Devil’s Food Carob Cake

courtesy of our in-house naturopathic chef Mahalia Freed ND

From Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen, a great whole foods vegan cookbook – buy it!
(Wheat-free, no refined sugar, no eggs or dairy, no caffeine) This is a moist, delicious, and really quite healthy (as cakes go) cake!

Oven: 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F

About 1/2 tsp oil or 1/4 tsp oil plus a 9 inch circle of baking parchment to line the bottom of a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan (or two if you are doubling the recipe for a double-layer cake)
1 2/3 cups spelt pastry flour
1/2 cup roasted carob powder
2 tablespoons grain coffee (I use Inka, Lorna Sass recommends Cafix)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
1 cup nondairy milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk works well, or soy milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups carob frosting (see recipe below)

Brush the bottom and sides of the cake pan with the oil, or brush the sides with oil and set the parchment paper in place. In a large bowl, combine the flour, carob powder, grain coffee, salt, and baking powder.
In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil, nondairy milk, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until the flour is absorbed and any lumps are dissolved. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30-40 minutes.
Set on a rack to cool for 30 minutes
Spread on icing shortly before serving.

Variations: Double-layer: double the recipe, using two 9x2-inch cake pans. Use 2 cups of frosting. Spread 1/3 of it between the two layers, 1/3 around the sides, and the remaining 1/3 on the top.
Carob Cupcakes: Bake the batter at 350 degrees F in half-filled, oiled muffin cups until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Ice with carob frosting if desired. Makes 15-16 cupcakes.

Carob Frosting Makes about 2 cups – enough to frost a double layer cake

1 cup cashew or almond butter at room temperature
6 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons roasted carob powder
3-6 tablespoons soy or almond milk

In a food processor (preferably) or blender, mix the nut butter with the maple syrup and vanilla. Process until smooth.
Add the carob powder and pulse on and off until the ingredients are thoroughly combined
Blend in just enough milk to achieve a spreading consistency.