Dark Chocolate Paleo Cake

By Michelle Anderson

Cake Decorating Expert

This is a dense intensely chocolate cake that is frosted in a gorgeous shiny icing with an unusual ingredient. You can easily double the recipe for bigger cakes but you must supervise the cooking time to make sure the cakes are done with the larger volume. If you have never used coconut flour before you might think the liquids in this recipe are too much but they are not. Coconut flour absorbs a great deal of liquid so using less wet ingredients creates a very dry end product. The avocados in the icing replace the traditional butter with great success. You must make sure that the fruit is very ripe or the icing will not be the right consistency and will be very difficult to beat. If you want a more textured icing you can also add mini dark chocolate chips. Try to find a reputable organic chocolate supplier and only use chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa to conform to Paleo recommendations.

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 8 tablespoons high quality cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted plus a little more to grease the pans
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brewed black coffee
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• For creamy chocolate frosting:
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
• 1 cup good quality cocoa powder
• 1 cup maple syrup

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Other Time: 55 minutes

• Total Time: 110 minutes
• Yield: a small four layer cake

 

Preparation

For chocolate cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 6-inch cake pans with coconut oil. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
3. In a large bowl beat the eggs with hand beaters until foamy.
4. Add the butter, maple syrup, coffee and vanilla extract until very well combined.

1. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat on low speed to incorporate, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
2. Increase the speed to high and beat a couple minutes until the cake batter is lighter and fluffy.
3. Set the cake batter aside for about 10 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquid.
4. Spoon batter evenly into the two pans and smooth the tops.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool the cakes in the pans for about 15 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. It will be thick. (Spread it out evenly in the pan)
7. Bake for 25 minutes (for 5 inch pans) or 30 minutes (for 9 inch pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Frost with chocolate icing when completely cool.

For creamy chocolate icing:

1. Place the mashed avocados, cocoa and maple syrup in a large bowl and beat with hand beaters until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

1. If the icing isn't thick enough you can place it in the fridge until it is the right consistency. If the icing is too thick to spread easily you can add a little water.

For assembly:

1. When the cake is completely cool slice each layer through the middle to create four even layers.
2. Place the first layer on a serving plate and spoon the icing in the middle. Spread the icing to the edges and top with the second layer of cake.
3. Repeat this process until all four layers are filled and stacked. Frost the outside and top of the cake and decorate.

source: about.com