CAKE:
- 100 grams medjool dates (~5-6, pitted)
- 150 ml water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ⅔ cup melted coconut oil
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup coconut sugar granules
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup buckwheat flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup sesame flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon guar gum
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cacao nibs
FROSTING:
- 1 cup tahini
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons melted cocoa butter
- ⅓ - ½ cup water
- GARNISH: ~2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
Yield: 1 8x8 cake
DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE:
1. Heat oven to 350˚. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
2. Add dates and water to small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until dates have disintegrated into paste. Puree with immersion blender.
3. Whisk coconut milk and coconut oil into date puree, set aside.
4. Beat eggs with coconut sugar and vanilla in large bowl until thick and frothy, 2-3 minutes.
5. Add date puree mixture into the eggs, whisking to combine. Beware: the date puree may still be warm, in which case you should temper the eggs by whisking the puree in a small amount at a time.
6. In separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (except cacao nibs).
7. Slowly whisk dry mixture into wet mixture until combined.
8. Stir in cacao nibs.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake is set on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then flip cake out of pan and cool completely on wire rack.
FOR FROSTING:
Yield: 1 ¾ Cups
1. Add tahini, maple syrup, salt, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter to blender. Mix on low until combined,
2. With the blender running on medium speed, slowly pour in water. Mixture will seize up at first, becoming thick and immovable, then it will yield and puree smoothly. Add water until desired texture is reached (err on the side of less water at first.
3. Chill frosting for at least 2 hours before using on cake.
4. Spread as much frosting as you like on top of cake and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Make sure toasted seeds have cooled to room temperature before sprinkling on top of cake to prevent them from melting the frosting. Reserve extra frosting in refrigerator for future use.
Recipe by Dan Kohler, 12/19/2019