Paleo Vanilla Yogurt Cake & Salt Chocolate Frosting
This Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Salt Chocolate Frosting had me all weak in the knees.
Velvety, voluminous cocoa and mineral rich pink Himalayan salt infused floof tops a moist, tall confection for total Paleo cake connoisseur pleasure.
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My top tips for making this cake:
1) Set butter out a day ahead at room temp to soften so that the Salt Chocolate frosting is not chunky or runny.
2) When in doubt – UNDER-BAKE yo Vanilla Yogurt Cake. Do not not not over-bake.
Coconut flour is drying and super absorbent, so when it is overcooked this ingredient’s desert-like characteristic is totes magnified.
3) Double the frosting if you’re an icing whore like me. I was satisfied with the layer you see pictured, but I always want MORE. FATTY SUGARY GOODNESS. On me CAKEZ. Yasss.
4) You can sub dairy free kefir – or dairy free milk + a tablespoon more of apple cider vinegar – for the yogurt if that’s what you have on hand, just omit the water and make up the volume difference with kefir/milk.
5) The frosting will harden when you refrigerate it, so you can slice a piece off then set it on the counter for 30 minutes to thaw out a bit before eating for a creamy Salt Chocolate Frosting (or pop it in the microwave at half power for about 10 to 15 seconds)
A sad note about substitutions
Since the flours listed were tested to work in tandem, substituting them is 100% likely to result in a different cake texture, rise height, and flavor.
Almond flour creates a softness.
Tapioca starch creates binding and silkiness.
Coconut flour helps to poof it out and create less density between the other two flours.
So I am very very sorry to my fellow autoimmune warriors with several food restrictions, I was not able to make this elimination compliant.
If you are in need of AIP treats – here is a Pumpkin Pie in a Mug and also my super popular Fudgecake Brownies so I don;t leave you hanging.
Also if you have reintro’d eggs but not nuts, this Lava Mug Cake is an easy nut-free cake option!
It also has eggs which make for all the floof – and I don’t recommend trying a gelatin egg or the whole thing may explode in your oven (okay that was super dramatic – actually the likely result would be a flat goo Vanilla Yogurt cake).
So, it’s not the most allergy friendly Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Salt Chocolate Frosting but it’s definitely gluten-free and grain-free.
And you can substitute sustainable, ethical palm shortening for the butter if you need to go the dairy free-route, but in my health coaching practice I’ve found that many of my clients do well with grass fed butter as a successful reintroduction.
Have your cake honey, you deserve it!
Health coach nudge: Just be sure to balance with all the other real-food groups and watch your overall sugars intake for the day.
Cake hugs!
Paleo Vanilla Yogurt Cake & Salt Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Beaters
- Oven
Ingredients
DRY
- 1.5 c almond flour
- 3/4 c + 2 T tapioca starch
- 1/4 c + 1/3 c coconut flour
- 1/4 c coconut sugar
- 1/2 c finely ground maple sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
WET
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt
- 3/4 c water
- 1/2 T ACV
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
FROSTING
- 12 ounces 1.5 c grass-fed salted butter (like Kerrygold), softened overnight at room temp (sub 1.5 c palm shortening + 3/4 tsp sea salt for dairy-free)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 c finely ground maple sugar
- 1/2 c + 3 T cocoa powder
Instructions
CAKE
- Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish.
- Mix together dry ingredients in stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together wet ingredients separately in large mixing bowl, then slowly pour wet into dry while beating on low.
- Stir batter well, scraping bottom thoroughly, then pour into baking dish.
- Bake 18 to 25 mins, or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not over bake or it will be dry due to the coconut flour. (Under-bake when in doubt, because gooey cake is better than dry cake!)
- Cool completely (about 2 hours), then make the frosting.
FROSTING
- Beat butter and vanilla together until smooth, then beat in the maple sugar.
- Beat in the cocoa until creamy, then slather over tops of completely cooled cakes.
- Serve at room temperature. Store covered well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Thaw leftovers on countertop for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving to soften the frosting and cake.