That Really Takes The Cake!

Everyone will always run into an occasion where they cake and a good cake is not always easy to find. This cake is already fairly allergy friendly and can be made to be even more allergy friendly and tailored to special dietary needs. When holidays, special occasions and birthdays roll around, people typically think of cake as being part of the package. I know that at least my opinion, no special occasion is complete without a special dessert to help celebrate the moment. This cake is not only very healthy for being a cake, it is also easily altered to fit any diet and be allergy free. Might I say, it is also incredibly delicious! Light, fluffy and entirely satisfying. The Chocolate Cake, combined with the two types of frosting make this cake nearly gourmet, each bite an adventure as though every bite cleanses the palate before descending into the depths of yet another flavor. Okay... on to the cake!

Chocolate Cake
3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
10 Eggs OR Egg Replacer OR Flax/Chia Egg  (See NOTES below, on how to do this.)
1 Cup Melted Butter OR Butter Substitute
1 Cup Maple Syrup OR other Equivalent Liquid Sweetener
1 Teaspoon Molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil the sides and lay parchment circles in the bottoms of two 8″ or 9" cake pans and set aside. Mix the Maple Syrup, Cocoa Powder and Molasses in a bowl, whisk until well combined. It should look a lot like Chocolate Syrup. In another  bowl mix Coconut Flour, Sea Salt and Baking Soda. In a large bowl whisk 10 eggs, then mix in the chocolate mixture and mix chocolate/egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into pans and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool and remove from pans.

Coconut Pecan Frosting
1 Cup Maple Syrup, Honey, Agave, Brown Rice Syrup or other Syrup or a combination to equal 1 Cup.
1/4 Cup Butter OR Butter Substitute if doing Dairy Free
1/4 Cup Ground Pecans
1-1/4 Cups Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut
2 Tablespoons Milk or Milk Substitute
2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder + 2 Tablespoons Milk or Milk Substitute, mixed

Mix Maple Syrup and Butter in a sauce pan over Medium to Medium-High heat, stirring constantly until melted and combined. Bring to a heavy simmer, still stirring. Stir in the Milk, Ground Pecans and Shredded Coconut and simmer 2-3 minutes. In a small dish mix the Arrowroot Powder and 2 additional Tablespoons Milk together and then add to the Coconut Pecan Frosting Mixture. Continue to cook another 1-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool, it will continue to thicken more as it stands.  Spread this frosting between the two layers of the cake and of course, on top of the cake. It is too runny to frost the sides, it slides right off but the double frosting duo on this cake is what adds the extra special kick to it.

Chocolate Side Icing

4 oz. (1/2 Cup) Pure Bakers Chocolate OR Dark Chocolate of choice.
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil (I don't know if you can substitute this, Palm Oil or other SOLID at room temperature Oil should work.)
3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup  OR  Honey, Agave or other Syrup of choice.
2 Tablespoons Honey  OR  Maple Syrup, Agave or other Syrup of choice.
1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Teaspoon Maple Sugar OR other Granulated Sweetener Equivalent.

In a sauce pan over low heat, melt the chocolate and oil, stirring constantly. Mix in the Maple Syrup, Honey, Maple Sugar and Sea Salt until thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat, place in fridge for a half hour to 45 minutes. Check often to make sure it isn't getting too thick. Remove it from the fridge and with a hand mixer blend on high until light and fluffy. If it is too solid, set sauce pan over bowl of warm water and mix with hand mixer or let stand at room temperature until softened enough. If it is not solid enough it will not whip very well so you'll need to put it back in the fridge for  bit and check it again every few minutes or so. When it is the right consistency, it will beat well with a hand mixer and resemble whipped frosting. Frost the sides of the cake quickly with this because it doesn't perfect for long, it eventually takes on a fudge texture on the outside of the cake.

So... If all was done correctly, you have a beautiful, double layer, fluffy, grain free chocolate cake. With two gourmet, home made frosting blends. Chocolate Icing on the side and Coconut Pecan Frosting for the top and center. Now of course you could use any frosting of your choosing or if it is a frosting recipe you are after, one of these two might fit the bill. However be warned, the Chocolate Icing gets very stiff, almost like fudge or a truffle, as a matter of fact, we put little dollops of it into candy cups with the left overs and ate them as candy. Also be warned that Coconut Pecan Frosting is rather thin, so it is great for topping items but may not suit frosting the side of a cake well... which makes it almost ideal for cupcakes if that is what you are making. You could also easily turn this cake recipe into cups and top with either one or a combination of both frostings.  Remember...  The most important thing is to have fun with your baking... and what is more fun than a baking?

Notes

You use 1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseed whisked into 3 Tablespoons Water and allow it to stand until thickened to replace one egg. Yes... I realize you'd have to do this ten times but if you need Egg Free, if may be worth it... There are many Egg substitutes, Chia Seeds can be used in a similar fashion to replace Eggs, I have also heard of Mashed Banana being used to replace Eggs.

