Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

Yesterday we celebrated my father-in-law's 68th birthday.  I was in charge of the cake.  How I wish I had a picture for you, but alas, my phone died, and so I couldn't take a picture.  The really funny thing is that before we even went up to his house for the party, I had the thought, "You should take a picture of the cake before you go."  I should have listened.  Didn't.  It's not the end of the world, and the decorating job wasn't all that great!  My princess helped me with it.  I figured that he is old enough that he would have appreciated her decorating more than a professional one anyway (sentimental feelings).  Everyone loved the cake, and not all of them are on special diets. So, here is my recipe:

GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE

(Makes two 9 in. rounds or 1 9x13 cake)

1 C. brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)

1 3/4 Gluten Free Flour mix (see below for details)

3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 C. soy milk or rice milk

1/2 C. olive oil

2 t. vanilla extract

1 C. boiling water

Preheat oven to 350F (175 degrees C).  Grease pan(s) of choice.  

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  Add the eggs, milk of choice, oil and vanilla.  Mix well.  Stir in the boiling water last.  The batter should be thin.  Pour into pans.  

Bake for 30-35 minutes until nothing sticks on toothpick or cake tester when inserted into the middle.  Remove from oven.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Frost as desired.

*Notes:  I make my own gluten free flour mix.  Here's how I do it: I pour 5 cups sweet brown rice and 3 cups hulled millet into my grinder.  To this I add 2 1/2 C. tapioca starch.  I mix this well using my Kitchen Aid, handheld mixer or a long handled spoon.  Then I measure the flour out and ADD 1 t. Xanthan gum per 2 cups flour.  I place the flour mixture into a large old Tupperware container and it is ready to use just as you would regular flour.  If you don't have my mix on hand you can use any gluten free flour mix you'd like.  If you don't have a mix, but just bags of individual flours, use the following proportions: 1/2 of needed amount of rice, sorghum, or another that is not really starchy, and then 1/4 of needed amount of two others.  One of these should be starchy ie: tapioca starch or potato starch in order to achieve the same consistency and texture.

This is the only cake I am allowed to make at my house, because everyone always requests it.  Which, I think that is a good thing.  There was only piece left of it last night, but I am told that it got polished off soon after I left.

Hope you are inspired to create something wonderful in the kitchen! -Dari