Unrefined Hazelnut Holiday Layer Cake with Raw Cacao Frosting

Guess recipie by Pooja Mottl
Author of The 3-Day Reset: Restore Your Cravings For Healthy Foods in Three Easy, Empowering Days

Yield: One 8” cake (about 1 ¼ inches high)
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup organic Grade A maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice of about ½ lemon)
2 ½ tablespoons hazelnut extract
1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted, or organic expeller pressed canola oil
1 cup filtered water

Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease an 8 inch cake pan. Using a large sieve over a large mixing bowl, sift all dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together your liquids – maple syrup, lemon juice, hazelnut extract, oil and water.
Pour your wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir together using a wooden spoon.
Using a spatula to assist you, pour all batter into cake pan. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly. Remove cake from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes. Then invert, releasing the cake from the pan, and place cake right side up on a baking rack, allowing it to fully cool another 30 minutes.

Raw Cacao Cashew Frosting
Yield: 3 cups
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 ¾ - 2 cups Grade A organic maple syrup
12oz raw organic cashew butter
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
1 ½ cups organic raw cacao powder (Pooja prefers Navitas Naturals brand)
1-2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup hazelnuts, roasted, skins removed, and coarsely chopped (for garnish)

Add all ingredients expect for cacao powder into a large food processor and pulse blend for about 15 seconds or until ingredients are just fully incorporated.
Add the cacao powder and blend, just until all ingredients are fully mixed and frosting takes on a smooth consistency – but not any longer. You’re now ready to frost!

To assemble cake:

After cake has thoroughly cooled, cut it delicately in half widthwise using a serrated knife, if possible.
Using your desired amount of frosting, frost the top of the bottom half layer of your cake. Then gently place the top half over it and use remaining frosting to ice cake fully. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts and Enjoy!

Notes:
Unrefined ingredients result in a more delicious cake and more satisfaction in every bite!