I didn’t plan on sharing another sweet treat for a while, but when I mentioned this gluten-free Mediterranean Chocolate Cake at my presentation at our local Women’s Forum last Saturday, suddenly everyone was rapt with attention. Yeah, I know … mentioning chocolate has a way of doing that!
I promised one particularly eager attendee, Deborah, that I should have the recipe for this gluten-free Mediterranean Chocolate Cake on my site in about a week. She was very interested in a recipe that was not only gluten free but also dairy free. So today I am honoring my promise!
What makes this particular chocolate cake Mediterranean? Think about that for a moment. What’s everyone’s favorite Mediterranean product that also happens to be so good for you?
Olive oil, of course. Rich and wonderful olive oil! As I’ve recently mentioned, I’m trying to eat more dairy free. I’ve also mentioned that we have several members of our support group who are both gluten free and dairy free.
In offering more dairy-free options, I am taking the same approach to dairy free as I’ve always taken towards gluten free. I’m looking for recipes that are naturally dairy free or can easily be made dairy free and, most importantly, taste just as good as their dairy counterparts.
Not all recipes shared here at gfe will be dairy free, but many will be. But, I don’t think you’ll ever have any complaints about the recipes you find here. Case in point, today’s gluten-free Mediterranean Chocolate Cake, which again happens to be dairy free as well.
When I was looking for guidance on how to substitute olive oil for butter the other day, I came across the Filippo Berio site. I found a handy substitution chart, which I’ve already printed out and put on the inside of the cabinet next to my stove.
But there’s so much more helpful data on Filippo Berio’s site, including a discussion on good fats versus bad fats and 12 Steps to Mediterranean Living. Remove the gluten factor (i.e., only use non-gluten grains, pasta, and breads) in the guidelines and you have advice that’s terrific for all of us.
Really. Check it out here. But I know, I know … you want to hear more about the cake. I’m getting to it. I promise.
This site also offers recipes and as you would expect, they all call for olive oil. As I scrolled through the recipes, the Mediterranean Chocolate Cake caught my eye.
I appreciated that the recipe only called for a small amount of flour (which always allows one to get a bit closer to tasting the core ingredients of a recipe). It also required unsweetened cocoa powder, which can be a nice non-dairy way to get one’s chocolate fix.
Cocoa also provides a simpler chocolate flavor than that offered by other ingredients like chocolate chips or baking chocolate. It’s also less expensive and easy to keep stocked in your pantry.
The recipe called for grated lemon peel. I had a lemon, but in the interest of time, I used some dehydrated orange peel I had on hand. It was supposed to rehydrate from the liquid in the recipe.
Unfortunately, it didn’t occur to me to test it before I added it to the batter. Apparently, it was too old and dried up to regenerate. (Hmmm, there might be a lesson there, but it’s not one that I want to acknowledge!) So the orange peel that didn’t come to life provided a little extra fiber, but no orange flavor. Therefore, a citrus factor is definitely optional.
Last, per usual, I adapted the recipe slightly by using gluten-free flour and adding a small amount of xanthan gum. The result is a beautiful and delicious cake that looks a lot like my Flourless Chocolate Cake but is more of a classic chocolate cake without the “death by chocolate” intensity. Still, everyone loved it … I think you will, too!
Oh, and it makes a perfect birthday cake, which you can see by this photo of my mom enjoying a slice on her birthday!
If you’re feeding a crowd or want really impressive results, turn the recipe into a two-layer cake by doubling it.
Gluten-Free Mediterranean Chocolate Cake (aka Chocolate Olive Oil Cake) Recipe
This simple one-layer chocolate cake is my "go to" cake recipe for friends' birthdays. Don't be disappointed by the single layer. This cake feeds quite a few people and has a lovely presentation. Of course, you can make two layers if you wish! Adapted from Filippo Berio. Some folks seem to be very sensitive to the flavor of olive oil and dislike it. If that's you, I don't recommend this cake. If you love olive oil, you will most likely enjoy this cake. However, I still recommend using an extra virgin olive oil with a great taste or a light olive oil, NOT just regular olive oil. You can also add 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel or orange peel to the batter if you like (adding it at the same time as the sugar). I prefer it without myself, but some folks love a citrus factor. If you get sidetracked after making the glaze and it hardens, just add a little water and warm slowly until you get the desired consistency. Filippo Berio states that this cake may be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen. Thaw cake, loosely covered, at room temperature before adding the glaze. One reader reported making this cake egg free:Gluten-Free Mediterranean Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
For the Glaze
Instructions
For the Cake
For the Glaze
Notes
"We did it and it was AMAZING!!! Eggs replaced with 2 oz. blended tofu, 2 oz. applesauce and two eggs worth of powdered egg replacer (do not mix with water). There is enough liquid between the applesauce and tofu to replace the liquid needed for the powdered egg replacer. Other than that we followed the recipe just like it is written."
