14-Layer Chocolate Strawberry Cake {grain-free; dairy-free}

Instructions

Cake

1. Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly oil 14 9" disposable cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Oil the the parchment in the pans. Set all the prepared pans aside.
2. Combine the combine the cassava flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. To make the cake batter, add the shortening, ghee, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended.
5. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Beat in the vanilla.
6. Scoop approximately 3/4 cup of batter into each of the prepared pans. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter evenly throughout each pan.
7. Stagger the pans on the racks so they are at least 2" from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other
8. Bake the layers in the preheated oven until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12-14 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely.
9. Repeat the process until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

1. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the coconut milk over medium-low heat. Get it simmering hot but don't let it come to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the chocolate, stirring constantly until completely melted. Let cool to about room temperature (you don't want to melt the frosting), and gently pour over the top and side of the cake. For best results, cool the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour to keep the ganache from dripping all the way down the sides.

Strawberry Filling

1. Rinse the strawberries and pat them dry. Add them to a food processor or high-powered blender (like the Blendtec) and puree them.
2. Strain the pureed strawberries through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the seeds and pour the strained puree into a medium saucepan. Add in the honey and lemon juice.
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring often. Skim any foam that forms on the top and sides of the pan using a slotted spoon.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring often, until the strawberries and thickened and reduced by about half.
5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the shortening until softened and creamy. Starting on low speed, add the cocoa powder and mix until fully combined with the shortening.
2. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, starting on low speed and increasing speed until each cup is fully incorporated.
3. Slowly add in the milk until desired consistency is reached. You may need more or less than is called for. It should be thick and spreadable like regular buttercream frosting.
4. Add the vanilla extract and beat until fully mixed in.

Almond Buttercream Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the shortening until softened and creamy. Add the salt.
2. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, starting on low speed and increasing speed until each cup is fully incorporated.
3. Slowly add in the milk until desired consistency is reached. You may need more or less than is called for. It should be thick and spreadable like regular buttercream frosting.
4. Add the almond extract and beat until fully mixed in.

Assembly

1. Make sure you have a cake stand large enough for the layers, as well as any decorating you want to do around the edges. Place the first layer on the plate and pour just enough strawberry filling to cover the layer to the edges.
2. Place the second layer on top of the strawberry filling and pour just enough ganache to cover the layer to the edges. Continue in this pattern until all 14 layers have been stacked. It's okay if the filling and ganache drip down the sides, and is practically impossible to prevent.
3. Place a tall skewer in the top of the cake, pushing it all the way down until it hits the plate. This will prevent the layers from sliding as the cake sets.
4. Refrigerate the layered cake while you prepare the buttercream frostings. If not using buttercream, drizzle any remaining ganache over the entire cake, using an offset spatula to cover all the sides.
5. Once the cake is chilled, use the chocolate frosting to crumb coat the outside of the cake. This will keep any of the filling and ganache from getting onto the final layer of frosting.
6. Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake for about 20 minutes.
7. Using the chocolate frosting, apply a thicker coat of frosting all the way around and on top of the cake. It doesn't have to be perfect, you'll smooth it out later, but do the best you can.
8. Using an offset spatula, apply blobs of the almond frosting sporadically around the sides of the cake. Fill in the gaps with blobs of the chocolate frosting.
9. Using a bench scraper held at an angle against the cake, lightly pull it around the cake, smoothing the frosting as you go. Scrape off the frosting on the bench scraper. View a tutorial on this method here.
10. Fill in any obvious gaps in the frosting and run the bench scraper across the sides again.
11. Do the same with the top, but gently scraping from the outside in to keep the edges clean.

Decoration

1. Place the remaining almond frosting in a piping bag fitted with a tip (I used an open star tip).
2. Cut the greens off the strawberries and place 6 of them, equal distance apart, around the edge of the cake. Fill in the gaps with the almond frosting. Pipe some more frosting in the center of the cake and top with another strawberry.
3. Pipe more frosting along the bottom edge of the cake. This will also help to hide any imperfections in the frosting along the edge.
4. You. Are. Done! Eat this cake. Now!