Happy Easter weekend!

I know it’s been a while, but I thought I’d start back with something everyone loves. Chocolate cake!

Super moist and fudgy chocolate cake topped with a coconut-pecan frosting, or to give it an official title German Chocolate cake. German chocolate cake isn’t actually from Germany, but instead named after a chocolate maker who created a dark baking chocolate that was used in the original recipe for this cake. If I’m honest, I haven’t actually used a traditional german chocolate cake recipe here (only the topping), but instead I chose a fantastic looking gluten-free chocolate cake recipe to start off with. The topping, however, is traditional and is made from mixing coconut and pecans into a cooked evaporated milk and egg yolk mixture. It’s super addictive, super delicious and actually the perfect accompaniment to a deep, rich chocolate cake. The texture of the topping is perfect for moulding into little nests that sit a chocolate egg inside, but outside of Easter you could use the mixture to top it normally.

Not only are these beauties gluten-free, but if you make them with a sugar alternative then they can be sugar free too! The cakes themselves can actually also be dairy free (but not the topping….), so they’re something that everyone can enjoy. Perfect for all these garden gatherings coming up! They’re super easy and pretty quick to make and unlike some gluten-free cake recipes they don’t have a sandy texture. I will definitely be using this as my go to GF chocolate cake recipe from now on!

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INGREDIENTS

CAKE RECIPE

Recipe slightly adapted from The Loopy Whisk.

135g plain gluten-free flour (I use the Doves Free From flour blend with no added xanthan gum)

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

25g cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g granulated sugar (or a sugar alternative, like coconut sugar)

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, room temp

125ml chocolate milk, room temp (or regular milk or plant based milk)

60ml vegetable oil, like rapeseed

125ml boiling water, with a little instant coffee mixed in (you can just use boiling water, but coffee really brings out and enhances the chocolate flavour)

TOPPING RECIPE

Taken, and slightly adapted, from Yammie’s Noshery. You’ll have some left over, but then you can use it to top other desserts!

1/2 cup brown sugar (or sugar alternative, like coconut sugar)

1/2 cup evaporated milk

2 small egg yolks (save the whites to use later in an omelette or to make meringues!)

55g butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 + 1/2 cups desiccated coconut

3/4 cup pecans (lightly toasted and then chopped)

1 bag of mini eggs (you’ll need one for each cake so about 16 in total)

METHOD

1.We start by making the cakes. Preheat your oven to 170 fan and line a fairy cake tray (smaller than a muffin/cupcake tray but larger than a mini cupcake tray) with cake cases.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, bicarb and baking powder. Then add the sugar and salt and mix well.

3. Add the egg, milk, and vegetable oil, and whisk well (you don’t need an electric one) until you get a smooth batter.

4. Then add the hot coffee bit by bit, whisking until it’s combined with each addition. You should end up with a smooth runny cake batter with no lumps.

7. While the cakes are cooling, you can make your topping.

8. Pop the sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks and butter into a small pan and heat on the hob on a medium to low heat. Whisk constantly until bubbling and the mixture has thickened. This can take up to 10 minutes so be patient. Don’t leave the pan, or you’ll end up with your mixture stuck to the bottom or burned!

9. Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla, coconut and pecans. Leave to cool before topping the cupcakes.

10. Once everything is cool, take a teaspoon of the topping and place it on top of a cake. Loosely mould it out into a nest shape and pop in a mini egg! Enjoy!