Mama's Birthday Cake

I had some fun making a barn cake for Mama's birthday. It came out a little messy, but it still looked like a barn so I'm happy! I used my Chocolate Almond Cake recipe with vanilla frosting. I put some of the frosting in the blender with a slice of cooked beet to make the "red". For the grass I did the same with dried peppermint leaves. For the dark gray roof I mixed in a tiny bit of activated charcoal powder. I sprinkled on some coconut sugar for the path. It tasted great!

Chocolate Almond Cake

This one is one of my specialties, a cross between a cake and a brownie.  It is quick and easy, and even people who aren't gluten-free rave about it.

1 ½ cups almond flour

½ cup cocoa powder

½ cup evaporated cane sugar or coconut sugar

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp guar gum or xanthan gum

5 T oil (I use sunflower)

1 T vinegar (I use brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup of water (Will vary according to how fine your almond flour is. Start with a little and add more until it is the usual consistency of cake batter)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8” pan. Mix dry ingredients and dust greased pan with the mixture.  Add wet ingredients and mix well. Pour into pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out almost clean.

Vanilla Frosting

½ cup/1 stick butter, softened

1 lb. powdered sugar

¼ cup water (more or less)

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Fudge Frosting

½ cup/1 stick butter, softened

½ cup cocoa powder

3 cups powdered sugar

1 T water (or more depending on how thick you want it)

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch salt

Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add remaining ingredients and beat a few more minutes.