Blood orange chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups / 240 g whole spelt flour
• ½ cup / 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup / 240 ml pure maple syrup
• 1¼ cups / 310 ml milk of your choice (nut, seed, rice … ) 6 tablespoons / 90 ml coconut oil, melted, plus extra for the pan 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 2½ cups / 280 g whole spelt flour 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup / 240 ml pure maple syrup
• 1¼ cups / 280 ml freshly squeezed blood orange juice (about 5 oranges) Grated zest of 2 organic blood oranges 6 tablespoons / 90 ml coconut oil, melted, plus extra for the pan 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• Dark chocolate date frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Lightly oil two 7–inch / 18 cm springform cake pans.
2. Make the chocolate cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla; whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to remove any lumps. Quickly whisk in the vinegar.
Make the Blood Orange Cake Batter
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, coconut oil, and vanilla; whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to remove any lumps. Quickly whisk in the vinegar.
4. Pour each bowl of batter into its own prepared cake pan. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 50 minutes. Set the cakes on a wire rack and let them cool for about 20 minutes, then remove the springform sides. Let the cakes cool completely (you may even want to bake them the night before).
5. Use a long knife to carefully slice each cake in half horizontally, creating four thin layers total.
6. Put one of the blood orange cake layers on a platter. Spread the top with about a quarter of the frosting. Put a chocolate cake layer on top, and spread with frosting. Repeat with the remaining layers. Serve. (The cake keeps rather well at room temperature, covered, for 5 days.)