I’m just going to come right out and tell you that this cake is sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, paleo and vegan. I know, I know, you’re thinking, ‘how can it possibly taste good?!’ But trust me, this cake is absolutely delicious and tastes completely decadent.
Rafaan and I don’t give Asher any sugar but I always thought he’d have his first sugary treat on his birthday, however Raf thought it wasn’t necessary and that Asher wouldn’t even miss it and I must say I had to agree. I still wanted him to have a birthday cake though, so I set out trying to find a recipe that was sugar free AND vegan. Well, I came across this sugar free cake recipe and this icing recipe (both of which are by Lea at Paleo Spirit) which I then tweaked a bit to make vegan and to suit my palate. It wasn’t my intention to have the cake be gluten free, soy free or paleo, but I really like that it is, because I’m happy knowing that pretty much anyone and everyone can eat this cake, no matter their dietary restrictions.
I was so proud of this cake and I was so excited to watch Asher gobble it up and get his face covered in chocolate, but alas the poor guy wasn’t feeling up to it. I stupidly scheduled his 12 month check up on his actual birthday and he had two vaccines and a hemoglobin test, which required a finger prick, so he wasn’t feeling well and only took a few bites (he did gobble it up the next day though). Raf and I, loved it! Raf, being the sweetie that he is, even raved that I should open up a bakery. The cake had a dense, rich, slightly fudge like consistency and had just the right amount of sweetness. The coolest part though, was the icing. I mean, come on, chocolate icing made out of avocado sounds too good to be true, but it was incredible! It was rich and creamy and oh so delicious. Every once in a while I could taste a hint of avocado (although Raf couldn’t), which may have been due to the fact that I knew it was there or perhaps I didn’t mix it enough, but otherwise it tasted exactly like rich chocolate icing. I used 1/2 a cup of maple syrup, but next time I think I’ll try using less. I suggest not telling people what the icing is made out of and then shocking them once they try it. They will not believe the truth because it’s that good!
I just love how guilt free and healthy this cake is!
Enjoy!
Chocolate Cake Ingredients:
- 10 medjool dates, pitted & chopped
- 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
- 1 1/2 bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
- Cardamom to taste (optional) – in my experience, less is more when it comes to cardamom, I used about 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
- Put the dates, apple sauce and bananas in a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Move the banana, applesauce and date mixture to a large mixing bowl , add the vanilla extract, coconut oil and coffee and mix with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed, until smooth.
- Grease a 9 inch round cake pan with coconut oil and cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and smooth it out.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester (or fork) comes out clean when stuck into the middle.
- Allow the cake to cool before turning over onto a flat surface.
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Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 perfectly ripe avocado, chopped (I used organic)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup maple syrup, depending on how sweet you want it
- Vanilla extract to taste
Instructions:
Place all three ingredients in a food processor and mix together, stopping to scrape down the sides whenever necessary. Spread immediately or refrigerate for later use (I spread it immediately).
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Decorative Cashew Cardamom Icing Ingredients: – skip this is you’re worried about someone having a nut allergy
- Raw cashews
- Water
- Cardamom
Instructions:
Place cashews (I used about 3/4 cup and had plenty left over) in a food processor and process into a fine powder, with the processor still running slowly add water until you get a smooth creamy consistency (you don’t want it to be too runny). Finally add the cardamom sparingly and mix until evenly distributed throughout. Place your icing in a piping bag (or you could use a zip lock bag with a tiny hole cut into a corner like I did) and decorate your cake as desired.
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