Lauren says
Mmm, this looks really good. This twist on chocolate cake looks awesome, especially the lemon and the glaze on top =D.
glutenfreeforgood says
YIKES! My mouth is watering and it’s only 6AM. I want a piece of that cake! NOW!
But alas (big sigh), I’m not eating this kind of thing right now. I’ll definitely save this recipe for later though.
I love grated lemon peel in anything, but now that I think of it, I’ve never tried it in chocolate cake. Good idea. And thanks for the link to Filipo’s site. I’ll go check it out.
Melissa
Shirley says
Hi, Lauren! Good to see you. 🙂 Thanks. It is a very lovely cake.
I just caught up with your blog a bit. OMG on that completely homemade lasagna–pasta and all. You rock!
Shirley
Shirley says
Good morning, Melissa–That cake is pretty darn good! Make it when you are indulging again AND you have friends over … just sayin’. I am on a baking binge of sorts, but giving almost all away. Yesterday, our son showed up with two buddies and they devoured a ton of food, including my famous brown sugar chocolate chip cookies. Love feeding the ever-hungry young males. 😉 On today’s agenda is Katharine Hepburn brownies adapted from Noble Pig’s blog, more brown sugar chocolate chip cookies, and easy apple pie … plus meat loaf and pan-baked potatoes. I’m repaying one BIL for kindness, making a BD present for another, taking some cookies to mom and dad, and making a meal for some other relatives. It will be nice because I enjoy cooking/baking and it will all warm up the house, which is quite chilly at the moment. 😉
H.Peter says
We find lemon peel or any citrus fruit peel so pungent that we use them a lot.
But yes, never tried in a chocolate cake. Good concept.
My plan coincidentally was to make Chocolate Mousse today (Scharffen Berger) and use orange zest to make it taste a bit different. Not sure if it will work though.
Your cake looks amazing, Europe has some good tricks up her sleeves…..
Shirley says
H.Peter–Yes, pungent. I think just that little bit of lemon will add a nice pungent contrast to the chocolate. That’s what I was going for with the orange peel. I am quite fond of a little orange flavor in baked goods/desserts. Chocolate mousse using Scharffen Berger and orange zest! OMG, this is where the Star Trek age and being transported via computer would come in so handy!! I know you wouldn’t mind an extra taster. 😉 Europe indeed has some good tricks … lovely rich desserts with real ingredients that you don’t need a lot of to be satisfied. Your chocolate mousse fits that bill, too!
Shirley
Diane-thewholegang says
This looks devilishly good. It could make me do naughty things. I’m thinking I could drive an hour and come snatch it off your table, or you could start sending them in the mail. OK, now that I’m starting to breath again, can you give me some hints so I can change it up for a rice free cake? Also, sugar and I are not friends but agave can be nice to me. Have you ever switched out agave for the sugar? The rest should work for me. I’d love to have my son, our baker, get cracking on this. Oh, he’ll want to eat it too so he’ll have to use egg replacer. I think I’m going to have to print that photo and put it up on my refrigerator. Thank you Women’s Forum!
Shirley says
LOL, Diane … I know. First, it’s easy to change it to rice free. You can just use another GF flour mix of your liking. (I’ll make a note of that to reassure folks that they don’t have to use a rice flour mix.) I’d use one that’s more of a basic flour mix for baking though. Some folks use a GF buckwheat (make sure it’s GF, not all are) and others use a bean flour mix. Neither of those agree with me, but if they work for you, I’d try them. A finely ground almond flour should work well, also … like Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour.
As far as the agave, I’ve not yet done any baking with agave (although lots of my good friends do successfully … my dear friend, Jennifer, just made a delicious pumpkin bread with agave). Baking with agave is on my agenda, but I’d like to do more GF baking with honey first since we keep bees. Do you eat honey? I think this cake might work well with honey or perhaps a honey/demara sugar combo. I think egg replacers work well in most recipes, so I hope that won’t be a problem. Let us know about your experimenting and I promise to report back when I try this recipe again with variations.
Thanks so much!
