Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

       Everywhere you look this month, it seems there is chocolate-covered everything!  So when I got my hands on some of the best locally grown strawberries I had ever seen, I knew I needed to come up with a chocolate-covered strawberry something…why not a cake?  And if it was going to be a cake, why not a vegan and gluten-free dessert?  I hope you enjoy this chocolaty creation!     

You'll need:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 cup cacao powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½  tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

½ cup pumpkin puree

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp Butter Flavor

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

½ cup Lily’s Chocolate Chips

¼ Cup Cacao Nibs

1 Cup Diced Fresh Strawberries

1 cup hot water

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease two 9" round cake pans.

       In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

   In a separate bowl, whip together coconut oil, pumpkin, coconut milk, vinegar, and vanilla.  Then slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Next, fold in the chocolate chips, cacao nibs, and strawberries.

       Add the hot water to the batter and mix well, until batter thins out.  Pour evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

       Once the cakes have finished baking, allow to cool completely before frosting. 

Marshmallow Fluff Frosting 

4 cups powdered sugar

11/2 cup palm shortening

1 tbsp vanilla extract

8 Dandies Vegan Marshmallows

So Delicious Coconut Milk, as needed

       Okay, so this may be the very same frosting recipe that I used in my Pumpkin Marshmallow cake...but...I just knew this was the frosting needed to make this cake a little piece of perfection.  If you’d rather use a simpler recipe, then just whip up the palm shortening with three cups of powdered sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla.  But for those of you who are willing to put in the extra effort to achieve maximum deliciousness, then follow the directions below for Vegan Marshmallow Fluff Frosting…

       To begin, use an electric mixer in a medium bowl and beat the palm shortening until light and fluffy.  Add in one cup of powdered sugar then whip until it is thick enough to make it hard to continue whipping.  Then add in the extracts and about half a tablespoon of coconut milk and mix well.  Add in another cup of powdered sugar and mix until completely combined.

       Spray a glass cereal bowl with cooking spray and place eight vegan marshmallows in the bowl.  Heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds.  Remove the bowl, stir, then mix in about two tablespoons of coconut milk.  Stick it back in the microwave for another 18-20 seconds.  Take out of the microwave and continue to stir, stir, stir. 

       Quickly fold the melted marshmallows into the frosting mixture.  Add a third cup of powdered sugar followed by a splash of coconut milk.  Finally, whip in the last cup of powdered sugar and voilà!  You now have a VEGAN marshmallow fluff frosting!

        Assemble the cake layers, then fill, frost generously, serve, and enjoy!