#4 of 5 Unique Gut-Supportive Recipes for the Holidays

This is a traditional chocolate cake recipe with a fermented twist! 

I know it seems strange to have sauerkraut in a cake, but it’s amazing and a great way to get the benefits of probiotic kraut into your guests. (Yes, studies show that even cooked/dead bacteria still help us) (No, your guests won’t know there is kraut in it!)

Make this even more digestible by using a sprouted flour.

Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake with Kefir Icing 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup organic sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup unbleached AP flour or 1/2 cup all-purpose mixed with 1/2 cup whole spelt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained & rinsed with water
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon or chili powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 x 8 inch pan or grease the sides and line
the bottom with parchment paper. Put the butter and the sugar in a mixer bowl and beat until
the butter is soft. Add the eggs and the vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder,
baking soda, sea salt, and cocoa together. Meanwhile, rinse the sauerkraut with water and drain.
Place the sauerkraut in a food processor or blender and puree – you may use half the water to
help the sauerkraut puree. Add the flour-cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and gradually add
the rest of the water. Add the sauerkraut and mix. Be sure to scrape the side of the bowl so it is
mixed completely. Add the batter to the cake pan. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from
the oven. The cake is ready to come out of the oven when you touch it lightly with your fingers
and it springs back. Let it sit for five minutes. Go around the edge with a palette knife to loosen
the cake from the pan. Turn upside down on a wire rack. Let cool. Cut into pieces and place each
piece on a plate. Drizzle with Chocolate or Plain Kefir Glaze.

Chocolate Kefir Icing
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1/4 cup milk kefir
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract or 3 drops of peppermint essential oil (optional)

Place chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from
heat. When chocolate is still warm, but not hot, add the kefir and stir until well combined. Wait
until the cake has cooled before dribbling the glaze back and forth across the cake.