Grain-free Chocolate Raspberry Cake

I was glancing through the recipes that I have collected over the years and you can very clearly see my favorite flavor....chocolate. That is definitely my weakness. Now, once again, I found another extremely yummy chocolate dessert recipe. I have made this for 2 separate dinners, one with all women and one with families and kids. Both groups ranted and raved over the "yumminess" of this cake. This is not my recipes, it is from Kitchen McCabe and I provided the link below. I added my experience in brackets. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE:
¾ cup Almond Flour
1½ teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
⅔ cup Raw Cacao Powder or Cocoa Powder
½ cup Coconut Palm Sugar
½ cup Applesauce (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 large Eggs
½ cup Coconut Oil(melted)
½ cup Maple syrup

FOR THE GANACHE TOPPING:
1¼ cups Dark Chocolate, chopped (I like to use 60% cacao chips)
½ cup Full-fat Coconut Milk(canned), divided
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1½ - 2 cup Fresh Raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8" cake round (3 inches deep) cake tin with parchment paper. Spray the parchment surface to help prevent the cake from sticking to it.

Place the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and coconut palm sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla, eggs, coconut oil, and maple syrup until a smooth batter forms.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake is firm and puffed in the center and a tester comes out clean. (The recipe says 30-35. I found it closer to 40-45. Use a toothpick and cook until it comes out clean). Let cake cool completely in the pan. (I have taken it out of the pan after about 10-20 minutes and gently pulled the parchment from the sides to open it up and help it cool faster).

When the cake is cool, run a knife around the sides of the cake and invert it onto a plate. Peel of the parchment paper on the bottom place it right side up on a serving platter.

Spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the top of the cake and top it with raspberries. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. I added home grown mint leaves to the side for decoration.

FOR THE GANACHE TOPPING:
Place the chocolate, ¼ cup coconut milk, and coconut oil in a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate begins to melt. Remove from heat and continue whisking until chocolate is completely melted. Scoop the chocolate mixture into a bowl. Add the remaining coconut milk to the bowl (I found when I added the full amount it was too thin. Using just coconut cream it was thick and spreadable, but using Native Forest Simple canned thinned it too much. You can either trying using just coconut cream from the solid portion of the Native Forest Classic type or try using less coconut milk and see how it turns out) and whisk in until a smooth ganache forms.
Let the ganache sit until it firms up to a spreadable consistency. Use ganache to spread on top cooled cake. Immediately top with raspberries while the chocolate is still soft.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COCOA TO BUY: Unmasking Cocoa, Dutch or Non-alkalinized


This recipe was adapted slightly from Kitchen McCabe.com