Chocolate Spice 'Naked' Layer Cake

Chocolate Spice 'Naked' Layer Cake

Monday, September 26, 2016

Have you ever eaten a slice of cake that was so good you purposefully hid the rest of it from your family? Well that's how good this cake is. Spice is easily one of the best cake flavors around, next to chocolate! So why not marry the two favors together in one luscious bite. This gluten free chocolate spice cake is the perfect solution to all of your fall sweet tooth cravings! Each layer of cake is married to the other with scratch made vanilla bean whipped cream, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips. Every bite is as decadent as it is addictive! The rich chocolate and warm spice flavors are absolutely divine.

I made this gluten free chocolate spice cake for my birthday [ look who's twenty-five! ] and everyone loved it. I had to hide the leftover cake from my family for my own selfish late night cravings. Who ever said 'sharing is caring' never tried this cake! You'll know in your heart that you should share it, but, you won't want to!

This recipe is as simple as they come! I used two of the best gluten free cake mixes, with a few tweaks, to create the layers. The scratch made vanilla bean whipped cream takes only a few minutes to put together, but, ties the flavors together with subtle sweetness. This cake is monstrous in size and flavor!

CHOCOLATE SPICE NAKED LAYER CAKE

 WITH VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

Prep Time: 15 min  |  Bake Time: 50 min [ includes cool time ]  | Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

2 tsp coconut oil - room temperate [ for greasing pans ]

1 1/4 cups of dark chocolate morsels chopped [ between layers & on top of cake ]
1 1/4 cup walnuts - chopped  [ between layers & on top of cake ]

Spice cake layer 

1 box of Nameste Foods gluten free spice cake mix

1tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

2/3 cup of olive oil

Chocolate cake layer

1 box of Pillsbury gluten free chocolate devil's food cake mix

1 tblsp of unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder [ for richer flavor ]

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup of water
2/3 cup of olive oil

Vanilla bean whipped cream

1 pint of heavy whipping cream
vanilla bean seeds of 1 bean.
1tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Kitchen Tools:

2 medium size bowls - for cake batters

1 medium size bowl - chilled [ for whipped cream ]
1 small bowl for toppings

1 spatula

4 round cake pans [ 8" rounds ]

knife - for chopping

hand mixer & whisk attachment 

measuring cup/spoons
1 flat frosting spatula

Instructions.

Preheat oven to 375˚ and grease all four cake pans with coconut oil. Make sure the bottom and sides of pans are coated well.

1. First, combine the heavy whipping cream, paste of one vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in bowl and beat on high with hand mixer until soft peaks form. About 3-4 minutes. Set aside in refrigerator.

2. Combine dark chocolate morsels and walnuts - roughly chop. Set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients for the spice cake, mix well, and pour evenly into baking pans.  Combine all ingredients for the chocolate cake, mix well, and pour evenly into baking pans. Place cakes in 375˚ oven and bake according to directions. About 20-25 minutes.

4. Remove cakes from oven and set aside to cool. Remove cake tops so cakes are flat on top.

5. Place first layer of cake [ I started with chocolate ] on cake stand, cake plate, or other platter of your choosing - Spread whipped cream evenly and generously and top with dark chocolate/walnut mixture. Be generous with the toppings! Place second layer of cake [ spice cake ] on top and repeat the process.

*Repeat for each layer.

6. Now it's time to frost the cake.. or not. A proper naked cake is partially clothed [ haha! ]. Spread vanilla bean whipped cream from the middle of the top layer to the edge and over the sides. Push whipped cream into the gaps between the layers, then spread the whipped cream very thinly, almost like you're scraping it off, on the cake edges. The easiest way to achieve an even look is to hold the flat frosting spatula against the cake and rotate the cake stand or cake plate.

Top generously with whipped cream and more dark chocolate morsels/walnuts and enjoy!!

* Because of the whipped cream this cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Which is next level delicious as the days go by!

