Healthier Chocolate Cake

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks (cake) & Vegetarian Times (Glaze)

Ingredients

Cake

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup non-alkaline cocoa powder
1 Tbs baking powder (non-aluminum type)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup barely melted coconut oil
1 cup grade B maple syrup
2 eggs, (vegan egg replacer-Ener-G)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla coconut milk
8 oz good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Glaze

¼ block soft silken tofu (from 14-oz. container), drained and patted dry

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¹⁄8 tsp. salt

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350F degrees with a rack in the middle. Butter and flour 2 round cake pans. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil and maple syrup until it looks like caramel. Whisk in the egg replacer, vanilla, and then the coconut milk. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the flour mixture and stir until barely combined. Add the chocolate and stir until everything comes together and is no longer dusty looking - avoid over-mixing. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until a clean toothpick comes out of the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan before frosting.

To make Glaze: Blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Spread the glaze in between the cake layers, then coat the sides and top of the cake layers.

Eric and I were in the mood for chocolate cake, but we didn’t want to eat a ton of sugar and butter, which is in most traditional chocolate cake recipes. So after looking at several different recipes online I was able to come up with a cake recipe that didn’t make me feel awful after I was done eating a slice. I used the glaze recipe that I used for my super moist chocolate cupcakes and I found a great cake recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks. I made a few adaptations to each recipe and it turned out amazing! I was a little concerned about using whole wheat flour because I thought it might be too grainy, but it made the cake even better. Eric would even eat a slice for breakfast! I guess he was getting some whole grains:)