Chocolate Cake (Gluten-free + Vegan)

****NOT FINISHED HERE: Not sure about including this recipe, it needs to rise better? Make it into cupcakes?

My daughter had her first birthday cake at four years old, and it was this recipe. It wasn't easy to make a birthday cake without eggs, wheat, and dairy, all of which she was allergic to, but I made eight cakes that week, determined that not another birthday would go by where she had her candles in a jello cup, and this cake has been our go-to chocolate cake ever since.

Both vegan and gluten free, this cake leans toward a denser brownie texture and paired with the vegan buttercream frosting, it is rich and delicious. The applesauce provides moisture and also serves as an egg replacement.

Important Ingredients

• Gluten-free flour blend — My flour blends are always based on flavor. Oat flour provides a more robust depth of flavor while tapioca flour adds lightness. The sweet rice flour is one of the better gluten-free flours at binding and serves to help hold the cake together.

• Coconut oil — This can be replaced with butter if preferred, but coconut oil is generally cheaper than butter, especially plant-based butter. I buy this large tub of coconut oil.

How to Make this Recipe

Mix dry ingredients. Add the almond flour, gluten-free oat flour, tapioca flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Lightly stir. It's okay if the brown sugar isn't fully mixed, because we'll be putting all of the ingredients in the blender shortly.

Recipe Notes