Cherry Chocolate Snow Cake

It's been a winter wonderland for the last 10 days here in Michigan- so much snow! We are not complaining (now)- just enjoying the cozyness and the excitement the snow brings as it ushers in more Christmas spirit. I'm sure when January rolls around we will be a little more whiney about the constant shoveling and delays that snow brings, but for now I am truly enjoying the quiet and still gorgeous beauty of the snow falling. There is something magical in watching the world be glittered with gentle white powder sprinkles from the sky.  It stills the racing heart if you let it- something to sit and do amongst the crazy season of shopping, baking, wrapping and parties.

My kids saw this cake I was making and thought the sprinkle of powdered sugar on top looked like the beautiful snow and called it the snow cake :) Seems appropriate because we have been watching snow fall for so many days now. A cake is always needed to celebrate if you ask me and chocolate and cherries always help no matter what the season :)

This week also marks the Winter Solstice on Wednesday at 5:44 EST.  So the "shortest" day of the year for us in the Northern Hemisphere with the darkest day and hours of sunlight you can count on your hands. Traditionally the Winter Solstice is a time to reflect in the darkness and to journey deep within to restore and nourish from the inside out. I think the body observes these cycles whether we are aware or not- this shift in our world is happening whether we are present in it or not. So, being aware allows us to dig deeper into our thoughts, hearts and soul. I can appreciate the space to do this, if I actually allow myself to slow down and live fully present in this gift of life.

I have been enjoying my time in the kitchen this Christmas season. I know it may seems a little unreal or crazy that I do so much baking at my house.... but it is just a part of me. It may even be said to be "easy" for me to bake, cook, create. And it is most days- but I see it as my gift to share. That's what these recipes and blog is all about-it comes from a place in me that needs to be shared and given. I truly see what I have been given a gift- my life, my loved ones, my kids, and every detail of my little livelihood. But what brings me more hope, joy, purpose is when I can share what I have been given. The recipes are my gift to you. I hope they find you so that you can create them and share and enjoy them too. I know that it is not much when it comes to all that is hard and difficult in our world- but if it makes your home and life a little brighter- in the simplest of ways- then I know it was worth creating and sharing. 

So I hope you enjoy and have the merriest of Christmases with moments of hope, peace, joy and LOVE. You have been given the greatest gift of love and now it's our turn to share it too. Merry Christmas and much love and light to you xoxo

Cherry Chocolate Snow Cake Recipe
{free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, nuts and seeds}

1 1/4 cup of gluten free oat flour
2/3 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1/4 cup of coconut flour
3/4 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
2 ts. of baking powder (I use Hain brand)
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt

1/3 cup of applesauce
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1 cup of date puree ***This involves pouring 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup of pitted dates and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes and then blending in a high powered blender to whip up a creamy date-pudding like substance.

1 ts. of pure vanilla
1 cup of warmed coconut oil
1 cup of coconut milk beverage (I use So Delicious)
2 TB of apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup of chocolate chips morsels (Enjoy life brand)

2 cups of frozen chopped pitted cherries, halved (I used ones from last summer pickings in our freezer, but any frozen cherry will do, tart or sweet)

First grind your GF oat flour and mix well with all the other dry ingredients. Then mix in the wet ingredients, date puree and lastly the warmed oil. Mix well and you will start to see the vinegar and baking powder do it's work and make the batter poof up a bit. Fold down and then mix in the chocolate chips, and then lastly the halved frozen cherries

Pour in a coconut-oil-lined baking pan. I baked mine in a bundt or angel food cake pan. But you could also make this in a 9x9 circle or square pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until it is no longer wet and giggling. The cake should show a clean toothpick from the middle of the cake and firm, but soft. no wetness. Pull from the oven and let it cool completely.

When it is cool completely, you can use a sieve and sift powdered sugar over the top looking like snow falling on such a dark chocolate cake. I use about 1/4 cup of sugar, and I use the organic powdered sugar because it is processed with tapioca starch and no corn. 

Set up with some fresh cherries, cranberries, or green grapes for a little red and green color with the cake. It is a rich cake, but some coconut ice cream or whipped topping is a nice touch too. 

Hope you ENJOY! Happy Baking :)