Shirley
Autumn says
I can’t have sugar, but I can have honey. I think I’ll try this with just honey (I don’t about the glaze tho…):) We want to have chocolate cake or brownies with our ‘Famous Fudge Suace’ and fresh raspberries on top. YUM! I think this might work, THANK YOU!!!!
Shirley says
Hi Autumn–Looks like you are new here … welcome to gfe! 🙂 I love baking with honey as we keep bees. I think I’d use less honey than the amount required of sugar. You might look at this recipe for flourless chocolate banana honey walnut cake to see how to tweak the Mediterranean Chocolate Cake recipe. And, this Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe does have a glaze that includes honey. Unfortunately, it includes dairy, but it may give you an idea how to make a glaze that meets your needs. And, really, the Mediterrannean Chocolate Cake is great on its own, so with fresh raspberries, it would be lovely, or with your famous fudge sauce I’m sure it would be fabulous. 🙂 Please report back if you get a second … best of luck!
Shirley
Cindi says
I’m the only one in my family who isn’t a chocolate fan, but even I get cravings sometimes. (Dennis always knew when it was “that time of the month” because he’d catch me at the candy machine at work getting something chocolate!! I miss him!!) Anyway, this cake sounds delicious, so I think Olivia and I will have to tackle it sometime soon. She and Don are the biggest chocolate lovers here, so I’m sure they’d both flip over this. I have a recipe for taco soup I need to share with you. It’s actually a weight watchers-approved dish so it’s relatively good for you, although I always end up adding corn chips to the bottom of the bowl, and then a big glop of sour cream on the top . . . I’m not knowledgeable about GF foods, but I’m pretty sure this one already is or could easily be adapted. I meant to send it in a comment back on the mushroom chili post (OMG that sounds good!!), because it’s actually sort of a chili more than a soup. I love keeping up with your blog, Shirley – I keep adding to my recipe collection! And one of your readers has since discovered Don’s website and sent him a message, which is just awesome. He loves getting messages from my friends and my friends-of-friends. Hugs to you! We’ll be back up that way soon – we’ve had some delays, but will likely be there before the end of June.
Shirley says
Cindi–I seem to remember you liking my chocolate chip cookies pretty well. 😉 I think your biggest chocolate fans would love this cake. Pouring the glaze over at the end is so much more fun than frosting, too, but just as delicious. I know Olivia would like that part!
Taco soup sounds good. Please send the recipe on. Adding corn chips to the bottom of the bowl sounds like a fab idea! I add homemade tortilla chips/strips on top of my tortilla soup (hence, the name), so the opposite of what you do, but still very tasty. Be sure to try the “mushroom chili.”
Thank you, thank you for the kind words on GFE! And, how cool that one of my readers made it over to Don’s site. Life is all about connections … and, that’s a wonderful thing!
I am sure you’ll be back up here before you know it. Yes, I miss Dennis, too. I can hear his laugh and remember our lunches and conversations. Good times.
xo,
Shirley
Carol, Simply...Gluten-free says
Yum, this looks so moist! I am craving some chocolate right now. Thanks for all your support on my travels through China! I look forward the comments on my blog, it keeps me in touch!
Shirley says
Thanks, Carol. It is wonderfully moist. Another bennie of olive oil. 🙂 Hmmm, I guess chocolate is not something China is known for. I am vicariously enjoying Shanghai through your words and pics!
Shirley
Kay says
This looks like a great addition to my Easter or Mother’s Day menu. None for me. Rats! But the rest of the family LOVES chocolate. I keep hoping I’ll get some of my forbidden foods back one day. Chocolate tops my wish list.
I am loving my latest sorgum/millet/potato starch gf flour mix. Had trouble finding millet flour around here. So I went to Bob’s Red Mill website. Not only did I find cheap millet flour, but also millet meal. I’ve never seen it in any store. I hope to try it in place of corn meal in some recipes soon. (No corn for me.) It can also be cooked up like grits. This is MAJOR for me!
Too busy working on the chicken coop and gardens to blog. Winter weather is back today, so maybe I’ll get to do some indoor projects.
Shirley says
Kay–You are a really good sport to make desserts you can’t yet enjoy yourself! (Notice that “yet” … I’m hopeful, too, you’ll get some of your favorites back.) But, offering this cake will make you VERY popular! 😉 Yippee on finding a new flour mix that works for you. I’ve never heard of millet meal either. It sounds like it’s a great solution for you though. I’ll keep it in mind to share with my group members who have corn issues as well.
