Chocolate Bundt Cake with Blackberries

This recipe was originally published in my book My Paleo Patisserie. The lovely photo here was shot by our good friend Ashleigh Amoroso. Check out her incredible work HERE.

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

1/2 cup (90 g) palm shortening or ghee

1 cup (120 g) coconut flour

1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder

2 tablespoon arrowroot flour

2 Pinches of salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (240 ml) full-fat coconut milk

1 cup (240 ml) maple syrup or honey

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

 

For the Ganache:

⅔ cup (160 ml) of full-fat coconut milk

5 ounces (140 g) bittersweet chocolate chips

 

1 cup (170 g) fresh blackberries, for garnish

 

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

1 (3 by 8.5-inch / 7.5 by 22-cm) nonstick Bundt pan or other 6-cup (1.4-L) capacity Bundt pan

 

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and grease the Bundt pan.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the shortening over gentle heat, then set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, cocoa, arrowroot flour, and salt till blended.
3. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the yolks in another bowl along with the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar, and melted shortening. Whisk to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk till the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
4. Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment for your stand mixer, beat the egg whites till they look like softly whipped cream (soft peaks). Stir the baking soda into the batter and then, using a rubber spatula, immediately beat in one-third of the whipped egg whites to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites till only a few streaks of egg white are left.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, till the top is golden and springs back when gently pressed at the center. Baking times can vary slightly depending on the pan. Check the cake in the last 10 minutes of baking to see how it has progressed. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife, then unmold onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
6. While the cake cools, prepare the ganache. Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Pour off the creamy part into a 2-cup (475-ml) liquid measuring cup. You need ⅔ cup (160ml); you can add some of the coconut water if needed.
7. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour the hot milk over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes or till melted.
8. Using a metal spoon or small whisk, start from the center of the bowl and stir the chocolate with small circular movements, gently incorporating the milk. As the center begins to become dark and glossy, begin to make larger circular movements till the entire mixture becomes glossy and smooth.
9. Allow it to cool to room temperature. (It will glaze best at room temperature, so give it some time to cool down, but not so much time that it is no longer pourable.)
10. When the Ganache is room temperature, place the rack with the cake on it over a baking sheet or piece of parchment paper to catch drips. Drizzle the ganache over the cake in a decorative manner. Once the glaze has set, pile the blackberries on top of the cake, allowing them to fill up the center hole.
11. The cake can be kept, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days.