This spice cake is dense, moist, and the spices dance across your tastebuds! Pairing it with a dark chocolate cake is so appropriate for this beloved fall baking season. The combination of flavors playing with each other in these four layers are down right addictive. It's crazy good y'all!
To all of my cup o' joe lovers - The rich warmth of this cake pairs beautifully will a hot cup of coffee or a smooth cold brew. Enjoy!

What are you excited to bake this fall season? Have you tried a naked cake yet? Share your tips, cravings, and kitchen adventures in the comments!

With love,

New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Hello! In case you didn’t notice, there have been some pretty substantial changes around here! I have been blogging for three years now [ Can that really be so! Time flies when you’re having fun! ], and as those three years have passed I have grown – And so has this blog. I am more certain of my creative voice, and my heart for this blog. It is time that this space reflected that growth and surety more fully. This little ole’ blog got a facelift, a new name, and more focused direction. I am terrified and thrilled and terrified some more about these new changes! 

Change is good though, friends. Taking a leap toward something new can be scary, but, the fear of failure should never stop you from moving forward!

The new look and direction for the blog was inspired by my love of fine art photography, and my appetite for delicious wholesome food. My heart for this space it to connect with other like minded women who love Jesus, love good food, and enjoy the pretty things in between.

I am so excited to share this new space with you. Welcome to The Nosh Life, sweet friends. I hope you'll join me here and find inspiration for your kitchen, closet, home, and heart!

With love,

Lemon Parmesan Tuna and Black Bean Pasta

Lemon Parmesan Tuna and Black Bean Pasta

Monday, September 12, 2016

Hello hello! I promised this gluten free black bean pasta recipe last week, but, had a terrible time editing the images. I hadn't planned on shooting this recipe originally, and I have not had time to reshoot it [ yet ]. I grabbed my camera and snapped some quick images in my kitchen.. at night. There wasn't a single ray of natural light anywhere.

Mistakes. Mistakes everywhere!

Every single vertical image was unusable. Somewhere between panic and resolution, I thought: "This blog is about being real. So just be real about this." I messed up.. And I'm telling y'all about it. I have been practicing shooting in manual and I missed the mark on more than one image. Mistakes make us better right! So here are a tiny handful of horizontal images to stir your hunger!

Pasta dishes are right up there with pizza in my book. Pizza ultimately reigns supreme, but, every now and then a hearty plate of spaghetti really knocks those carb cravings out. Being a pasta lover with a gluten intolerance is.. intolerable [ Ha! I couldn't help myself! ]. Bad humor aside, it really is tough to find gluten free pasta recipes that taste good and haven't had all of the nutrients stripped from them.

One of the best alternatives to grain pastas is bean pasta. I started cooking with black bean pasta when even quinoa super grain pastas was making me sick. Tolerant and Explore Cuisine are the two best brands of bean and lentil pastas. They taste fresh and have a great texture! You can substitute either brand in any pasta dish without the fear of eating heavy, cardboard-esque spaghetti.

When God Says Yes: My Heartfelt Journey Through Singleness

When God Says Yes: My Heartfelt Journey Through Singleness

Thursday, September 1, 2016

I waited. Waited in loneliness, in tears, and sometimes fear. I waited on God, whether His will was yes or whether it was no. I waited and trusted. I poured out my heart. I even pleaded. For four silent and sometimes downright painful years I wrestled with God. It was my will battling His timing. It was active trust battling the fear of life lived alone. My heart ached for companionship, but, God told me to wait. Through the fog of long felt emotion and tears I found contentment. Contentment in Christ. Contentment in being alone. And I found peace in His will. Then God granted me joy. 

And then God said yes.. 

This post has been a long time coming. I wrote it, almost published it, and then rewrote it with a more open hand to what I felt. I want to share my heart. Being open and transparent has always been something that I struggle with. Maybe it's out of self-preservation; protecting myself from the judgement of others or perhaps it's simply out of the fear of being truly seen. In the last year I have learned that being transparent with people is freeing, and builds the sweetest and most real connections. So, here is my heart, friends. I am excited [ and a little nervous ] to share my journey, but, I hope that through this I can encourage you, relate to you, and build a stronger connection.