Chocolate Strawberry Cakes for Sea

One of the funny things about hosting a blog event is that you actually have to make sure you get around to posting on time.  So here I am, squeaking in under the wire for my post for Sea’s Yum-e-baby shower.  If you haven’t yet, please do get your post up and send me a picture and link by June 8th!

Sea has been such a big inspiration and driving force behind the gluten free blogging community, and no doubt her newest edition will lead to new yummy baby foods along the next few years.  All the best to Sea, her sweetie, her family, and of course, her cats, who are no doubt looking forward to their new sibling.

Way before the days of gluten free-ness, I was a fan of Nigella Lawson’s decadent desserts.  One of my favorites was her chocolate orange pantry cake because it was so quick and easy.   When I first went gluten (and dairy and egg) free, I tried adapting the recipe.  It was very yummy, but always sank.   So I pretty much forgot all about the recipe for years, until it popped back into my head a month or so ago. Very few of the original ingredients remain, but the taste is along the same lines. Very chocolate, very dense, very fruity, very moist.

Well, I’ve been playing away to make it gluten/dairy/soy/sugar and grain free, and it’s finally (finally!) met the approval of my very discerning taste testers.  (Houdini, who is pictured behind the cakes was a supervisor, but NOT a taste tester) Also, as an added bonus, I’ve been making it the day before, covering with foil and frosting it the day of, and it works quite well. I will eventually try it without the egg, too, but I’m  sure  it’s  do-able.  If anyone tries it, drop me a line!

2 eggs, well beaten

1/3 cup agave
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp stevia
1 1/2 cup all fruit jam or marmalade (orange, strawberry and raspberry work beautifully)
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, briefly mix:
2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour (besan)
3 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder

4 oz melted unsweetened baking chocolate

Frosting:
3.5 oz baker’s (unsweetened) chocolate, melted
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp stevia
1/4 cup agave nectar
splash vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325, line springform pans with little parchment circles and grease the sides.  You can use one 8 inch pan and 2-4 inch or 6-4 inch.

Beat eggs well, add in other wet ingredients, then add in dry. Melt chocolate (microwave works perfectly–1.5 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds) and add into the mix.

Pour batter into greased springform pans. I use 1-8 inch and 2-4 inch springforms for this recipe. Bake until cakes come away from the sides and the top looks dark, about 35 minutes for the mini cakes and 50 for the bigger one.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then frost tops.

For frosting, melt chocolate, add stevia and gradually add in agave and coconut milk until the consistency is perfect. Use right away and it hardens as it cools.