Almond Chestnut Cake
Here we have a recipe for Almond Chestnut Cake! Hannah, writer of Bitter Sweet Blog created this increadible recipe using Xagave! The recipe is slightly complex but extremely delicious. 
Ingredients:
2 Cups Plain, Unsweetened Soymilk
1 Cup Xagave
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
2 Cups Almond Meal
3 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup Chopped Cooked Chestnuts
Steps:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 10 x 15 inch baking dish
In a medium bowl whisk together the soymilk, Xagave, oil, vinegar, and both extracts so that everything is thoroughly combined. Set Aside.
In a separate, large bowl, sift together the almond meal and flour, and stir in the baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the chestnuts, and toss the coat with the dry goods so that they don’t all sink to the bottom of your cake. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and stir just enough to bring the batter together, without any big lumps (aside from the chestnuts, of course.) Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it our evenly into the corners, smoothing down the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool completely before cutting in to approximately 1 1/2 -2 inch wide rounds (you can use a cookie cutter or even a drinking glass as a template to cut around).
Cinnamon Xagave Carmel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Xagave
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil Melted
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Steps:
Combine everything but the vanilla in a medium sauce pan with high sides, and set over moderate heat. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, swirling the pan ocasionally to mix, until the mixture turns a deep amber brown and thickens significantly. Turn off the heat once you’ve carmelized the Xagave sufficiently, and stir in the vanilla. Either serve immediately, or pour into an air-tight jar for storage. If you plan on holding it for a while or refrigerating it, you will need to heat the sauce before serving, as it will solidify when chilled.
Candied Chestnuts
Ingredients:
8 Ounces Whole Chestnuts
1/2 Cup Xagave
Steps:
Place both the Xagave and chestnuts in a medium sauce pan and place over moderate heat. Stir every few minutes, and cook until there’s no longer a pool of Xagave on the bottom of the pan (it should caramalize and adhere to the chestnuts for the most part.) It may threaten to burn, so keep a close eye on the mixture and don’t leave it unattended. Pour the chestnuts onto a baking sheet, silpat , or piece of parchment paper to let cool. They will probably remain soft and sticky on the outside, so handle with care.
Coconut Creme
Ingredients:
1 25 Ounce Can Coconut Milk
Steps:
Chill the can of coconut milk thoroughly before you begin. When you’re ready to serve the cakes, pull it out of the fridge, but do not shake. Carefully remove the top so that you don’t disturb the contents of the can, and skim off all the thick white creme on top. Place it in the bowl of your stand mixer, and whip on high for 3-6 minutes, until fluffy like whipped creme. Transfer to a piping bag.
To assemble, set one round of cake on a plate (ideally with a rim of lip around the edge to contain the carmel) and spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of caramel on the bottom of the plate around it; a little goes a long way. Pipe the coconut creme to cover the top of the cake, but don’t mound it up like a cupcake, because you’ll run out too quickly. Finally, place one perfect chestnut on top in the very center.
Makes 15-16 Servings
