This recipe is a spin-off, or slightly updated version of my recipe for The BEST coconut flour cupcakes ever. :) While I truly believe that recipe to be perfect, as I was creating this cake for my husbands birthday I wanted a little more depth of flavor (dark cocoa), was hoping for a slightly better crumb (flax meal), and wanted to try my hand at swapping out the coconut oil for butter. I really loved the result, however, the cake is more a dense cake in the center, and not a light fluffy crumb that I was thinking I would get. However, I was really happy with it, and it came out decadent, rich and absolutely delightful! I torted the layers and alternately filled them with chocolate ganache (found in the link above for BEST coconut flour cupcakes). In addition I modified my chocolate cream cheese frosting to a delicious and beautifully hued raspberry cream cheese buttercream! Raspberry and Chocolate...oh my! :)
I baked mine in 3 6-inch round cake pans, as this was for a smaller crowd. However, you will easily get 8-10 servings out of that size cake from this rich dessert. I found the 6 inch size much easier to handle.
Cake:
1 C. Almond flour
1/3 C. Coconut flour
2 Tbsp. Oat Fiber
1/2 C. finely ground flax meal
1/3 C. Vanilla Whey Isolate Protein Powder (or chocolate)
2 Tbsp. Gelatin Powder
2 Tbsp. Vanilla Collagen (optional)
1/4 C. Arrowroot Powder (can sub with 1 Tbsp. more coconut flour if desired)
1/2 tsp. Xantham gum
6 Tbsp. Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 C. Swerve granulated
1/4 C. Golden Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener (or another 1/2 c. swerve if desired)
1 tsp. organic stevia powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine salt
1/2 C. melted butter
4 eggs, room temperature
2/3 C. Kefir (or buttermilk, or coconut milk, as desired)
3/4 C. Hot strong coffee
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
Raspberry Cream Cheese Buttercream
1/4 c. powdered, freeze dried raspberries (I used these, Freeze Dried Raspberries)
3/4 C. unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 C. cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. powdered organic stevia
1 to 1 1/4 C. powdered swerve (depending on your sweet buds)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-3 tsp. heavy whipping cream (as needed for desired consistency)
pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare either 3 (6-inch round cake pans), or 2 (8-inch round cake pans) by buttering bottom and sides, then cutting a piece of wax paper to cover just the bottom, butter that wax paper, then sprinkle the entire surface with a light coating of either cocoa powder or coconut flour. Set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, whisk together all dry ingredients (coconut flour - salt). Add in eggs and Kefir, mix on low just a few seconds to combine, pour in melted butter and mix 1 minute on med-low. Add Vanilla to the Hot coffee. With mixer on LOW, very slowly pour in hot vanilla coffee, just a little at a time until it incorporates. Once it's incorporated, mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350 for 33-40 minutes (testing every 5 minutes after 30 minutes). Toothpick should come out clean with just a few tiny crumbs sticking.... no sticky batter. :)
NOTE: While cakes are baking, make your ganache and set it on the counter to cool to room temperature.
Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge, turn out onto cooling rack, gently peel away wax paper and turn over so it is right side up. Allow cakes to fully cook before frosting.
While cakes are cooking, prepare your frosting:
Place freeze dried raspberries into a gallon size ziploc bag, press out all air. Use a rolling pin, or any hard object to crush into a fine powder.
In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachement, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter in a few chunks at a time, mix until well combined, smooth and uniform. Sift in the confectioners swerve, raspberry powder, and stevia. Begin to mix on low speed just to combine, then bring speed up to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Add in vanilla flavoring and heavy whipping cream (as needed for desired consistency), beat 1 more minute. Frost cake and torted layers as desired. :) Enjoy!