Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake

Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake - Kelapo Coconut Oil - Take One

The dog days of summer has severely limited the turnout of home baked goods in my kitchen. Unfortunately, the season has little effect on my cake cravings. When this jar of Kelapo Coconut Oil arrived, my craving elevated to cake desperation. I think the coconut aroma was the true culprit.

“The unique flavors of our virgin coconut oil turn any ordinary meal into a truly indulgent experience.
We harvest our coconuts from the lush, tropical island of Sri Lanka. Our fair trade farmers collect the fruit at its peak ripeness, and extract the virgin coconut oil through a cold expeller press. Kelapo VirginCoconut Oil is 100% natural, unrefined, and certified organic. Plus, it is the only Fair Trade approved coconut oil on the market.”

 Learning from www.wearecoconuts.com coconut oil can be substituted 1:1 for butter or other oils; my go-to chocolate snack cake recipe seemed the best solution. This versatile and simple snack cake recipe is ready to eat in about forty minutes, ideal for summer baking and desperate cravings!

Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake

(adapted from the chocolate snack cake recipe by Debie Peschka)

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup Kelapo Coconut Oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar – half white, half light brown

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Spray or grease an 8-in. square baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine juice and oil. Beat in egg and vanilla, set aside. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to the egg mixture. Beat for 2 minutes.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

The prominent orange flavor accompanied by a subtle coconut essence warranted the tropical label. As with most snack cakes the texture is somewhat dense and very moist. The cocoa paired nicely with the orange flavor. It provided a light chocolaty flavor rather than the overpowering sweet chocolate taste of chocolate chips or syrup. 

After satisfying my desperate cake craving, I read heating the coconut oil before measuring was recommended. Not sure what difference heating might make. The next recipe, Kelapo Coconut Oil - Take Two, will include that recommendation and a Kelapo coupon code for my coconut loving friends as well. 

Is it obvious how much I enjoyed receiving the jar of Kelapo coconut oil and eating the cake?  ♥