Chocolate & Cherry Mudcake w, Decadent Chocolate frosting
This one time Bec Hudson and I wanted to shoot a Christmas card and she said " we should do an epic chocolate cake" and I said YES!!! Here is what i came up with, incorporating the vibe of cherries and dark chocolate, but exploring different ingredients to achieve a Vegan show stopper that really takes peoples breath away! Its a task, but mark my words you will be so so proud and everyone who is lucky enough to have a slice will be blown away!
Merry Xmas all!!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
1 ½ cups organic brown rice flour
1 cup organic Teff flour
1 cup sorghum flour
½ cup organic tapioca flour
½ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp xantham gum
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarb powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup organic coconut sugar
½ cup maple syrup
1cup organic coconut milk
3 cups warm water
¾ cup apple sauce
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
**if you want to make a triple layer cake just make this recipe x3, the frosting will cover plenty.
Frosting:
3 large ripe organic avocados
½ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
Cherry Jam:
2 cups pitted cherries
1 cup coconut sugar
Garnish:
1 cup fresh cherries
1 block of dark unsweetened vegan chocolate
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 170deg c on fan bake and line a greased 22cm spring form cake tin with baking paper on the bottom and sides. (Simply cut a square bigger than the base, place over the base then clip the top onto the base as you normally would, then cut a strip long enough to go around the inside of the tin and tall enough to cover the sides and stick to the inside. The grease should hold it there nicely)
2. Combine all your dry ingredients into a food processor bowl and mix with a dough hook on low for 4 mins until combined.
3. Add in all your wet ingredients and mix for a further 4 mins on low speed until combined nicely, looking all gooey and delicious.
4. Pour evenly into your prepared mould, smooth out so the surface is even and bake for 45 mins until a skewer comes uot clean when inserted in the middle. Can take longer, just check every 5-10 mins until the skewer comes out clean.
5. Rest until completely cool on a wire cake rack
6. Meanwhile, place all your frosting ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and delicious, ensuring to stop a few minutes in and scrape down all the goodness that splatters up the side of the mixing bowl, store in a plastic container in the fridge.
7. Place cherries, sugar and ½ ucp of water in a pot, cook on a low heat for 30 mins stirring frequently until a jammy consistency is reached. How can you tell? Have a small plate in the freezer and once you think you are there, place a small teaspoon on the frozen plate and see if it cools to a jammy texture. Cool completely.
8. Ok so all your elements are cool…SO IMPORTANT, carefully cut the domed top off your cake so you have an even flat disc, if you are just making 1 cake slice again evenly through the middle so you have 2 pieces, if your crazy and going for 2 or even 3 layers, just remove the domes so you have 3 perfect(ish) looking flat discs.
9. Lay your discs out and spread your jam evenly on your middle layers, and an even coating of your amazing frosting.
10. Now, time to be a legend, place your first layer on its final plate, or cake stand, knowing its never going to move from here now. Carefully but confidently place your second, and even third layer on top so they are sitting perfectly on top of one another.
11. Using a palette knife, spread your frosting evenly on top and around the sides of your cake until you are happy as larry.
12. Sprinkle with fresh cherries and using a peeler, peel shards of chcocolate all over the top.
13. Serve with some lovely coyo and prepare to be mobbed with love and attention. Enjoy!
