This Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers is a pretty and simple chocolate cake that can be whipped up when you have the need or craving for chocolate cake. No need for the frosting for this elegant cake as it is decorated with confectioner's sugar and edible flowers.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers

Back in early June, I made this Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers as a birthday cake for my Father-in-Law (shared on my Instagram).

I was short on time but I didn't want to use a box mix and I wanted to give it a unique flair.

I grow my own pansies during the Spring, Summer, and Fall months in planters, did you know that certain varieties are edible?

If you don't grow your own edible flowers, sometimes I have seen them around Springtime in the produce section of the grocery store.

Recipe Attribution

This recipe is inspired by Chocolate Orange Almond Cake (DF) here on Life's Little Sweets.

Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers is a traditional iteration of the original dairy-free recipe.

Ingredients for Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup organic granulated cane sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup whole organic milk
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• One 8-inch doily (to use with confectioner's sugar to get a pattern on the top of the cake)
• 1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar, plus more, if needed
• edible flowers, preferably organic (I used pansies from my garden)

Kitchen Tools Needed for Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers

• medium mixing bowl
• large mixing bowl
• electric hand or stand mixer
• baking spatula
• tea strainer or flour sifter
• kitchen scissors

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Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

This Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Edible Flowers is a pretty and simple chocolate cake that can be whipped up when you have the need or craving for chocolate cake. No need for the frosting for this elegant cake as it is decorated with confectioner’s sugar and edible flowers.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup organic granulated cane sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup whole organic milk
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• One 8-inch doily, (to use with confectioner’s sugar to get a pattern on the top of the cake)
• 1 tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar, plus more, if needed
• edible flowers, preferably organic (I used pansies from my garden), washed and dry

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan.
3. Using a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt, making sure the dry ingredients are well blended. Add the milk, canola oil, and pure vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Add the large egg and beat for a couple of minutes more, then spread the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan. Allow cooling before applying the confectioner's sugar over the doily in the desired pattern.
5. Decorate with clean edible flowers.
6. **Place 8-inch doily over the top of the cake. Put a tablespoon or so of confectioners sugar in a tea strainer. Gently tap the tea strainer over the doily cutouts. Remove doily.
7. **I cut off the rounded top with a bread knife, turned the cake over, and applied the confectioner's sugar to the "bottom" of the cake, giving a more uniform appearance and flatter surface for the doily design.

Notes

Did you make this recipe? Tag @lifeslittlesweets and hashtag it #lifeslittlesweets

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 186Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 121mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? If you share it on social media tag us @lifeslittlesweets and hashtag it #lifeslittlesweets - Thank you in advance!

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Sara Maniez

Owner at Life's Little Sweets

Sara is an architectural designer turned work-at-home Mom. She lives in New Jersey by way of New England and New York, with her husband and 3 kids under 8. She loves design, being creative, and spending time with family and friends. She loves checking out local businesses and eats and being apart of the local farm to table community.

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