GF Celebrations… German Chocolate Cake!

Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake

Our family really loves cake…  well, who doesn’t!  Until now, it has always been either vanilla or spice cake that steals their hearts.  Recently, I made an awesome German Chocolate Cake that stole the show.  They may never go back… it is that good!  Trader Joes has a Dutch Process Cocoa that is the key ingredient to this cake.  Their cocoa is safe for those with nut allergies, which can be hard to come by.

Ingredients:

• 15 Tablespoons (level) Dutch Process Cocoa
• 5 Tbls butter
• 2 ½ cup GF Flour Blend
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup melted coconut oil or butter
• ¾ cup plus 2 Tbls milk of choice
• 1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
• 4 Lg eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter.  Add Dutch Process Cocoa and stir constantly until smooth and melted together with the butter.  Be careful not to burn the mixture!  Once smooth, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a large bundt pan (oil with shortening and then dust with rice flour, tap out excess rice flour) and set aside.  Note:  You can use two 9 inch round layer cake pans lined with parchment paper if you wish to have a traditional layer cake.
3. In a large bowl, combine the GF Flour Blend, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum.  Set aside.
4. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the milk of choice (we used coconut milk) and apple cider vinegar.  Set aside for 1 minute.  Then add melted coconut oil.
5. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until lemon yellow in color.  Slowly add sugar a little at a time and beat until mixture turns pale yellow and thickens.
6. Beat in cooled, melted chocolate and vanilla.
7. Add flour mixture alternately with liquid mixture to the egg/sugar batter in two additions, stopping to scrape down sides each time.  Mix at medium speed for one minute more.
8. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.  Place pan in center of oven and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  (baking time for round layer cake would be about 40-45 minutes).
9. When finished baking, remove from the oven and turn upside down on a cooling rack, keeping the bundt pan on top of the cake.  This will help the cake cool slowly, release from the pan clean and keep the cake moist.  Cool completely before slicing.

Once completely cool, the cake can be drizzled with frosting or dusted with powdered sugar or sweetened cocoa powder.  This version of German Chocolate cake does not include the sweet coconut/pecan frosting, but you will not miss it!  It is awesome served with vanilla ice cream or salted caramel ice cream…  even whipped cream and berries would make any celebration memorable!

Enjoy!