Real Healthy Birthday Cake for the millionth year in a row, I wanted to do something unique with B’s birthday cake this week. I settled in on the idea of making a Polka Dot Cake, which turned out to be both festive and fun!
I’d seen the Polka Dot Cake concept where boxed cake mix, packaged donut holes and colorful sprinkles are used to create pretty polka dots both inside and outside of the cake. These cakes looks awesome but are plagued with toxic ingredients. I hacked the concept by using my own cake batter (free of grain+gluten+cane-sugar) and my own homemade, baked donut holes (also free of grain+gluten+cane-sugar) and then topping it off with circles of chopped nuts (I cut a section of an empty paper towel roll to contain the sprinkled nuts to pretty little circles – a circular cookie cutter would also work).
1 cup blanched almond flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 eggs, at room temperature, whites and yolks seperated
2 cups blanched almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
10 eggs
1 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 Chocolate donut holes (see recipe above)
12 ounces dark chocolate, 72% cocoa
½ cup (13.66oz) coconut milk, full fat
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup palm shortening
½ cup raw honey
½ cup blanched almonds, minced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a donut hole pan with coconut oil.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl combine all of the wet ingredients except egg whites.
Mix the wet with dry and set aside.
Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Equally distribute the batter between the 12 donut hole molds. Bake for 8-12 minutes until lightly golden.
Allow the donuts to cool, remove from pan and then chill in the fridge for half an hour.
Line a 9-inch, round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease the pan sides with coconut oil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the Cake Batter: In a food processor, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda and turmeric. Pulse until well combined. Add the eggs, honey and vanilla. Process until fully combined. Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake pan. Evenly place the donut holes on top of the batter. Top with the remaining half of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and fully set. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a cake plate.
For the Frosting: In a double boiler (to make your own double boiler simply place a small amount of water in a skillet and then place a medium saucepan in the skillet) over low heat, melt the chocolate, mixing often. Add the coconut milk, coconut oil, shortening and honey. Continue to mix over low heat until melted fully combined. Remove from heat and place the saucepan in a bed of ice (fill a big bowl with ice), while you whisk constantly until the frosting thickens and becomes creamy. If you want to skip the ice bed part then place the saucepan in the freezer for about 5 minutes, remove and whisk for 60 seconds, place back in the freezer for 5 minutes and whisk for 60 seconds – continue this process until the frosting thickens and becomes creamy.
Assemble Your Cake: Place the cake in the center of a clean cake plate. Frost the cake with the frosting, starting with the top of the cake, working your way down the sides. Smooth the frosting out and wipe any excess frosting off the cake plate. Use a round cookie cutter (or cut the end off an empty paper towel roll) to sprinkle the minced nuts evenly over the cake in the shape of polka dots. Chill for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Calories: 488
Fat: 35g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Sodium: 136mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 27g
Sugar: 3g