Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake

Makes one 2 layer 6-inch cake

 

Ingredients:

 

2 6-inch cake pans

 

Cake:

 

1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup packed soft Medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the water reserved

1/4 cup almond butter

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1  cup red wine (one that you would drink, and enjoy the taste of)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

 

 

Frosting:

 

1 1/4 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1              cup soft pitted Medjool dates

2              1/3 cup almond butter

1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

 

 

Filling:

 

1 cup organic raspberries

2 tsp date paste or maple syrup or as needed

pinch sea salt

 

 

Directions:

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375F.

Grease two 6-inch circular cake pans with coconut oil and place parchment paper on the bottom.

In a large basin, thoroughly mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.

In a blender, combine the dates, almond butter, wine, reserved water, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth, and then thoroughly incorporate the blended ingredients into the flour mixture using a whisk. Add the cider vinegar and whisk until bubbles appear.

After filling the prepared pans with cake batter, bake them.

Cakes should be baked for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are set and a toothpick put into the centre comes out virtually clean.  Take out of the oven, let cool fully, and then remove the mould onto a platter. To prepare the frosting, put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add a little water at a time.  Put aside.

To prepare the raspberry filling, place the raspberries, sea salt, and maple syrup in a food processor or blender, and pulse until the mixture resembles jam.

To decorate the cake, put one layer on a plate, pipe some frosting around the edge of the layer, distribute the raspberry filling within the circle, and then cover the entire layer with about 3/4 cup of frosting.  Place the subsequent layer of cake on top, then cover the entire surface and the edges with the frosting.

 

I like to cook sweet potatoes in the oven. To do this, cut them in half and place, cut side down, on a tray covered with parchment paper.  Bake at 400°F for about an hour, or until they are tender.  Before pureeing, let it cool.