Tessa's GF/Vegan Birthday Cake

I have taken a major break from blogging, and I do apologize because I've been making some pretty incredible meals and I must share!  I've spent the last two months being pregnant, giving birth, and figuring out motherhood; and I'm finally getting organized and trying to get back on track.  

My baby girl was born in our bedroom on August 5th at about 4am.  Prior to her arrival I spent part of my laboring hours baking her a birthday cake, which took me over an hour as I was taking my time and breathing through a couple contractions simultaneously.  This was THE BEST gluten free, vegan cake I've ever made and was SO excited about it, I made it again for Rob when he finished the Leadville 100 (yes I supported him doing this 8 hour event 5 days after Tessa was born) and again for my 30th birthday.  Needless to say I think it's incredible!  Even Rob says he can't tell it's gluten free, which is big.

I have to throw props to Karina, who writes the Gluten Free Goddess blog.  I modified her Coconut Apple Cake recipe for this cake.  She has amazing recipes, check em out!

Line the bottom of a 10-inch cake pan (you'll need a deeper pan for this cake).

Coconut Apple Spice Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Ingredients:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic coconut flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cup white sugar and 
2 tbsp molasses

Beat in:
1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted
1 cup light coconut milk (or about 2 cups almond milk)
1 1/2 tbsp ground flax to1/4 c water, (let the flax sit until it is more of a gel consistency)
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 medium organic apples
Peel and core the apples. Slice into even slices- not too thin.

Add roughly three quarters of the sliced apples to the cake batter and stir by hand to distribute.

Using a silicone spatula, scoop the cake batter into the cake pan. Smooth and even out the batter as best you can.

Press the remaining apple slices into the top of the cake batter in a circular pattern.

Bake for 60 minutes.  Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.
(really good with coconut ice cream...just sayin!)