This moist decadent sweet potato-based "chocolate" cake is delicious, easy to make, and perfect for special occasions. Make is as a single layer cake or as many as 3 levels.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9" round cake pan with coconut oil (or desired oil).
The dates for the frosting should be very fresh and moist. If your dates are dry, soak them in warm/hot water for at least 10 minutes- set aside.
Combine all the cake ingredients (EXCEPT FOR the gelatin and water) in a food processor and blend until smooth.
In a separate small dish, add the gelatin to cold water stirring vigorously until smooth. Add the gelatin mixture to the food processor and blend again until well incorporated. *The mixture will be pretty thick- more like a dough than a batter.
Pour/transfer the cake mixture into the cake pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting.
If you were soaking the dates, drain the water and remove the pits.
Clean the food processor, then add the frosting ingredients (EXCEPT FOR the coconut shreds). **For the maple syrup, start with 1/2 cup and blend the mixture to assess thickness and taste. Add a little more maple syrup (or coconut milk) if needed. *Note- if the mixture ends up too thin, add a few more dates. Blend until smooth, then fold in the coconut shreds by hand.
Remove the cake from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean and baking time is up. Allow it to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Once the cake has cooled, add the frosting and spread it evenly over the cake. *You could use a silicone spatula but I've found a butter knife to be easiest for spreading a thick frosting. *See notes below for multilayer cakes.
If you're using the decorative carob frosting, just mix the ingredients together in a small dish, then add to a piping bag with your prefered decorating tip. I just made a small dollop in the middle of the cake but you can really do whatever you want with it.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
**This recipe makes a 1 layer cake. To make a 2 or 3 layer cake, double or triple the ingredients. Multilayer Cake Notes: If you're making a 2 or 3 level cake, allow to cakes to cool completely. You may notice some small cracks on the top of the cake. This is not a problem (the cracks will shrink as the cake cools) but cooling the cake is really important for making sure it's stable enough to take out of the pan and stack onto other layers of cake. I found it easiest to allow the cakes to cool to room temp then put them in the freezer for at least an hour before assembling the cake. For the frosting, just add a layer of frosting between each cake layer and then cover the entire cake (top and sides).