Paleo Choco Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting
This is a heavenly cake you can devour without the guilt or blood sugar spike!
No grains, no processed sugar, and using sweet potato to make a frosting that doesn’t require a heaping cup of powdered sugar is the best part. I experimented with using various substitutes, and the combination of sweet potato and monk fruit sweetener was a great solution!
I love having a slice of this in the afternoon with a bowl of matcha.
Ingredients:
For the cake -
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
(plus a little bit more for coating pan)
6 Tablespoons (1-1/4 oz.) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup hot water
1-1/2 cup almond meal, fine
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener*
1/8 teaspoon stevia leaf powder**
3 large eggs (pastured is best)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
For the Sweet Potato Frosting -
2 Tablespoons monk fruit sweetener*
1 teaspoon non-GMO cornstarch
2 oz. butter, softened
6 oz. sweet potato, cooked and peeled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Yields: one 7” to 8” cake
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Grease an 8” round spring form pan OR a 7” square pan with a light brushing of olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl and mix in 1/3 cup of hot water.
Mix to form a paste.
3. In another bowl, mix the almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices
(if using). Mix well with a fork or whisk.
4. Place the eggs, monk fruit sweetener, and stevia powder into the bowl of a standing mixer and beat with a whisk until light and fluffy, about a minute. Then with the whisk on medium speed, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil until incorporated.
5. Switch speed to low and add in the cocoa powder paste, and vanilla extract and mix well.
6. Then add in the almond meal mixture with a spatula and mix until a batter is formed.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for about 35 minutes.
Check with a toothpick for doneness.
8. Allow cake to cool completely. Remove from pan and slice into whatever size pieces you prefer.
Pipe frosting on cake , and serve. (Directions for frosting follows.)
Directions for Sweet Potato Frosting -
1. Place the monk fruit sweetener and cornstarch into a coffee grinder and grind until very fine.
2. Add all ingredients, plus the ingredients from Step 1 into a food processor, and blend until creamy.
2. Spoon into a piping bag with a star tip, and pipe onto cake.
*I used Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener, and a natural stevia powder from Mountain Rose Herbs