Your loyal readers forgive you for going AWOL from your blog to tend to such important matters. 😉 I was listening to an audiobook today on cooking that extolled the merits of eggs from free-range chickens. Of course, we all know that, but it was interesting to hear descriptions of the bad and the good–well, the good anyway. Your chickens will have good eggs, Kay!
Thanks for taking time away from your chickens, worms, and gardens to comment!
Shirley
noble pig says
This looks like the kind of sinful deliciousness I love to eat…Wow, very, very, very nice!
Shirley says
Noble Pig–“Sinful deliciousness” … love that term! I hope you make this cake and it lives up to that description. I think it will. 😉
Thanks, Cathy!
Shirley
Nance says
Looks lovely, Shirley. Just wanted to pass on a tip: when making chocolate cake, I usually “flour” the pan with cocoa powder when the recipe calls for flouring the pan. GF people will find this helpful, and other bakers will appreciate not having the whitish coating on the cakes. (I know this recipe doesn’t call for it, however.) Also, I’m glad you subbed in orange for the lemon, even though your orange peel didn’t really seem to “work.” Orange and chocolate are such a nice flavor combination, that I would use a zester and add the zest of an orange to the glaze. I bet it would be terrific.
Your recipes are always so nice to use as they are, plus play around with!
Shirley says
Nance–That is a great tip. 🙂 You’re right it’s very helpful for those of us who are GF, and I don’t mind a little more chocolate either. The olive oil is what makes “flouring” unnecessary in this recipe. I prefer orange over lemon with chocolate, so next time I will follow your suggestion and add some orange zest. Can’t wait! Last, I do love flexible recipes, so thanks!
Shirley
V-Grrrl says
Looks delicious. I love that it has olive oil in it–my cardiologist would approve!
Shirley says
Thanks, V! I try my best to work with the medical community. 😉
Shirley
therese says
Shirley, that looks like my favorite kind of icing. Love it when it just barely crackles under your fork and gives way to soft, creamy chocolate.
Will add it to the must-try list.
Shirley says
Therese—You’ve described that icing perfectly! I am glad you could discern that from the photo. 🙂 Thank you!
Shirley
Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) says
Shirley –
I like the little Easter figures in the photo. I am not at all prepared for another Holiday, not yet anyways. I am back to the blogging world after a 2 week break – we have the chicken pox running through our house now and I have been trying to finish my next cookbook!
The cake looks great! I have not tried putting chocolate and lemon together. I will have to give it a whirl!
Thanks! -Ali 🙂
Shirley says
Ali–Although I am not into figurines much, I have a lifelong fondness for bunnies so I do have a few bunny ones. Maybe they’ll make their way into another photo this week. 😉
Oh, boy, chicken pox … I thought something might be up since I had seen that you had not posted recently. I am sure you need a major break after dealing with CP and the little ones. And, finishing your next cookbook! Wow, all your fans will be thrilled to hear about that.
I think either lemon or orange enhances the chocolate flavor just a bit. As far as grapeseed oil, I have not tried it yet. I didn’t know it was relatively inexpensive. Definitely a plus. I really like coconut oil, but right now it doesn’t like me. I might reintroduce it later.
Thanks and hugs “mom nightingale”! 🙂
Shirley
Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) says
Oh – I forgot to mention that grapeseed oil makes a great baking oil. It has a mild, buttery flavor. I use it a lot in baking. I also use melted virgin coconut oil but sometimes I don’t want a strong coconut flavor. Grapeseed oil is also relatively inexpensive!
-Ali 🙂
Alisa - Frugal Foodie says
Oh wow, that looks soooo good! I love using olive oil with chocolate, the two flavors go together so well.
Shirley says
Hi, Alisa! Welcome to GFE! Thanks. 🙂 I have to agree about olive oil and chocolate. Even years before going gluten free, I had read a tip that one person’s secret to rich fudgy brownies was using olive oil. And, that makes them so much better for you than brownies made with corn oil or the like.
I like your nickname and concept. Eating the GFE way is naturally more frugal! 😉 Off to check out your blog some …
Shirley
Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) says
OK – I just checked. The grapeseed oil is from Napa Valley Naturals and it was $4.69 for 12.7 ounces. So a little less than what we pay for olive oil. I bet it would be good in this cake!
-Ali 🙂
Shirley says
Ali–Thanks so much for looking up that info! I really do want to try it. I know some other GF bloggers also use grapeseed oil. I need to check on its health benefits vs olive oil. Thanks for giving me the push! I know it won’t be carried at our local grocery, which is “bare bones,” but it might be available at the much better grocery store I occasionally stop at. 🙂
Shirley
RobinSue says
Hurray for sweet treats! I have seen that gluten free baking mix but wow is it ever pricy. Any ideas where I can get it cheaper than 5 bucks for a tiny little bag?