Please feel free to comment and if you make this recipe, let me know how it goes. Also don't forget to stop by the Suggestions page and give me feedback or make a recipe request. I am looking for new and exciting things to try making. More information can be found on the Suggestions page.

I participated in the Healthy 2Day Wednesday Link-Up!

Allergen Free Pudding... Could It Be?

I am not sure if anyone will be interested in these things or not but I love to cook and bake. I love to make traditional and nutritional  foods, with a specialty in Allergen Free Cooking and Baking. Best of all, I love making all of these things DELICIOUS!  Now this pudding is a bit of work but this post is 4 recipes for the price of one and maybe you found your way here only looking for one of these recipes, whatever the case may be, if you are after a tasty, Allergen Free Pudding, this is your lucky day!

If this seems popular or gets any attention at all, I will keep posting and providing wonderful Recipes and Articles on Traditional Foods, Nutritious Eating, Health In General and Allergy Friendly Foods.

On to the recipes!

Caramel Almond Tapioca Pudding

Egg Free, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Refined Sugar Free AND Dairy Free.  Astounding!

Prepare Tapioca

Pour 1/2 cup Tapioca Pearls (Not Instant Tapioca)and 3 cups water into a 4 quart saucepan and bring to a boil,boil for 20 minutes, covered and allow to sit, covered for 30-45 minutes. Tapioca is done when all the pearls are completely translucent. Pour Tapioca into a strainer and rinse with cool water, running your hand through the Tapioca as you rinse them. Place Tapioca in a bowl and set aside.

Almond Milk

For homemade Almond Milk for the caramel, process 1/4 cup Almonds with 1/2 cup warm water and strain through a sieve or strainer. I used a coffee filter but it took so long I ended up having to "help" it along. You can then puree/process the remaining Almond Milk "Pulp" in your Almond Butter so it doesn't go to waste.

Prepare Almond Butter

1-1/2 cup Almonds 1/4 cup Maple Syrup, Honey OR Equivalent Sweetener of choice.2 Tablespoon Walnut Oil OR other oil of choice.

Pureed and processed in a food processor, until smooth and creamy.

Prepare Maple Caramel Sauce

1/2 Cup Almond Milk, Milk Substitute OR Cows Milk if you are not doing Dairy Free.

1/2 cup Maple Syrup, Honey or Equivalent Liquid Sweetener 2 Tablespoons Butter Substitute, Oil of your choice OR Butter if you are not doing Dairy Free. 2 Tablespoons Maple Sugar or Equivalent Granulated Sweetener 1/8 Teaspoon Molasses

Bring Almond Milk, Butter/Oil, Maple Sugar/Granulated Sweetener and Molasses to a low simmer over low to medium heat.

Once Milk mixture begins to simmer, add Maple Syrup and bring to a heavy simmer for about 15 minutes. Pour from saucepan into a Oiled OR Buttered dish to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

Putting Together The Pudding

In a bowl vigorously mix together all OR part of the Maple Caramel Sauce, I used 1/2 cup, with all OR part of the Home Made Almond Butter, I used 1/2 cup. Once completely mixed together, gently mix with the cooked Tapioca Pearls and you will notice it takes on a lighter, creamier color. If you prepared your Caramel Almond Tapioca Pudding with Milk Substitute and Butter Substitute, the pudding will be Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Wheat Free and Refined Sugar Free.

Suggestions

If you use only half cup of the Almond Butter Recipe, you could always use the other portion to spread on Breads, Bagels, Cookies, Buns, Rolls, Pancakes, Waffles, Crackers, etc. (Gluten Free, Wheat Free or whatever version you may need, depending on dietary needs.) I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I usually eat my remaining Almond Butter with a spoon before the day ends. You could also put it in the fridge for a bit and attempt to roll or shape it and coat or dip it in melted chocolate or carob.

The leftover Maple Caramel Sauce is AMAZING on Conventional OR Dairy Free Ice Cream, it also goes wonderful on Cinnamon Rolls, Sticky Buns, etc. OR if you are making the Almond Butter into Candy already, you could spread some melted chocolate or carob in some paper candy cups, fill with caramel and spread more melted chocolate or carob on top to make caramel cups. I am even more embarrassed to admit that the Maple Caramel Sauce is SO TASTY that I usually just drizzle little puddles into my palm and eat it straight out of my hand....

Notes

You could probably prepare this recipe with Instant Tapioca by following the cooking instructions on the box. You could also probably just use a 1/2 cup or more of store bought Almond Butter OR other nut/seed butter of choice. You could possibly substitute the Maple Caramel Sauce for plain Maple Syrup, Honey, Agave Syrup, Brown Rice Syrup or other similar syrup.

If you decide to try this recipe, please let me know what variations you used, if you followed it exactly or changed it up a bit on your own and how it turned out. Happy Allergen Free Dessert Making!