Lately, I have been drawn to re-create & innovate some Eastern European desserts into a clean, healthy keto & paleo version. My Ukrainian Grandmother was a famous baker in my family. She made beautiful custom wedding cakes & baked many traditional European desserts!
This Holiday you must make this low carb moist layered melt -in your mouth delicious chocolate Spartak Cake.
This Spartak Cake is one of the most popular cakes in Ukraine and Eastern Europe! Once you indulge in this lovely layered upon layered cake, you’ll see just why! Traditionally this cake is made with 7-8 thin chocolate cake layers and frosted with a creamy whipped frosting.
Since I LOVE chocolate; I garnished my cake with a keto-friendly chocolate ganache for an extra chocolate explosion complimented this cake with toasted almonds for that nutty flavor.
Most Spartak recipes add raspberries or strawberries to garnish since the holidays are just around the corner I add fresh sliced plums on the top to create a gorgeous festive presentation.
Now it time you get to enjoy this elegant classic Ukrainian Spartak cake without refined sugars, gluten, and grains! You will defiantly trick your guests because no one will know that this 100% cake is keto & paleo!
This cake may look a bit scary to make, and it does require a little bit of effort to make, but once I brake it down step-by-step for you, you will then see how this Spartak cake will become your family & friends favorite.
Okay Lets Make, Bake this super-soft, fluffy melt in your mouth Spartak Cake!
RECIPE
CHOCOLATE LAYERED CAKES
2 eggs whole free-run 1 can (400ml) full-fat organic coconut cream 1/4 cup grass-fed butter softened at room temperature ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups almond flour 1 cup coconut flour 1/4 cup arrowroot flour 1 cup Lakanto Golden (monk fruit) 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
½ cup (130ml) Child full-fat organic coconut cream | https://amzn.to/2RJNWC6] 1cup grass-fed butter softened at room temperature 8 ounces (400g) cashew cream cheese ½ cup Lakanto Powdered sugar 2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of sea salt
Using an 8” cake pan, trace out & cut 7 pieces parchment paper rounds and set aside.
To prepare the chocolate keto cake batter, measure out all the dry ingredients into one bowl: sift your almond meal, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
Place a medium heatproof bowl over a simmering water bath Make sure your bowl is sitting above the water not submerged in the water.
In a stand mixer bowl, add your room temperature eggs, My favorite Lakanto Sweetener, grass-fed butter & vanilla extract, and whisk on high for about 6 minutes. After everything is well-mixed add in your coconut cream & apple cider vinegar.
Then we will whisk on medium to high speed for another 2minutes.
Now we are going to take are wet mixture & pour it into the hot heatproof bowl & we will mix it frequently for 7-8 minutes until very warm.
Once it’s done carefully remove your hot bowl with oven mitts or a tea towel
Taking your sifted dry ingredients, quickly pouring the entire bowl into your hot wet ingredients.
Being folding together the wet and dry.
Taking a 1/2 cup measuring cup, plop 2 scoops of batter to each round of parchment paper, then you will take a cake spatula and level out the batter until it reaches fairly close to the edges.
For this recipe, you will be making 7 thin layers. On two baking Trays place your first 4 cake batters onto your 4 rounds of parchment paper. Bake the first 4 layers for 8 minutes total.
As your waiting, you can spread the remaining 3 layers out if you have an extra 2 baking trays on handy.
Once your cake layers are baking away in the oven it’s time to get started on your delicious whipped keto buttercream frosting.
In a stand mixer bowl: add your grass-fed butter and cashew cream cheese & make sure they are at room temperature. Then Add your Lakanto Powdered Sugar-Free sweetener: Mix for about 5min, once well-mixed scrape down sides if needed.
Next, you will add your chilled full-fat coconut cream & pure vanilla extract. Turn your mixer up to high speed and whisk until frosting is light and fluffy.
This Frosting is super soft and has a marshmallowy texture & you will defiantly NOT miss out on that not so healthy real cream cheese & icing sugar!
Once your 7 cake layers are done, let them cool on a wire rack. Carefully flip each cake over & genteelly peel back & remove the parchment paper.
Now the fun part start; Assembling the cake. Spread a generous amount of frosting between each cake layer, don’t be shy there is a lot of frosting & this takes requires a lot. Using your cake spatula to spread each layer.
Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
Smooth down the top and sides with your cake spatula. I love the slightly naked rustic look where you can see some of the chocolate layers peeking out, yet you can cover the entire cake if you please.
Chocolate Ganache; Heat your coconut cream until it's very hot but not boiling! Add your keto-friendly chocolate chips (I used Lily’s Chocolate chips). Pour in and whisk until it is completely melted into a smooth silky ganache.
It is very important that you Allow your ganache to cool slightly before Garnishing your cake Using a spoon drizzle the chocolate down the sides of the cake, pushing lightly on the edges where you want the chocolate to fall.
You can Garnish around the top of the chocolate ganache with some toasted chopped nuts of choice. also, fruit, if desired.
This cake is best after setting for one full day in the refrigerator to allow those layers really to soak up all that amazing frosting! Remove the cake from the fridge about 1 hour prior to serving to allow the cake to thaw. & it’s time to slice into this beautiful Spartak Cake and see those heavenly 7 layers of chocolate cake soaked in that whipped buttercream frosting! ENJOY :)
Andrea Witthoeft
Author