mothers or Children's Blend for a pink colour, 1-2 tsps blue spirulina for blue, turmeric for yellow, or 1/4-1/2 cup cacao powder for brown/chocolate. The world’s your oyster!
Method:
- Blend down the granulated sweetener until it is as fine as you can make it.
- In whatever cooking appliance you have to whip butter, use that!
- Add into the appliance your cubed butter, sweetener, vanilla, optional water and optional colour of choice (or keep it plain!).
- It takes around 3 minutes using a medium speed whipping appliance. We opt for a Thermomix, in which we place the butterfly mixer into the bowl and whip for 3 minutes on speed 3-4 or until it is your desired consistency.
- If your cake has not cooled completely yet, place the buttercream into the fridge until the cakes have cooled and you're ready to spoon it over your cakes.
- Once your cakes have cooled, if your butter needs to soften slightly to smooth over the cakes, carefully whip one last time and then spoon it over first layer of cake.
- Top with the jam onto your first layer of buttercream, so the jam is in the middle of the two cakes.
- Finish spreading the buttercream icing over the cake. Place back in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy it!