Gluten-Free Mexican Chocolate Cake (Vegan + Fabulous!)

When vegans come to call, serve this rich and dairy-free 
Mexican chocolate cake. You'll score serious points.

Serious alchemy is afoot in the humble guise of a vegan chocolate cake recipe. You know what I'm talkin' about- those of you out there with me in spirit, baking your tender little hearts out, hoping to conjure edible bites of bliss without gluten, dairy and eggs. It ain't easy. In fact, I'd venture to say that to keep at this thing- this GF/CF and allergy-free baking thing- without losing your ever fragile sanity (never mind your sense of humor) is a heroic act.

Pure and simple.

To perseverate in the serpentine quest for good (if not fabulous) taste for your food sensitive lover, your vegan sweetheart, your celiac or sensory sensitive angels, for trying again and again to whip up smile inducing foods of love, birthday cakes, and holiday cookies that don't taste like you're licking yesterday's pizza box, I salute you. You (as they say in the parlance of our time) rock. You inspire me. You invigorate me.

And for that, Dear and Gracious Reader, I thank you.

In return I offer you a vegan chocolate cake you can bake without apology or caveat.

And you can eat it, too.

Vegan chocolate cake with a hint of cinnamon.

Mexican Chocolate Cake Recipe

The list of ingredients may seem a little odd to the uninitiated, but don't be alarmed, Gentle Cook. It's all about chemistry. And finding deliciousness in the face of limitations. Kind of like painting with a limited palette. With only a few colors to choose from you dig deep. Creativity is not for the faint of heart.

The sweet potato in this cake brings a silky tenderness to the crumb (and no, you don't really taste it- the chocolate, vanilla, coffee and cinnamon flavors dominate).

Using your food processor makes this as easy as uno, dos, tres. I use this Cuisinart.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and dust a 9-inch cake pan or Springform pan with gluten-free flour.

Measure your dry ingredients into the food processor bowl (use standard blade).

Ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat flour- or a mix of buckwheat, sorghum and brown rice flour

3 tablespoons tapioca starch (or arrowroot, or potato starch)

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry Ener-G Egg Replacer

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Scant 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder (decaf is fine)

Pulse on and off to distribute.

Add in the wet ingredients:

1/2 cup white sweet potato puree or canned pumpkin

4 oz. melted Belgian dark chocolate

2 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening

1/2 cup honey- or use raw agave nectar to keep it strictly vegan

3/4 cup chocolate hemp milk- or non-dairy chocolate milk of choice

2 teaspoons lemon or orange juice

3 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

Cover and process the ingredients until a smooth batter forms.

Instructions:

Scrape and spoon the batter into the cake pan. Bake in the center of a preheated oven till firm- about 30 to 35 minutes. Please keep an eye on the cake and check it for doneness- I bake at high altitude; your mileage may vary.

Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill.

Slice and serve with organic powdered sugar, fruit or chocolate sauce.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Karina's Notes*

This isn't a super sweet cake- though I used unsweetened Belgian baking chocolate from Trader Joe's. If you prefer a sweeter cake, use sweetened dark chocolate and up the sugar a bit, to taste.

This recipe pairs chocolate, cinnamon, coffee and vanilla for a Mexican chocolate taste. If you'd rather go a more straight-up-chocolate route, eliminate the cinnamon.


Enjoy sugary treats in moderation. Gluten-Free Goddess advises consuming no more than 2 tablespoons of sugar a day.