231 Comments / By Lisa Leake / August 5, 2011 / Recipes
32 Reviews / 4.7 Average
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, this whole-wheat chocolate cake recipe is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to make a cake from scratch without spending days in the kitchen or having the end result look like it was decorated by a 4-year-old. And while this cake does contain sugar, it's so much better made from scratch than the box cake batter.
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Earlier this year my daughter asked me if I could “write” Happy Birthday on top of her homemade cake, and I practically laughed out loud at the thought of what that would look like. So cake-decorating skills or not…absolutely anyone can make this “tie dye” cake turn out beautifully. And don’t be afraid to switch up the colors. I used peaches and raspberries in the pictured version, but if you want it to be more “boyish” blueberries would add some great color as well.
Before we switched to “real food” I used to make birthday cakes out of a box topped with frosting from a tub mixed with food coloring from little squeeze bottles. I’ve always loved to bake, but I never used to make cakes from scratch because I didn’t have a good “go-to” recipe and I also didn’t know any better! Now that we’ve cut all highly processed food from our diets I prefer a cake made from scratch with only a few simple ingredients when it comes time for those special celebrations. No matter how much we say junk food is okay in moderation I almost never want the highly processed, factory-made, artificial version anymore. So as I mentioned in my previous whole-wheat chocolate chip cookie recipe, this cake “breaks the real food rules” a little, but I would much rather you make this for your next celebration instead of relying on Betty Crocker (or worse – your grocery store bakery)! Feel free to check out the ingredient list for those options if you don’t believe me that this is a much better choice. :)
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, this whole-wheat chocolate cake recipe is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to make a cake from scratch without spending days in the kitchen or having the end result look like it was decorated by a 4-year-old. And while this cake does contain sugar, it's so much better made from scratch than the box cake batter.
32 Reviews / 4.7 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 18 minutes mins
Total Time: 28 minutes mins
Course: Treats
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 14 slices
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour (organic pastry or white winter wheat recommended)
- 1 cup all purpose flour ((or cake flour) organic recommended, or can sub whole-wheat flour)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I recommend Hershey’s Special Dark)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cups sugar (organic recommended)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 eggs (organic recommended)
- 2/3 cup coconut oil (or melted butter (1:1))
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- butter (for greasing pans)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans or other sized baking dish.
In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients including flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Make a well (hole) in the middle of the dry ingredients and drop in the water, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix by hand with whisk until well blended.
Distribute batter evenly into the two cake 9-inch pans and bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes clean. Let cool before adding frosting.
Notes
We recommendorganic ingredientswhen feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Whole-Wheat Chocolate Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 242Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 23mg8%
Sodium 54mg2%
Potassium 193mg6%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 35IU1%
Calcium 65mg7%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Whipped Cream Frosting and Berry Sauce
Whipped Cream Frosting and Berry Sauce
32 Reviews / 4.7 Average
Prep Time: 25 minutes mins
Total Time: 25 minutes mins
Course: Treats
Cuisine: American
Method: Baked Goods, Freezer Friendly
Diet: Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 3 cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream (organic recommended)
- 3 tablespoons sugar (organic recommended, to taste)
- 1 ½ recipe berry sauce (with water, reduced in half (subbing either frozen or fresh organic fruit for desired topping color for e.g. raspberries = bright red, peach or mango = orange, blueberries = blue, cherries = dark red). See link below.)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whip cream and sugar together using an electric mixer.
Meanwhile prepare berry sauce(s) with desired fruit for topping. Let sauce(s) cool.
Turn out one of the cooled cake rounds onto serving platter. Cover the top (that used to be the bottom) with whipped cream frosting. Lay second round cake layer directly on top of first frosted cake layer. Now cover the entire exposed cake with frosting including sides.
Put berry sauce into a squeeze bottle or alternatively you can try to drizzle sauce onto cake with a spoon. I used a “ketchup-style” squeeze bottle with the tip cut off to make the opening at the top a little wider.
Make colored circles on top of cake using berry sauce (pictured).
Using toothpicks start in the center of the cake and drag through the sauce to the edge. Repeat until desired look is achieved.
For best results serve within a few hours. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
Tools needed: squeeze bottle or spoon, and toothpicks.
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Whipped Cream Frosting and Berry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 869Calories from Fat 792
% Daily Value*
Fat 88g135%
Saturated Fat 55g344%
Cholesterol 326mg109%
Sodium 91mg4%
Potassium 179mg5%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 3500IU70%
Vitamin C 1.4mg2%
Calcium 155mg16%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Want weekly REAL FOOD meal plans made for you?→ Check It Out
Related Posts:Whole-Wheat Chocolate Cookies
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