Flourless Chocolate Cake w/Caramel and Pecans

   You should probably just go ahead and hate me now. As someone who has had several celebrations in the past two months to be eating lots of cake for, this one tops them all. And I wasn't even intentionally trying to make it gluten free but it just so happens to be that way. I've never had much luck experimenting with healthy baking substitutes, whether it be using natural sugars or gluten free flours, but this one was the right combination of moist and dense all at the same time.

   This recipe calls for grinding up pecans to serve as the "flour". And while I could have chosen to substitute the sugar in the recipe for applesauce or a banana, I have often found that fruit substitutes make cakes a bit too dense. So I went with the good old sugar route instead. And like I've always said, I am not a huge fan of sugar and I don't believe it should be in your daily diet,but  there is a time and place for everything. In moderation.

   And this sweet little cake just happened to be for a very special occasion. The day of my birth. Which although it should be celebrated everyday, this one just happened to be worth celebrating a bit more since it is my last year in my TWENTIES....ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. So if that doesn't call for a little sugar, I don't know what the heck does!


Recipe:

Cake:

2 cups pecans
3/4 cup Ghirardelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup organic brown cane sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

1/4 cup ground pecans
1 bag (5.5oz) of Werther's Chewy Caramels
1/4 cup coconut milk

Directions:

Cake:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.In a food processor, combine pecans, chocolate chips, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Once well ground, add in eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Bake in a round non stick (make sure to use an eco-friendly version like GreenPan) cake pan for 30 minutes.

Topping:

Place water into a sauce pan. Unwrap individual caramels and place into a glass bowl. Place glass bowl into sauce pan. Bring water to a slow boil. Add in coconut milk and continuously stir until caramels have melted, lowering heat if necessary. Once cake has cooled, top with pecans, and drizzle caramel sauce over it.