Happy Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday to me…

My birthday was last week, but I couldn’t make a cake because John and I can’t eat a whole cake by ourselves …. or so I thought.

But yesterday we had some friends over for dinner so I made this cake for dessert.

It was a bit of work, but well worth it.

I have discovered that it keeps well in the freezer, so I could have made it last week and it would have been fine.

Live and Learn.

This cake is grain, dairy, and sugar free.  It is also very rich so cut small pieces.

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

For the Cake

8 ounces dark chocolate (I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips because they are soy-free)

1/2 cup fake butter

1 cup honey

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups almond flour

2 teaspoons coconut flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon baking powder

Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler. Melt, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool (the mixture needs to cool for at least 10 minutes).

While the chocolate mixture is cooling, place the honey and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk for6-8 minutes until very fluffy

Slowly whisk in cooled chocolate and vanilla extract.

Sift almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder over egg mixture. Gently fold to incorporate.

Divide batter between two buttered 9-inch cake pans (I prefer to line my cake pans with a round piece of parchment paper to ensure the cake will come out properly). 

Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges and invert cakes onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. You can put them in the fridge for about 20 minutes to cool them if you are in a hurry.

For the buttercream frosting

4 large eggs

1/2 cup honey?

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 tsp of sea salt

1 cup fake butter

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, honey, vanilla and salt with the whisk attachment. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160 degrees, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

Beat egg mixture on medium-high with whisk attachment for 8-10 minutes until light and fluffy. 

Reduce the speed to medium and add butter one tablespoon at a time. When all of the butter is added, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Whisk the mixture for 1-2 minutes on high until light and fluffy. Slowly pour in the chocolate and mix until incorporated.

Assemble

Place 1st layer on plate frost. Place 2nd layer on top and frost.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Stores well in the freezer.