Shirley says
Robin Sue– 🙂 on the hurray! we all love our treats, don’t we? The cost is one reason I don’t typically buy the pre-made GF flour mixes (that and most of them I don’t care for or they bother me because of the starches used). I make my own using Asian white rice flour, which is very finally ground (more so than what I’ve seen labeled as GF flours), and cornstarch. It’s 3 parts Asian white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch. So, for example, I usually use 3 lbs of the rice flour mixed with 2 lbs of the cornstarch to make 5 lbs. That costs me about $5, because I get the rice flour for $1 a bag and the cornstarch for about $1 a box. If you have an Asian/ethnic market nearby, check it out for the white rice flour. Most recipes require adding some xanthan gum, too, but a small jar, although expensive, can last for years even for a heavy-duty baker like me.
Other pre-made flour options are Authentic Foods finely ground brown rice flour, about 3 lbs for $10, I understand. Still too pricy for me, but some folks like it. I have not tried it.
And, I have just tried Jules Gluten-Free Flour Mix. She has pretty good deals on it always. The latest deal is two bags with her e-cookbook. I just tried this flour mix this weekend and it is pretty terrific for that all-purpose flour taste. I will probably use this for my more “finicky” recipes. You can check it out at julesglutenfree.com.
Hope that helps, but email or comment again if you have more questions. 🙂
Shirley
RobinSue says
Shirley thanks for answering my question! I do have an Indian store near me that sells the rice flour so now I can play too! I have to be careful with some of the gluten free recipes as many call for almond flour which would be deadly in my home. I have a little one with tree nut allergies.
Shirley says
Hi, Robin Sue–You’re welcome! 🙂 Hope you are successful at the Indian store. The rice flour should have the consistency of cornstarch–very finely ground. And, remember to follow my directions for mixing it with cornstarch and using some xanthan gum (that acts as a binder).
Yes, please stay away from the nut flours. Those types of allergies are so terribly scary. Therefore, I am sure you are already well versed in knowing what’s actually in the foods you are eating, which is one of the key factors for cooking gluten free, plus you make so much from scratch. So, you’re a natural (pun intended)! 😉
Thanks for checking back in!
Shirley
Jenna says
Delicious cake! Glad I found this site. Never thought to try olive oil in a baked good! That combined with the lemon made an excellant combo! Thanks!!! 🙂
Shirley says
Hi, Jenna! You’re very welcome and welcome also to gfe! Thanks so much for the positive feedback!! 🙂 I love hearing how readers actually end up making a recipe and how it turns out for them. I’ve really enjoyed the results of baking with olive oil vs dairy so far. Hope you’ll visit gfe often!
Shirley
Diane-The WHOLE Gang says
I’m beginning to think you like chocolate as much as I do. Thank you for sharing this on Friday Foodie Fix.
Shirley says
Diane–I’m certain that I love chocolate as much as you do! LOL
Shirley
Brandy says
I made this tonight and LOVED it! I told you my husband is the celiac in the family, not me, so most GF chocolate cakes I make taste just okay to me. My nephew was here who is gluten and dairy free so I was excited to find this recipe this morning. My husband picked up the Asian white rice flour the other day, He called me to say it was only a dollar and should that be right? 🙂 Anyhow, I had everything else on hand and mixed it up in no time. I served it with strawberries—delicious! Oh, he liked it too, of course!
Shirley says
Hi Brandy–I’m absolutely thrilled to hear this news! 🙂 This is a favorite recipe of mine and many. I’ve made it for those who eat gluten to celebrate special occasions and they love it just as much. But, it’s a godsend for those who need to eat gluten free and dairy free. Serving it with strawberries sounds totally divine!
I’m so glad you now have your flour mix using the Asian white rice flour. I think there’s some happy baking/cooking in your future … gfe recipes like cookies, cakes, popovers, crustless quiche, and so much more. And, of course, you can make many of your old favorites, too, by replacing the “regular” flour with this gf flour mix and adding xanthan gum (1/2 tsp per cup of flour mix used). (Xanthan gum may not be necessary for some of them, but I’d start out using that for making cookies, cakes, and such.) Enjoy and thanks so much for taking the time to let me know of your success! It makes my week! 🙂
Shirley
The Chatty Housewife says
I would like to make this recipe, but I think there is a typo. 1/4 WHAT of Xanthan gum? The recipe just says “1/4 xanthan gum.” Thanks so much! 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Chatty Housewife–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 And, thanks so much for being my quality assurance check! Gosh, I can’t believe how long that omission has been there. I just added “teaspoon” to indicate the amount. Thanks a bunch for the heads up! Hope you love the cake when you make it. 😉
Shirley
The Chatty Housewife says
Thanks!
