Triple Chocolate Cake

Oh, hello friends. I’m not dead, and I didn’t run away to Belize. Although that plan is always in my head. But I’ve definitely been slacking in my baking lately but I’ve also been teaching myself the Paleo baking ways.  My first attempt was a total failure which was totally depressing. Would I never make my apartment smell amazing again? Well that would be tragic. And by amazing I really mean like brownies and pumpkin bread.

But I’m back, just in time, too. My most favorite thing is chocolate cake which is always appropriate but especially at birthdays. And 30th birthdays definitely deserve an epic cake. I am officially out of my twenties and embracing it with a triple chocolate cake. I totally made myself a cake which is a thing that grown ups do. Friends to that too. Whoa, look at me. Responsible and a good friend. I must be an adult now.

This cake is my favorite thing. I definitely ate about half of it by myself. But’s it’s my birthday and I’ll eat a whole cake if I want to. It’s paleo but you can’t tell. Seriously. This cake is dense and chocolatey without being too sweet. And the frosting is the best. Better than any non – paleo frosting I’ve ever made before. No joke. And the ganache is super creamy. But the frosting. Amaze Balls. And I know my frosting. I would totally have just eaten the frosting. If I didn’t have a 4 – layer cake to decorate. Eating frosting is totally a thing I would do. My 4-year-old self wishes I would. Frosting = happiness. And everyone should be happy on their birthday.

Triple Chocolate Cake Recipe

Cake

Adapted from Against All Grain by Danielle Walker

Ingredients

• 6 medium eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (plus more for greasing pan)
• 1/4 cup of coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Mix eggs, honey, oil, coconut milk, vanilla in stand mixer or food processor until fully combined
• Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and process until smooth.
• Grease 2 6-inch cake pans (you can also use 1 8-inch cake pan) with coconut oil
• Divide batter evenly in both pans, filling about 1/2 full.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean. Let pans cool on wire rack for 20-30 minutes. Invert cakes and allow to fully cool at room temperature, right side up
• Cake Assembly: Slice each cake in half and top each half with desired amount of ganache (divided into 3 parts). Repeat until all 4 layers are stacked. Spread Chocolate Buttercream over entire cake, using an offset spatula. If any frosting is left, pipe around edges with pastry bag then add sprinkles.  Always add sprinkles.

Chocolate Ganache*

Ingredients

• 1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
• 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• Simmer coconut milk and honey in medium saucepan over low heat for about 2 hours (it should be much thicker, and have a yellowish tint, like sweetened condensed milk)
• Add cacao powder and vanilla and stir until combined
• Allow to cool to room temperature

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

Makes 3 cups of frosting

Adapted from Against All Grain by Danielle Walker

• 3/4 cup honey
• 4 large egg whites, about 1/2 cup
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder, sifted
• 3/4 cup palm shortening, softened
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature

Directions

• Put 1-2 inches of water in medium saucepan and put honey, egg whites, and salt in heat proof bowl and set on top of saucepan (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water)
• Bring the water to a simmer and whisk ingredients in bowl until all are combined and it has reached 150 degrees F (I use a candy thermometer for this), about 5 minutes
• Transfer mixture to a stand mixture and beat on low until foamy. Add lemon juice and beat on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled completely, about 12-15 minutes
• Mix in the cocoa powder
• Reduce the speed to low and add the shortening, one spoonful at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. After all the shortening has been incorporated, add vanilla and beat for 10-15 minutes on low-medium. Place frosting in the fridge for 30 minutes, uncovered.
• Melt your chocolate while the frosting is in the fridge. Add all chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat by increments of 30 seconds, checking to stir each time. Allow chocolate to cool while frosting is in the fridge.
• Remove the frosting from the fridge and slowly drizzle in chocolate. Beat until smooth and the frosting has thickened. Place back in the fridge for 15-20 more minutes for firm up and make spreading easier.

 

*A few notes about Paleo Baking:

• The ganache takes a long time, almost 2 hours, so start that first. You can let the coconut milk simmer while you are baking your cake and making your frosting. You can even make it ahead of time, as ganache will keep in the fridge for a few days. Make sure you don’t eat it all before it’s time to assemble. Because you might.
• The buttercream may appear thin when it’s done, so put it in the fridge to firm up a bit, this makes it easier to spread over a cooled cake.
• Make sure you sift the flours, Almond flour may still have chunks of almonds and you don’t want those floating around in your chocolate cake, and coconut flour has a tendency to clump so sifting it helps make it fluffy.