Vegan Pistachio Chocolate Cake

Vegan Pistachio Chocolate Cake (GF)

CAKE

• 4 batches flax eggs (4 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 10 Tbsp water)
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 scant cup organic maple syrup
• 2/3 cup cane or granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure Madagascar vanilla (Penzey’s is THE best and full of social justice!)
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup organic gluten-free old fashioned oat flour (finely ground from raw oats)
• 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour blend

FROSTING & TOPPING

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups dairy-free dark chocolate (chopped)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp pure Madagascar vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios

DIRECTIONS

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and butter two 8″ round cake pans – spray generously with cooing spray. When you think it’s enough, spray it one more time with feeling!

Measure out coconut milk and add vinegar. Stir and let curdle while moving onto the next step. Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes. Add baking soda to the almond milk vinegar mixture and stir. Add the sugar, maple syrup, and almond milk mixture to the flax egg and whisk to combine. Then add applesauce, vanilla, melted coconut oil, salt and mix. Next, add cocoa powder, almond meal, oat flour and gluten free flour and beat/whisk to combine.

Divide batter evenly between cake pans.

Bake cake for 35-45 minutes or more or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top appears dry. Let rest in the tin for 15-20 minutes, then carefully run a butter knife along the edges and invert onto cooling racks. Let cool completely.

FOR FROSTING: Add almond milk to mixing bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Immediately add chocolate to warm milk – let it set until is melts. Then stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then add coconut oil and cover. Let rest untouched for about 10 minutes.

Use your mixer (or a whisk) to beat the mixture together. Then add 1 cup powdered sugar, mix again, and put it in refrigerator to set for 20 minutes. When it thickens a bit, take it out of the fridge and add mix in the rest of the powdered sugar – it is ready to go!

Remove from fridge and beat again. If it’s still too thin, add another 1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Transfer the bottom layer of the cooled cake to a serving plate/dish. Spread a layer of frosting on the top of the bottom layer. Carefully top with second layer and frost the top generously, then the sides. Using a butter knife yields a smooth surface.

Add hazelnuts around the the sides of the cake. Slice and serve.