Happy Birthday, Happy Tummy!

Everyone you know will love this cake: bitter sweet chocolate sauce drizzled on top of a rich, moist, chocolaty cake.  My friends, Anita and Ravi, and I baked this delicious cake for our friend Sanjay's birthday a few weeks ago.  But I thought it would be timely to post a birthday cake recipe this week as this is the one year anniversary of Happy Tummy!  It has been pure pleasure to work on this blog each week, especially when I hear stories of how the blog has helped people with food sensitivities!  If you have any birthday wishes to send Happy Tummy, I sincerely encourage you to comment on my blog!     

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of gluten free flour 
• 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of melted Earth Balance or coconut oil
• 2 large eggs (or flax eggs)
• 2/3 cup of maple syrup (you can use more if you like it sweet)
• 1/3 cup of rice milk
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.  
3. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients.
4. Combine wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Pour batter into a greased and lightly floured 8 inch pan.
6. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean from the center.  
7. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes or so.

For chocolate sauce:

1. In a double boiler, melt one 8 ounce bar of 100% unsweetened chocolate.
2. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in about 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or agave.  You can add more if you like it sweeter.
3. If the sauce is too thick or sticky, add a tablespoon of rice milk and mix well.  
4. Add a tsp of vanilla extract.
5. Pour all over the cake and enjoy!