Vegan & Nut Free Chocolate Birthday Cake

Makes approximately 12 slices

A fluffy and moist chocolate cake, completely devoid of eggs, nuts, dairy, refined sugar, wheat, gluten and/or additives. What on earth is in it I hear you ask? Is it even possible?! Well I'm here to tell you that indeed it is. This cake is dense, so rest assured that it's not completely made up of air, but the yummiest of nourishing ingredients listed below.

This cake is chocolatey, in a rich (almost bitter) cacao kind of way. We don't have super 'sweet teeth' here at THI, so if you do, feel free to increase the sweetener a little (in either the cake or the ganache) to balance the deep chocolate taste. 

Please join me in wishing Amy the happiest of birthdays and enjoy a slice of choccy cake on me.

For the cake:
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
2/3 cup rice malt syrup 
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup cacao
3 tablespoons chia seeds, soaked in 9 tablespoons water*
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
Pinch sea salt

For the ganache:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean or 2/3 teaspoon vanilla powder

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a round baking tin with baking paper (or simply grease with coconut oil). 

*Soak the chia seeds for a minimum of 10-15 minutes, you want to ensure the seeds soften, so they don't remain crunchy within the cake.

Combine all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl. Sift flours into a large bowl and add remaining dry ingredients. Add wet mix to dry mix and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared baking tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm and skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin before turning onto a wire rack.

While the cake is cooking prepare the ganache by combining all ingredients in a food processor until silky smooth. Add more cacao or sweetener if you can still taste the avocado. If you like a sweeter topping simply increase the quantity of rice malt syrup. You might also like to add a little drizzle of water to thin the ganache out slightly. Be sure to wait until completely cool before garnishing with ganache.

Are you enjoying these intolerance friendly recipes? How many vegans do we have in our midst?