Cinnamon-Chocolate Spiced Cake with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
/What is it like?
-light
-gently spicy
-soft chocolaty buttercream
Recipe
Makes one 9-inch round cake or one 8 x 8 inch cake. This recipe can be used to make cupcakes or whoopee pies.
dry
1 1/2 cups (218g) flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp psyllium husk powder or 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp (8g) cocoa powder
generous 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
wet
scant 3/4 cup (157g) sunflower oil
1 cup (250g) sugar
2 eggs (107g)
1/2 cup (125g) unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup (90g) water
2 tsp vanilla
filling
1/2 cup raspberry jam (if making a two-layered cake)
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
3 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup (113 g) butter or Earth Balance for vegan
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla, optional
1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking dish and line the bottom with parchment paper. If you’re doing so, make sure that your 8x8 baking dish is at least 1 1/2 inches tall. Or, for a layered cake, grease the sides of two 9-inch round cake pans with oil or butter. Cut two round parchment circles, and place them in the bottom of the pans for easy release.
In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl whisk together the wet ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and whisk just until most of the lumps are gone. Pour the batter into your baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes or just until the middle springs back when pressed. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the buttercream: While the cake bakes, prepare the buttercream. In a large metal bowl (that will fit over a pan of simmering water) add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches about 150°F.
Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on high until they are glossy and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. At this point, the mixture should be around room temperature.
Beat in the butter one tablespoon at a time. If the mixture separates, keep mixing until it comes back together. Beat in the vanilla, salt, and cooled melted chocolate. If you’re buttercream ends too runny to spread, just put it in the fridge to thicken while the cake cools. Using a spatula, place frosting in the middle of the top of the cake and gently frost it outward with the spatula trying to avoid picking up crumbs. Keep the cake in the fridge if it’s not ready to consume.
