Baby Cake

I fed the Muffin Man chocolate cake for dinner last night.  Before you pick up the phone and call Child Protective Services, let me assure you that the cake was gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and egg-free, so I'm not even sure it really qualifies as "cake".  The thing that really matters is that the Muffin Man loved it.  The kid was shoveling it in with both hands - he had it in his hair, in his eyes, in his diaper - and he ate about two slices, albeit crumbled into pieces.  I realize that chocolate cake does not exactly qualify as a well-balanced meal, but these days I'm desperate to get my kid to eat anything that isn't a bottle of formula.  It turns out that, not surprisingly, Noah is a lightweight.  He's currently in the eighth percentile for weight, and the 75th for height, so it appears as though he got his Momma's body type.  I had hoped that he wouldn't end up inheriting my string-bean figure, but I've got a long, lean, calorie-burning machine on my hands, and I'm doomed to a future of constantly trying to get the kid to pack on some pounds.  I suppose I can find comfort in the fact that the hipster look is in these days, because Noah will look pretty damn great in a pair of skinny jeans.

"Fatten Up Baby" Chocolate Cake
(Also known as Wacky Cake)
This is a fast, easy one pan recipe.  Be sure to mix well with a spatula, getting into all the corners.

1 cup Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
3 Tblsp. cocoa powder
1 Tblsp. apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup + 2Tblsp. cold water

Preheat oven to 350°

In a lightly greased 8x8" baking dish, sift together flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, xanthan gum and cocoa powder.  Make three holes.  Put the vinegar into one hole, oil into the next, and vanilla in the third hole.  Pour water over all, and mix with a spatula until smooth and all ingredients have been combined.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.