German Chocolate Cake for One

 

What could be better than chocolate, coconut, and pecans? Baking them into a cake, of course!

For the Cake:

1 2/3 TBLSP cocoa powder

3 TBLSP all-purpose flour (you could substitute spelt or almond flour for gluten free)

1/8 teaspoon salt

I 2/3 TBLSP granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2-3 teaspoons vegetable or coconut oil (you can also substitute applesauce or mashed banana)

3 TBLSP almond milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1 cup pecans

1/4 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup water

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 TBLSP powdered sugar (or increase maple syrup to 3 TBLSP)

3 TBLSP coconut or other vegan butter

3 TBLSP shredded coconut

Pre-soak the pecans and dates for the frosting for at least two hours. Four is better. Eight is best.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two ramekins well.

Make the Cake:

1. Thoroughly combine cocoa powder, flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
2. Add in the oil, milk, and vanilla, and stir until it makes a nice smooth batter.
3. Pour the mixture divided evenly into the ramekins. You’ll want to bang them gently a few times to get the air bubbles out.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Wait for them to cool before removing them from the ramekins.

The cakes need to be completely cool before frosting them. Tra-la-la!

Make the Frosting:

1. Soak the pecans and dates in enough water to cover them. You need to do this early, because baking and cooling the cake won’t take that long and you’ll need a few hours to properly soften the nuts. Drain them completely.
2. In a blender, combine pecans, dates, water, salt, vanilla, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and butter (all of the frosting ingredients except the coconut), and blend well, until it’s smooth, like frosting.
3. If the frosting seems soupy, strain it. You should be able to spread the frosting with a knife and have it stick to a vertical surface.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Frost one of the little cakes and sprinkle a little coconut on it.
2. Set the other cake on top of the first one, and frost it too, and then work your way down the sides.
3. Sprinkle more coconut on top and press coconut into the sides. Top with a few pecans for decoration.