Food From Friends: Chocolate Cake with Buttercream & Strawberries

Recipe by Olivia Scott

Olivia is a cookbook author and operates a holistic wellness business based in Auckland. For more information, follow her on @lovebyolivia or visit www.lovebyolivia.com.

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream & Strawberries

With the festive season so close to kicking off, we like to prepare ourselves with some go-to dessert and dinner recipes ready for whatever the season throws at us. We luckily got our hands on this delicious cake recipe, courtesy of our lovely friend and dessert queen, Olivia Scott. She’s sharing her tried and tested gluten-free, dairy-free Chocolate Cake with Buttercream and Strawberries.

EQUIPMENT

• 22cm cake pan (or if you have two, use both)
• Egg beaters

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup white sugar (alternatively you could use xylitol/erythitol as low sugar option)
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• 1 ½ cups brown rice flour
• ¾ cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 cup oat/almond/milk of choice
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ½ cup coffee (3 shots, or strong plunger)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup boiling water

Icing

• 2 cups icing sugar 
• ½ cup vegan butter (or normal butter)
• A few drops of natural pink food colouring
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 punnets strawberries

METHOD

Cake

1. Grease and line a 22cm cake pan (if you have two, grease both).
   
2. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. 
   
3. In a large bowl, add white sugar, coconut sugar, rice flour, raw cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until smooth powder forms. 
   
4. Using the whisk, add each wet ingredient at a time, adding the boiling water at the end. 
   
5. If you are using two cake pans, pour half into each pan. Otherwise, pour half of the mixture into your cake pan, and place into the oven for 35 minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean. 
   
6. Leave the cake to sit for 30 minutes to cool. Use a sharp knife to remove from the sides before removing the cake from the pan.
   
7. Repeat again if you are using one cake pan.

Icing

1. Bring the butter/vegan butter to room temperature. Using egg beaters, beat for 5 minutes or until whipped. 
   
2. Sieve icing sugar 1 cup at a time and continue to beat. Once icing sugar is well mixed, add the vanilla and drops of food colouring to preference. Mix using a spoon.
   
3. Slice strawberries lengthways, remove tips, and set aside.
   
4. Arrange your cake by icing both layers with half of the icing on each layer. Make sure your cake is completely cool.
   
5. Use a cake knife or the back of a large spoon to flatten the edges. Arrange strawberries flat across the first layer. You can be creative for the top layer.
   
6. If you have extra garnishes, you can also use freeze-dried berries, pistachios, coconut, or chopped chocolate on top.
   
7. Place the top onto the bottom and gently press down. 
   
8. When ready to serve, enjoy with a dollop of yoghurt or on its own.