Velvety Chocolate Cake with Lavender Cream

Yay! The new year has started and I am literally beyond gratitude for 2019. I moved by love to California, not for love. That's a big difference. I jumped into the deep end. It was a hard beginning in 2019 by letting go (temporarily) of family and friends in Portugal and Holland. But I did it. And I am grateful that I trusted my gut feeling. I felt I had to make this step and that I was so supported in this transition to the United States, California. It gave me the chance to study with this amazing Amba movement teacher, with a midwife and to do more doula courses. 

The biggest lesson for me was that the more we resist letting go the harder life is on us. The easier we let go, the smoother our life flows. I had to let go of many things. Now, I feel so blessed in having this experience because this makes me a better (postpartum) doula. By experiencing a relatively small transition within myself, my service to the future holds that much greater awareness and teachings. So thank you life, for this.

2019 was the year of change and many teachings, and I am entering the new year with so much gratitude. Gratitude for the friends, the love in my life and the community we are part of here in Topanga, the beautiful new mothers I am meeting, and the teachings I have received. 

Sounds like something worth celebrating, right?

chocolate cake,

soft like velvet

melting on your tongue,

caressing your throat 

vegan, glutenfree but

tasting like it contains dairy (this cake was a big hit over the new year and on christmas - I got questioned many times: Really, it doesn't have dairy? No, it is dairy free, and glutenfree.) 

In the first place, I need to give credits to @noracooks. My first try was based on her recipe, but I developed it over time with the ingredients that I love. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tapioca flour (gives spongy texture)

• 1 3/4 cups coconut sugar or 1 cup monkfruit sweetener

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup boiling water (best tip by @noracooks to add a cup of boiling water just before you put the cake into the over, this will keep the cake moisty)

• 1,5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

• Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl 

• Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl

• Combine the wet and dry ingredients and whisk well

• Cover the bowl and let it is it for a few hours (overnight is best) 

• Heat the oven at F 350

• Bake the cake for 30 min