Grain-Free Coco-Vanilla Cake With Creme Fraiche Frosting ~ Joseph's First Birthday Cake

It is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this littlest one of ours is one year old.  It seems he "popped out" (as his sisters would say) only a couple of days ago, but at the same time I feel that he has always been in my life.  A sonnet of love is bubbling up from within me, but that must wait for another time and place.  This post is about his cake.  I can't help but share one picture of the birthday boy right here and now, though:

I wanted him to enjoy his first cake without introducing him to refined ingredients and artificial colors and dyes.  Coconut flour came to the rescue.  With a little bit of this and that added to it, this little cake was born.  Frosted with creme fraiche which imparts an irresistibly smooth, tart rounding out of flavors, this cake remains simple yet complete.  I had to add little frozen blueberries because they are his favorite.  A single bees wax birthday candle topped it, and we all erupted in laughter when he spit-blew it out (with some spitless help from dad, of course).  By the time he was finished, not a scrap was left on that plate.  Baby and mama, both satisfied.

This can obviously be enjoyed anytime by anyone.  It is not meant to be boxed in only as a first birthday cake, but to be enjoyed at any time of year by all ages; GAPS dieters included!

Joseph's Grain-Free Coco-Vanilla Cake

Prep time: 10 minutes; bake time: 18 minutes; makes 12 cupcakes or 1 single-layer round cake

• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, rapadura, or sucanat
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Line 12 muffin cups or grease 1 cake pan or 8x8 square pan.
2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and place batter into prepared cupcake or cake pan.
3. Bake cupcakes for 18 minutes or cake 25-30 minutes, or until a fork stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup creme fraiche (also sold at Trader Joe's if you would prefer to buy it already made)

1. Frost each cupcake as liberally or as sparingly as you want.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  I recommend not frosting them until right before serving the cakes.