Chef Emily's Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Chef Emily loves this gluten-free, vegan cake so everyone could enjoy the perfect holiday treat.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Ingredients

½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk

¾ tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax meal + 4 tbsp water)

¼ cup vegetable oil

⅓ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup cane sugar

¾ cup unsweetened applesauce 

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. espresso powder

½ cup almond flour

1 cup gluten free flour blend (we recommend Bob’s Red Mill baking 1:1 Mix)

Dairy-Free Peppermint Buttercream Ingredients

3 cups

1 cup vegan butter (we recommend Myokos or Country Crock) at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. peppermint extract

Crushed candy canes to decorate.

Instructions

Make flax egg and let sit for 10 minutes until a paste forms.

Combine almond milk and apple cider vinegar, allow to sit for 10 minutes and allow to coagulate. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the wet mix ingredients. Whisk to combine. 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. 

Incorporate the dry into the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined.

Prepare 6-inch cake rounds. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and dust pans with cocoa powder. 

Evenly distribute the batter between both pans. About ½ of the way up the pan. 

Place in Tovala Oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Rotate the positions of the pans 12 minutes into the cycle. 

Remove and allow to cool before icing. 

Make the icing.

In a stand mixer, add room temperature butter. Whisk until butter is well whipped. 

Gradually add in powdered sugar, on low speed. 

Add in extracts and almond milk. Whisk until incorporated and silky in texture. 

Frost and decorate cake!