Lisa’s Chocolate Almond Butter Cake (Gluten Free!)

I LOVE a good piece of chocolate cake. My father worked for Pepperidge Farm when I was younger and he used to bring home their Layer Cakes for our birthdays (my favorite was the Golden 3-Layer cake!).

Oh, man, they tasted amazing… So moist, light, fluffy, and chocolatey. I couldn’t get enough and would sometimes go back to the fridge for a second, third, fourth slice… Until the entire cake was gone.

I remember feeling so happy and satisfied as I was eating my cake, but then brain fog began to set in within about an hour. I’d feel so tired and sluggish. Was it worth those few moments of pleasure to feel so yucky for a few hours?

It wasn’t until several years later when I started to discover options that were healthier, fulfilled my sweet tooth, and left me feeling like I could conquer the world even an hour or two after eating these sweet treats. I discovered desserts that were full of ‘real' ingredients and included nothing created in a lab that my body would have trouble digesting.

One of my all time favorite sweet treats is this Chocolate Almond Butter Cake. You can eat it by itself, or if you want to really go buck wild, top it with some chocolate fudge sauce and fresh berries.

It’s also great timing with Valentine’s Day coming up. It’s the perfect way to top off an evening with yourself, your love, your friends, or your family. Also great for breakfast the next morning. 😉

Healthy Chocolate Almond Butter Cake with Chocolate Fudge Sauce and Fresh Berries

Approximately 12 servings
(Blink and it's gone)

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, plus some for greasing the pan
• 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla powder)
• 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking pan with coconut oil.
3. In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth.
4. Pour the cake batter into your pan and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool (if you can resist eating it while it's hot).

Chocolate Fudge Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1/3 cup cacao powder
• 9 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/4 tsp vanilla powder)
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak your dates for 1 hour in hot water.
2. After your dates have soaked, add all of your ingredients into your food processor or blender. Process or blend until the mixture is of a creamy consistency.

Putting it all together:
Liberally spread the Chocolate Fudge Sauce on top of a piece of Chocolate Almond Butter Cake. Top with fresh berries and/or sliced bananas. For added zing, sprinkle a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon on top. Slowly savor each bite with a huge smile on your face.

by Lisa Miller