Serves 16

Who knew eating “dirt” would be so delicious?! This cake resembles a garden patch with green grass and fresh carrots. It’s a creative and fun way to celebrate the Spring season this Easter! 

Prep Time: 25 minutes 

Cooking Time: 35 minutes + time for cake to cool 

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:

2 cups fine almond flour

⅓ cup cacao powder

½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), softened

½ cup Keto-friendly granulated sweetener such as monk fruit

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting:

2 cups Keto confectioners’ sugar

⅓ cup cacao powder

½ cup unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), softened

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

“Carrots” (Chocolate Covered Strawberries):

8-10 medium fresh strawberries, patted dry

1 cup Keto-friendly white chocolate chips, melted

3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

2-3 drops red food coloring (or more depending on how saturated you want your orange “carrots” to be)

2-3 drops yellow food coloring  (or more depending on how saturated you want your orange “carrots” to be)

“Grass” (Dried & Unsweetened Shredded Coconut):

¾ cup dried & unsweetened shredded coconut

3-4 drops green food coloring (or more depending on how saturated you want your green “grass” to be)

 Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sea salt and in one bowl set aside.

Cream butter and monk fruit together with an electric mixer in a separate bowl. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and mix together well.

Gently mix both bowls together until well-combined.

Line a 9x13” cake pan with parchment paper and pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading its top in an even layer with the back of a spoon or baker’s spatula.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick pierced in its center comes out clean.

When your cake is done, remove from the oven and carefully lift it out of the pan by holding the edges of the parchment paper. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cake is baking, prepare your frosting by mixing all frosting ingredients together until very creamy. Set aside.

Prepare the green “grass” by adding the dried coconut to a Ziplock plastic bag along with the green food coloring. With the bag sealed, shake around and rub with your fingers so that green food coloring covers all of the dried coconut and turns it green. You may need more drops of food coloring, depending on how saturated you would like your green “grass” to appear. Set aside.

Prepare your “carrots” by adding the red and yellow food coloring to the melted Keto-friendly white chocolate chips. Stir very well until the white chocolate is orange. You may need additional red or yellow food coloring depending on how saturated you want your orange “carrots” to appear. Dip the dried strawberries in the orange melted white chocolate and swirl around so that each strawberry is coated. Set aside on a plate lined with parchment paper. When you’ve covered all of the strawberries, place them in the fridge to chill and harden while your cake bakes and cools. 

When the cake has cooled, flip it upside down onto a platter and peel off the parchment paper. Carefully slice a 1” layer off the bottom of the cake. Flip the cake right side up. Crumble the layer of cake that you removed into a bowl and set aside. You will use this as your “dirt” later.

Frost the top of the cake. Garnish the cake with the crumbled “dirt”. The “dirt” will stick to the frosting.

Arrange the “carrots” (strawberries) on the top of the cake. Gently press them into the cake so that they are secure. 

Arrange patches of “grass” (coconut) around the “carrots” (strawberries) so that you have created a garden on top of the “dirt”.

Slice into 26 squares when ready to serve. 

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Calories: 267

Carbs: 7

Net Carbs: 4

Protein: 6

Fat: 25