Sugar Free Desert Challenge: Vegan Coconut Cake with Choco Truffle Icing!

Whenever I'm asked what my favorite dessert is, the answer never changes, it's CAKE! And as much as I love eating cakes, I enjoy baking them too! That's why my Instagram has three types of photos, my own pictures, quotes related to or from books and Cakes (that I bake, of course)!

We all know that as tempting they look, cakes are equally unhealthy. Lots of carbs, fats loaded in one beautiful piece of dessert.

So, while deciding about which dessert I should make for this Sugar-Free Desert Challenge, I decided to bake a healthy cake which is not just delicious but has some nutritional values too. Read on:

Vegan Coconut Cake with Choco Truffle Icing

The richness of coconut and the aroma of cardamom topped with delicious chocolate, one word, Yum!

Prep Time: 15 min                              
Cook Time: 40 min
Icing Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

For Batter:

• 1 Cup All Purpose flour
• 2 Cups Curd (Yogurt)
• 1 1/2 Cup Rava (Suji)
• 1 1/2 Cup Sugar-Free Natura/Caster Sugar/Any Sugar Substitute (Eg. Stevia)
• 1 Cup Canola Oil/Regular Oil
• 1 tsp Baking Soda/Soda Biocarb
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Cardamom Powder (For a rich flavor)
• 1 Cup shredded Coconut

For Icing:

• 150 gm Dark Chocolate 
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cream
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut 

Ingredients for cakes should be room temperature (can take out of refrigerator approximately 60-90 minutes before needed).

Tip: A pinch of salt brings out the flavours in baked goods. Try it but just a pinch, don't overdo
it.

The most important ingredient: Sugar-Free Natura.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and lightly spray nonstick spray on the baking dish.

Tip: If you don't have the Nonstick Spray, just grease the dish with regular cooking oil and dust it with flour.

2. Beat Oil and Sugar. Add Rava gradually. Mix Well.

3. Sieve Flour, Baking Powder & Soda together. Add Cardamom Powder.

Tip: Always mix dry ingredients together with the whisk before adding to wet ingredients.

4. Gradually fold the flour mixture in the Oil and Sugar mixture. Keep adding Curd and shredded Coconut. Maintain the consistency (Slightly liquid).

5. Mix it well. Don’t overmix once dry ingredients are added. Mix slowly until incorporated.

Tip: After mixing Baking Soda and Powder to the batter, fold in a single direction. The batter rises because of these ingredients and if you fold in opposite directions, the batter subdues.

6. Pour the Batter in the Baking dish and set it with a spatula.

Tip: Always fill the batter up to the half of the dish. Don’t fill more than 1/2 full–2/3 at the most.

7. Put the dish in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes at 200 degree Celsius.

Tip: If you have more batter than required, refrigerate it and use within 24 hours.

8. After the timer goes off, put a skewer in the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is done. If not, bake for another 5 minutes.

Tip: When baking in an oven, the heavenly smell of the cake is a reminder that the cake is almost done.

Do not remove the cake from the pan immediately. Let it cool for 15 minutes or so.

9. After removing, put it on another dish, a flat plate would be good. Remove the crust if not even, like I did. The crust is delicious as well, don't waste it. You can use it as a garnish.

Now set it aside and let's move to the Icing.

1. Melt chocolate in a non-stick pan.

2. Add cream for a glaze. And milk to get the consistency. Cook till starts thickening.

Alongside, boil a glass full of water.

3. Use a palette knife to spread the chocolate after dipping in the hot water. This wouldn't let the chocolate stick on the knife. Spread evenly all over the cake, on the top as well as sides.

Check out this video for the process:

4. After icing, comb the cake (If you have the comb):

Source: bakedecoratecelebrate.com

5. After combing the cake, garnish it with the shredded coconut powder.

• I sprinkled the coconut powder on the sides and made two circles on the top, one as a boundary and another in the middle.
• I used sprinkles (cake decorations) in the left out space.

See how it turned out:

Add caption

So many pictures because I can't stop gloating about how beautiful it turned out!

P.S.: The difference between the quality of pictures is all thanks to the camera of Sony and IPhone.

The taste turned out to be amazing. It was like, Christmas in my mouth! Not just the cake was adequately sweetened, it was also amazingly healthy because of the diet sugar. Diabetes is a popular disease in my family and this sugar-free dessert was a great relief to their sweet tooths.
I would recommend you to use sugar substitutes because they provide equal sweetness but lesser fats!

Tell me how you liked the recipe and if you try it, do let me know! Share your views in the comment box! Also, if you liked this recipe and want me to publish more, do let me know in the comments!

Toodles! :)