1. Chill a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight.

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of 2 7-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Pull out 7 inches of parchment paper, fold it in half, and trace a circle, using the 7-inch cake pan. Cut out the circle and you should have two circles. Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the parchment paper circles at the bottom of each cake pan, then spray again. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond milk (or rice milk), grapeseed oil, vanilla extract, and applesauce.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, brown rice flour, arrowroot flour, cacao powder, arrowroot, coconut sugar, and baking soda.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until they combine. Fold in the chocolate chips until well blended.
6. Distribute the batter evenly into the 2 7-inch cake pans. Alternatively, evenly distribute batter into 12-cupcake pan, lined with cupcake baking cups. About a heaping ¼ cup each.
7. Place the 7-inch pans onto a baking sheet, then into a preheated oven and bake for 27-30 minutes. The cake should have a little bounce back when pressed.
8. Cool the cakes in the pans for at least 40 minutes to an hour, or until completely cool. While the cakes are cooling, make the chocolate frosting.

Coconut Whipped Cream:

1. Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator and leave it there until well-chilled. I chill mine overnight or for a few days.
2. Open the can of coconut milk upside down. There, you will find coconut water- loose liquid. Pour it out into a bowl or cup to drink, or save for later use in a smoothie.
3. Carefully scoop out the thick layer into a bowl or mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Make sure you don’t get liquid in the thick, solidified cream, or it will be difficult to whip and obtain soft peaks.
4. Turn your mixer or hand beater to high speed, and whip the coconut cream for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Whip until it becomes light and fluffy with soft peaks. Mix in coconut sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon. Whip it some more until combined. Taste and adjust sweetness, vanilla, or cinnamon flavor.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use. Before using it, whisk it.

Raspberry Couli:

1. Wash and drain the raspberries.
2. Blend the raspberries, then stain through a sieve, using a ladel to help the juice through.
3. Add 1 Tbsp maple syrup and mix. Taste and adjust sweetness to taste with either more maple syrup or stevia drops.

Cupcakes-

1. When cupcakes have fully cooled, frost the cupcakes or cake with coconut whipped cream.
2. Dip clean fingertips into the raspberry couli and flick your fingers towards the cupcakes to spray the cupcakes with raspberry couli “blood”.
3. Refrigerate

Cake-

1. For a cake, center a 6-inch cake circle on top of a revolving cake stand.
2. To remove layers from baking pan, turn the cake pan upside down and it should fall out onto your hand. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Place the first layer, bottom side down, at center of cake stand.
3. With an offset spatula, evenly spread approximately 2 ½ ounces of frosting on the layer. Center second layer on top of first layer with the topside down.
4. Measure the height of the cake by inserting the popsicle stick towards the center of the cake. Pull it back out and cut off the excess popsicle stick. Cut the other popsicle stick the same length. Place the sticks back in the cake, toward the center, about an inch apart. These will keep the layers in place.
5. With an offset spatula, pour the remainder of the frosting to cover the top and sides of cake, however you wish.
6. Dip clean fingertips into the raspberry couli and flick your fingers towards the cupcakes to spray the cupcakes with raspberry couli “blood”.
7. Refrigerate until needed. You may want to warn your guests about the wooden sticks, or remove it from their slice if you see them.