Ingredients (makes one 9-inch bundt cake):

• 1 Cup strawberries, sliced horizontally

• Chocolate Cake

  • 1 1/2 Cups coconut sugar
  • 1 1/2 Cups milk of choice (I used hazelnut)
  • 1 Cup potato starch
  • 1 Cup sorghum flour – PLEASE NOTE: Potato starch, sorghum flour, and xanthan gum may be omitted if using 2 Cups wheat flour OR a different GF flour mix (that HAS xanthan gum).
  • 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 Cup avocado oil (or safflower, be sure it is a MILD oil – UNlike olive oil)
  • 4 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• Hazelnut Ganache

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1/2 Cup cashew butter OR make your own hazelnut butter!
    • 4 Cups raw hazelnuts, processed in your high-speed blender or food processor for 12 minutes.  You will need to scrape down the sides periodically).
  • 1 1/4 Cup hazelnut milk
  • 3/4 Cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 Cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a large mixing bowl, combine your flours, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder & soda, sea salt, and whisk until fully combined and there are no clumps.
2. Make a well in the center of your dry mix.  Add in your milk, oil, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and stir to fully incorporate.
3. Grease a bundt pan (or cake pan of choice).  Lay your sliced strawberries on the bottom.  Carefully pour your cake batter into the pan and smooth over the top.  Pop you cake into the oven for about 30-35 minutes (bundt pans will take longer as they are thicker. As such, if you are using a thinner cake pan please be sure to check your cake after about 20-25 minutes).  To ensure it is thoroughly baked, insert a knife near the center and gently pull out; if it pulls out cleanly your cake is ready!  Let cool before you remove it from the pan.  Once the pan is cool to touch, place a serving plate atop of your baking pan and carefully invert your cake onto your plate.
4. While your cake is baking, let’s whip up some hazelnut ganache!  Add all of the ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.  I simply spread the ganache around the cake (and then dolloped one, okay maybe a few, spoonfuls on top of my cake when serving).  Have extra ganache?  I put my leftover decadent chocolate ganache in ramekins, covered with saran wrap, and popped them in the fridge for a divine “pudding” dessert during the week! 

5. Enjoy eating whole!