Gluten Free Dark Chocolate, Butterscotch and Vanilla Bean Ombré Cake

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, wheat (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 1 1/2 oz (45 g) dark chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh brewed hot coffee
• 3/4 cup (150 g) white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (165 g) dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (75 g) cocoa powder, natural not Dutch-processed
• 1/4 cup (45 g) buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup (45 g) teff flour
• 1/4 cup (35 g) sweet rice (sometimes called glutinous rice) flour
• 1/4 cup (35 g) tapioca flour
• 3 tablespoons (25 g) mesquite flour
• 2 tablespoon (20 g) ground chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (90 g) teff flour
• 1/2 cup (90 g) potato starch
• 1/2 cup (70 g) sweet rice (sometimes called glutinous rice) flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) white rice flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons (20 g) ground white chia seeds or ground golden flax meal
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (115 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup (275 g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) shortening
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup (90 g) potato starch
• 1/2 cup (70 g) millet flour
• 1/2 cup (70 g) sweet rice (sometimes called glutinous rice) flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) white rice flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca flour
• 2 tablespoon (20 g) ground white chia seeds or ground golden flax meal
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (115 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) shortening
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) white granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (1 lb, 460 g or 4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, melted
• 3 tablespoon black onyx cocoa powder
• 3 – 4 tablespoons roasted cacao nibs
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon flaked finish salt (I used Cypress Black Flake salt, but you can use Maldon, Fleur de Del or another finishing salt of your choice, just don’t use plain table salt as it’s way too harsh)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line three 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment. Split one vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds for the vanilla layer, and set the pod aside for the frosting.

2. Chocolate layer: Pour the hot brewed coffee over the 1 1/2 oz chopped dark chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk together the white sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, buckwheat, teff, sweet rice, tapioca, mesquite flour, chia, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.

3. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the melted chocolate coffee mixture. Pour into one pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Butterscotch layer: Whisk together the teff, potato starch, sweet rice, white rice flour, tapioca starch, ground chia or flax, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Beat the butter, shortening, 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar until fluffy. Beat in the 4 eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract.

5. Alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk to the butterscotch batter, mixing just until combined. Pour into the second pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes until set and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Vanilla layer: Whisk together the potato starch, millet, sweet rice, white rice flour, tapioca flour, ground chia or flax, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Beat the butter, shortening and 1 3/4 cup white sugar until fluffy, then beat in the 4 eggs, vanilla extract and the scraped vanilla bean seeds.

7. Alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk to the vanilla batter. Pour into the third pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes until set. Cool all layers in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.

8. Frosting: Set a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the 5 egg whites, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C). Remove from heat and beat until cool, thick and glossy.

9. Beat in the 2 cups butter a few tablespoons at a time until smooth. Scrape the seeds from the second vanilla bean into the frosting, then beat in the melted 3 oz dark chocolate and the 3 tablespoons black onyx cocoa powder.

10. Stack the layers with frosting between them and spread the rest over the top and sides. Sprinkle with the roasted cacao nibs and flaked finishing salt to taste, using 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. Chill briefly to set before slicing.