Chocolate Smash Cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Your baby will love this nutritious chocolate cake! It's vegan, oil free, and free of refined sugar. It can also be nut free!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tbs. nondairy milk
  • ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup spelt flour
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • 2½ Tbs. cacao or cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2½ Tbs. applesauce OR runny almond butter*
  • ----------------
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 3 Tbs. cacao or cocoa powder
  • 3½ - 4 Tbs. pure maple syrup
  • -----------------
  • Optional cake center: coconut butter, peanut butter, jam
  • Optional topping: shredded coconut, powdered peanut butter, chocolate chips, fruit, etc.
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease two 3-in. round cake pans with coconut oil. Dust with flour to prevent sticking.
  2. Combine nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle at least 5 min. (this makes "buttermilk").
  3. Stir together dry ingredients (spelt flour, coconut sugar, cacao, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
  4. Combine the "buttermilk," vanilla extract, and applesauce/almond butter until smooth, and pour the wet mixture into the dry. Stir until you have a uniform batter, then fill the pans about ⅔ full. You will have a little extra batter, so feel free to make a couple of cupcakes too.
  5. Bake 18-20 mins, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
  6. Allow cakes to cool in the pans about 15 mins, then flip them over and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
  7. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Blend the avocado, cacao powder, and maple syrup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and add more cacao or maple syrup if needed (avocado sizes vary, so some adjustment may be necessary).
  8. When the cake is completely cool, place one cake layer on serving platter/plate and top with desired center (coconut butter, PB, jam, etc.) or chocolate avocado frosting. Top with the next cake layer, then spread frosting on the rest of the cake. Add optional topping of choice for decoration, or simply serve as is!
Notes
* Applesauce makes a more moist cake, but I prefer the flavor of the runny almond butter. Of course, you can't use almond butter if you want the cake to be nut free!

This cake can be made up to 3 days in advance if kept in the fridge.
Recipe by Daily Dose of Greens at https://dailydoseofgreens.com/2019/08/08/chocolate-smash-cake/