Loving the BITE: Gimme Some Lovin’ Chocolate Cake

Right now, I’m needing a hug. Literally, just days after I wrote out my 2017 goals, I completely tore my ACL and MCL backcountry skiing, and my goals are no more. Or at least, not right now.

The last weekend in January I was having a great time skiing above Vail from the Polar Star Inn 10th Mountain Division Hut with my husband and friends. Blue skis, deep soft powder.

One minute you’re making tight turns in deep snow in the trees, the next a nauseously loud pop and a knee that can’t stop itself from folding inward toward the other knee.

Long story short, after a 1/2 mile crawl/slide back to the hut, and a 9 mile snowmobile rescue from a stranger (thank you, thank you Mark from Eagle, CO), we got home.

My knee is busted. I’ll be out of commission awhile, and still all the hard work is in front of me (surgery in mid-March). I’ll be channeling my inner Lindsay Vonn, and I’ll be looking forward to riding my bike (yay!) as soon as I’m cleared.

But what does this have to do with cake and Loving the Bite? A lot. While I’m not promoting emotional eating, sometimes chocolate cake for breakfast vs. oats or eggs puts a bigger smile on my face. Smiles are good for healing.

The best part of this cake? You can have your cake, eat it too, and feel great, maintain or obtain a lean cycling weight, and stay satisfied throughout your morning.

It’s not your mama’s chocolate cake.

In fact, if may be a bit different than any cake you’ve had. It tastes great AND is dare I say(?), healthy. It takes a few “special” (but now easily obtainable) ingredients. It’s gluten-free, can be dairy-free, and is perfectly appropriate for breakfast, lunch, or a half-portioned daytime snack. Interested?

I thought so. Satisfy your chocolate needs and smile big with this one every day of the week!

Recipe of the Week: Delicious Chocolate Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup raw cocoa powder
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup real maple syrup or raw honey
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp grassfed (if possible) butter
• 4 cage-free eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup 70%+ cocoa chocolate chunks

Optional Frosting:

• 1 Tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 2 (1/2-inch) slices banana
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Combine all dry ingredients (first 5) in a small bowl.
2. Add the maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, melted butter, eggs and mix well.
3. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
4. Spoon batter into an 8×8 baking pan, 2 6-inch round cake pans (for a layered cake) or 12 cupcake circles.
5. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes (cakes) or 15 minutes (cupcakes) or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6. If adding frosting, mix all ingredients, mashing and mixing banana, until at desired consistency.
7. Remove the cake, add frosting just before serving (can also dip into frosting), and enjoy.

Nutrition information (12 servings, with optional frosting): Approx. 351 calories, 23 grams carbs, 6 grams fiber, 9 grams protein.

Training Nutrition: Can be consumed 90-120 minutes before training up to 2 hours…if longer training, I recommend adding additional carbohydrates such as a whole banana. To use as a delicious real-food recovery snack, add extra protein on the side.

Comments:

What seperates this cake from any other and makes it appropriate for a non-dessert meal or snack? In short, it’s the absence of refined carbs and sugars, and the inclusion of protein and healthy fats.  That’s it.

To achieve a switch-a-roo like this, we:

1. First replaced the regular grain-flour with nut and coconut flour. If you’re not familiar with these, they are simply ground nuts and coconut. They are widely used in gluten-free recipes, and with some trial and error can be used in many baked goods. When using coconut flour, you’ve got to be careful to not get over-zealous and use it solely; it absorbs fluids like crazy, and will ruin many recipes if used by itself.  Both are grain-free, gluten-free, good sources of fiber and protein, and are moderately low in carbs.
2. Next, we cut out any refined sugars and depended on the natural sweetness in cocoa and coconut plus moderate amounts of raw/real honey, maple, and high-polyphenol cocoa chunks.  No corn syrups, no sugar, no blood sugar swings.
3. Third, we replaced some butter with coconut oil, used grass-fed cow’s butter, and whole eggs (including yolks) for fats.  We skip the hydrogenated oils found in boxed mixes and stick with the natural fats.

Sounds good to me. I’ll keep working on my goals, and I do vow to still have more laugh lines than brow furrows. And this week, we can both have our cake and eat it too. My apologies to your mama.

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.

If you’d like to work with Kelli one-on-one with a Custom Nutrition Plan & Coaching, or download one of her acclaimed Instant Download Plans like Fuel Right Race Light, click here: Apex Nutrition Plans for Endurance Athletes. Be sure to use coupon code lovingthebike for a 15% discount!