Monica says
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for the recipe. I just have a question for you as I experienced a bit of a difficulty when I baked it. The flour I used has guar gum on it already and I didn’t realize that until my paste was looking really strange..like bubble gum : )
I guess having guar + Xantham was too much? Have you had the same experience?
The cake came out alright but didn’t inflate much and the shape was a bit strange. Help!
Thanks and cheers
Shirley says
Hi Monica–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 So sorry about your cake experience but yes, I’m sure that it was the combination of guar and xanthan gums that were your downfall. I personally don’t care for guar and try to avoid gums in general. I’d suggest trying this either with just your flour mix and omitting the xanthan gum or using a flour mix that doesn’t contain any gums and then add the xanthan gum. Again, sorry that your “double gum” event happened!
Happy Holidays!
Shirley
Kelly S. says
Shirley, did you use extra virgin olive oil is a milder olive oil?? THANK you!
Shirley says
Hey Kelly–It’s great to see you again! I have used both just “olive oil” (the middle of the line so to speak) and extra virgin olive oil, and probably even a lighter olive oil. I *think* any olive oil will work in this recipe. The taste will be a wee bit stronger if you use extra virgin olive oil. That usually works fine with chocolate, but doesn’t always work in other recipes. For example, folks have used extra virgin olive oil (vs light olive oil) in my Perfect Pound Cake and, not surprisingly, they could taste the EVOO and didn’t like that. Let us know what you try and what you think of your results! 🙂
Shirley
Mari says
I have been dairy free off and on, and recently had to go off again. What is surprising is that other than not being able to eat your wonderful pizza anymore, I don’t miss dairy products at all this time around. I now know I have to avoid it permanently, so I will. This cake looks so good that I am going to make it later today. For some reason it is easier for me to forego gluten, but dairy is another story. Who doesn’t love cheese? Oh Velveeta and onion cheddar cheese, I will miss you, but we have to break up. I still buy cheese and use it in recipes for the family, but I am doing okay without it. Actually I am doing better without it. No more rashes, joint pains and upset stomach. Thanks to you and other wonderful bloggers, I have found some great recipes to make. I am using more Daiya cheese products, and am addicted to their spreadable cream cheese. Expensive but worth it. I also found rice milk chocolate bars at Pangea, but I haven’t bought them yet. If anyone is interested in perusing their vegan items, their web address is veganstore.com They also have some products that are gluten free, but not a lot. Fortunately I can buy most of my “free” items locally at various stores, mostly Wegman’s. Again thank you for putting up this recipe Shirley. I didn’t start reading your blog until four or five years ago, and now I am slapping myself for not checking the archives. Lots of buried treasure in the archives. 🙂 While I am not a big dessert person, I love your crustless pies when I do feel like making one, and I wish I had had this cake for my birthday last week. My son bought me a delicious gluten free white cake at Wegman’s last week, and I didn’t eat more than one small bite. I could have had an entire piece of this one!
Shirley says
Hey Mari–I’m woefully behind on replying to you on this one. So sorry. 🙁 I appreciate you sharing your journey to dairy free. It’s one that I make from time to time but haven’t stuck with. Your testimonial is inspiring! Like you, I know how much better I feel when dairy is completely out of my life and I don’t miss it when I’ve the commitment and stuck with it … until I have a little bit of dairy again and once again I’m hooked. Finding great alternatives or alternative ways to get that cheesy taste and texture is definitely one key to living well and happily dairy free.
My flourless pizza has actually been made by using Daiya and other dairy-free alternatives before, but it does make it quite soft. I have dreams of one day making a really good dairy-free version that is equal to the dairy-full version but have not spent any time on it in a good while.
There are many, many excellent dairy-free chocolates. I’m eating a Pascha dairy-free (85% cacao) mini bar right now. It’s delish! There are also great dairy-free options for chocolate chips from terrific brands like Equal Exchange and Enjoy Life.
Thanks so much for the sweet words on the recipes on gfe! I hope you enjoyed this chocolate cake recipe, dear. Most of the time when there’s chocolate involved in a recipe I prefer using cocoa and oil for an easy dairy-free option. 😉
Shirley