When I was a child I did a lot of baking. Gluten-full baking. As I’ve mentioned, my mother is in the culinary world: there was no shortage of experimenting, new foods, tasting, chopping, and the like in my house. I often volunteered/got volunteered for the baking of the desserts. I’ve mentioned those amazing lemon squares I grew up baking, and one of the other standby recipes was a layered chocolate cake with mocha butter-cream frosting. It came from the Cafe Beaoujolais cookbook we had in the house for years and years. I remember making this for many birthdays in the house and I attribute my frosting skills to this cake- years and years of practice.

While I can’t actually make the recipe I grew up making, I finally found a recipe that comes pretty derned close. It’s delicious. It’s simple. And it’s a real live chocolate cake. Gluten and dairy free of course. The frosting is adapted from the Cafe Beaujolais cookbook. It was an experiment, and I’d say it worked. Oh holy delicious.

Another staff meeting, another birthday cake experiment. The cake recipe is straight Elana’s Pantry. But here’s the frosting:

Mocha Buttercream Frosting
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2.5 Tablespoon instant espresso
1 teaspoon boiling water
1 cup earth spread, softened
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk

Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water. It should make a thick paste. In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and the espresso mixture over low heat. Be sure to stir and don’t let the chocolate burn. Let cool slightly. Place all of the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend thoroughly. Add the chocolate and coffee mixture and blend. Chill until it is at spreading consistency, about 15 minutes. It keeps in the fridge for awhile if need be- bring back to just cooler than room temperature to spread.