Chocolate Cake with Maple Coconut Cream Frosting (Almond Flour)
This almond flour chocolate cake has naked layers of grain free cake and fluffy maple coconut cream frosting. Make this almond cake recipe for an impressive and delicious dessert. Aging is both glorious and humbling. Haha, agree? And as long as we are on the topic of humility, I should tell you, making this almond cake recipe took some patience and humility. In my first attempt, the grain free chocolate cake was over cooked and ended up being super dry. That being said, after a few weeks of tweaking, I perfected the recipe. And instead of making it just one layer, I thought, what the heck. Let's go big or go home. So, it became a layer cake. Or, to be exact, a naked chocolate layer cake. This recipe makes 2 layers of cake. For 3-4 layers, make an additional batch; do not double.
Chocolate Cake:
4 oz butter or refined coconut oil
4 oz dark baking chocolate
⅔ cup cane sugar or raw sugar (fine)
2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar or 2 tsp. vinegar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (quality cocoa)
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
½ cup (4 oz) unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
⅓ cup pistachio, ground or crushed
Maple Coconut Cream Frosting:
2 cans coconut cream, chilled
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
¼ cup confectioners' sugar (more if you prefer sweeter frosting)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Toppings:
baked fruit or fresh berries
extra coconut whipped cream
crushed pistachios or other nuts
Chill coconut cream in the fridge for 24 hours, or until it hardens. See notes for quick alternative.
Directions for a 2-layer cake. For 3-4 layers, make an additional batch; do not double.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Line two or three 8" cake pans with parchment paper. Oil the sides. Set aside
Next, melt butter and chocolate together over stove in glass bowl (double boil technique) or in microwave.
In another bowl sift or whisk almond flour, sugar, salt, baking soda together. Stir in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract.
Place room temperature egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand mixer to beat on high speed, until soft peaks are formed, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside
Mix the melted chocolate into almond flour cake batter. Mix until smooth then add the vinegar and stir again.
Next, gently fold the whipped egg white into the almond flour chocolate cake batter. NOTE: Be gentle and do not over mix. Otherwise, the egg whites might deflate. If this happens, make a new batch.
Pour into two 8" cake pans. Spread batter evenly.
Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until center comes out clean with toothpick. Check on cakes after 15 minutes and rotate cake pans.
Once baked, remove from oven and let cool. Recommendation - place cakes in fridge to cool for 45-60 minutes for best frosting results.
While cakes are cooling, you can prepare the coconut maple whipped cream.
Simply follow my coconut cream frosting using maple syrup versus coconut sugar.
Place a can of coconut cream in fridge for 24 hours until harden.
Remove water when you open the can from the fridge. Place the remaining thickened cream contents in mixer. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and whip until fluffy.
Now to layer the cake. Remove parchment paper from each. These almond flour cakes will flatten once cooled, so I did not cut off top before adding whip cream.
Add about ½ cup or more whipped cream between each cake and stack the cakes gently on top of each other.
Once stacked, feel free to leave naked or spread more coconut cream frosting on around the cakes. Sprinkle top and sides with crushed pistachio.
Top with edible flowers, optional chocolate, and maple baked pear or other fruit of choice. Optional.
Cook's Notes:
- Frosting Shortcut: If you don't want to wait for the coconut cream to harden overnight, you may use nondairy whipped cream or 16 oz of COLD heavy whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream doesn't need to be chilled overnight. It just needs to be COLD.
- This cake will hold its shape at room temperature for up to 4 hours with the coconut frosting.
- Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
- Save and freeze slices for up to 3-4 weeks in foil.
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 413, Sugar: 18.2 g, Sodium: 204.4 mg, Fat: 27.5 g, Saturated Fat: 17.2 g, Carbohydrates: 26.4 g, Fiber: 2.9 g, Protein: 6.9 g, Cholesterol: 71 mg