Happy Thanksgiving, Fellow Canadians!
In Toronto this weekend, it was very easy to be thankful. The air was warm, the sun was out, and people were in chipper moods (surely in anticipation of the holiday’s weekend of feasting and celebrating).
I celebrated this year with my boyfriend’s family. Since shortly after the beginning of our relationship, my role at family dinners quickly became “Resident Dessert Producer”. It’s a title I take seriously.
Consistent with everything else I do in my life, I seem to be incapable of following rules. I am not blatantly deviant (although sometimes I am), but I find it hard not to tweak just a few things. My creativity is, at times, an unstoppable train.
This holds true most consistently when I find a recipe that I like. I take the basic idea, and then I change a few things. The results are either disastrous or delicious.
This one was delicious.
This chocolate cake is gluten-free and sugar-free, and even has vegetables in it. It is unbelievably moist, rich, decadent. Yet you could argue that it healthy! Well, as healthy as chocolate cake is going to get…
My boyfriend’s family is from Cuba, and they were initially appalled at the idea of using a vegetable (zucchini) in chocolate cake. But, because my track record has been pretty good with desserts in their house, they gave my chocolate cake a try.
And they loved it.
This recipe is loosely based on Elana‘s amazing recipe for Carrot cake (which I have also tried…it’s incredible!).
Gluten-free, Sugar-free Chocolate Zucchini Layer Cake with Creamy Chocolate Frosting
The Cake:
2 cups almond flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 organic eggs
1/2 cup agave
1/4 cup coconut/olive/grapeseed oil
3 cups zucchini, grated
Directions for cake:
-Preheat oven to 325 F and grease two 9 inch round cake pans (or take turns with one pan, like I did…The batter is ok to sit for a little while)
-In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, tapioca flour, salt, and baking soda.
-Beat eggs
-Grate zucchini
-In a separate bowl, add eggs, zucchini, agave, and oil together and mix
-Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until there are no dry lumps left
-Divide batter and put half into each cake pan; Bake for 35 minutes.
The Frosting:
2 cups firm, plain pressed yogurt (you can also use cream cheese)
1/4 cup coconut oil
5-7 Tbsp agave
15-25 drops liquid stevia
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 cup inulin powder (to thicken; you can also use milk powder or coconut milk powder)
Directions for frosting:
-In a food processor or with an electric mixer, cream together yogurt, coconut oil, 5 Tbsp agave, 15 drops stevia, and cocoa powder
-Add in thickener as needed, and taste as you go along. Add more agave and/or stevia if more sweetness is desired
*The icing make look liquidy at first, but it will thicken quite a bit in the fridge
-When the cake has cooled completely, ice the cake. There is lots of icing (enough for filling, top, and sides), so be generous!
When you take your first bite, say a little prayer of thanks. 
Enjoy!
Take care,
Alex
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