Recipe
Mocha-Maple-Carob Cake and Mocha-Carob Icing
Accompanying article: Carob and Chocolate
Makes one 9 x 9 inch cake
It looks like a chocolate cake but is uniquely and inimitably carob. If the carob powder is not pre-roasted, then lightly pan toasting it will enhance its flavor. To toast, place carob in a warm, dry skillet and roast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until it's aromatic and its color is one shade darker.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
one-half cup roasted carob powder, sifted if necessary
2 teaspoons baking powder
one-half teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup maple syrup
one stick (8 tablespoons) softened butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup liquid coffee, decaf, or grain “coffee” such as Pero or Caffix
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mocha-Carob icing recipe (see below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and spray sides of the pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, carob powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In a small bowl, cream together the maple syrup and butter. Mix in the eggs, coffee and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until the flour is absorbed and any lumps are dissolved.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Set on a rack to cool completely. Then run a knife along the outside and center edges and unmold.
Spread on the icing before serving.
You might wish to double this recipe. Use half to ice the Mocha-Carob Cake and save the remainder. The icing keeps refrigerated for up to 10 days and is excellent spread on a cookie or cracker for those times when you're wanting chocolate now.
Makes about 1 and one-half cups.
1 cup smooth almond or cashew butter
6 tablespoons maple syrup
6 tablespoons roasted carob powder
1 tablespoon powdered coffee, decaf, or grain “coffee” such as Pero or Caffix
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 to 6 tablespoons cream or soymilk
In a food processor or blender, mix the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Process until smooth. Blend in just enough cream to achieve a spreading consistency.
May you be well nourished,
Rebecca Wood