Sometimes I bake unnecessarily gooey chocolate cakes with peanut butter frosting...

Now that a certain someone is no longer vegan, egg based recipes have slowly crept back into the Hollis household. Hooray!

But wait, you didn't think I'd come out of this lightly did you? There's now a wheat/gluten allergy that I must take into consideration. Indeed, the hubs has pulled the big switcharoo - swapping eggs for the use of regular flour. Boooo!

Never one to be knocked down by a cooking challenge, it's time to experiment! My cupboard has taken up new residents in the form of rice flour & a blend of rice/potato/tapioca/maize. I've read spelt might work well - he's got a seat waiting for him right up there next to Mr. Rice Flour.

After a disastrously flat and chalky batch of blueberry muffins (rice flour) & two successful pie crusts (flour blend), I thought I'd try my hand at a cake.

Introducing

(definitely not a flat & chalky disaster!)

For the Gooey Peanut Butter Frosting:

340g Smooth Peanut Butter

2c Powdered Icing Sugar

3tbsp Soya Milk

1tsp Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, blend the Peanut Butter & Powdered Sugar - the mix will form small pebbles. Slowly add the Milk & Vanilla and blend until smooth. The mixture should have a pudding-like texture (that's Angel Delight for you Blighty's)

Cover & place in the fridge to cool.

For the Classic Chocolate Cake:

200g Flour (I used Doves Farm gluten & wheat free plain white flour blend)

40g Cocoa Powder

280g Sugar

3tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Baking Soda

Pinch o Salt

80g Unsalted Butter (at room temp)

240ml Soy Milk

2 Eggs

Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, sift together the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Sugar, Baking Powder & Soda, and Salt. Next, blend in the Butter, Milk, Eggs and Vanilla until smooth. (Confession: I like a semi lumpy batter. Think it adds to the flavour!)

Split the mixture into two buttered cake tins and pop in the oven at 180C for approx 25min. (Tip: Make sure to rotate the cakes halfway through baking - this will ensure your cakes are cooked evenly!)

Take out of the oven to cool.

Assembling It All:

Spread a thin (or thick!) layer of Peanut Butter Frosting onto one of your thoroughly cooled cakes. Stack the second cake on top to form the second layer and repeat.

Sprinkle some cake crumbs or dark chocolate shavings on top for a bit more oomph!

(because sometimes I bake unnecessarily gooey cakes)

Now stand back and enjoy the view (slapping the hub's impatient hand away)…or just dig right in (which I tend to do).

Until next time…

Hearts.