THE REBOUND PACT by Eliza Knight (Guest Post/Giveaway)

It's finally the weekend my friends - woot! And what better way to start it off then with some Naked Cake? Yep, you read that right! Please welcome the lovely Eliza Knight joining us with this fun recipe along with her new book The Rebound Pact. Enjoy!

Naked Cake
By Eliza Knight

I am certainly a lover of cake. But it has to be a certain type – and naked is nice. I like my cake to be a moist, somewhat dense, succulent, melt in your mouth, adventure. But I don’t eat dairy. Or eggs. This can make cake eating rather sad. When I decided to write a book about a vegetarian chef—THE REBOUND PACT—I had to explore the various recipes she might create. What a fun, and filling, experience!  As luck would have it, Gabrielle helped me to overcome my lack of cake (darn her!)

The dish is one of Gabrielle’s signature treats. A moist, seductive blend of coconut, vanilla and chocolate…In THE REBOUND PACT, Holden and Gabrielle find themselves eating naked cake a few times. You’ll have to try it :-)

Today, I want to share with you the recipe. The cake (and icing!) is delicious, vegan, and addictive… And guess what? Because there are no raw eggs, feel free to lap up the batter right from your mixing bowl or your partner’s fingers!

Gabrielle’s Naked Cake
Ingredients:

Batter—
• 1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cups grapeseed oil
• 1 14oz can of lite coconut milk
• 1/4 cup almond milk (you can use soy/coconut too)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 C of unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 C shredded unsweetened coconut

Icing—
• 6 Tbsp. vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
• ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
• 2 2/3 cups organic powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup almond milk (or soy/coconut)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:
You can choose to make this as a layer cake or a bundt cake. Either way, grease your pan(s). I prefer a spray, like Pam. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl – or mixer—blend the sugar, oil, coconut milk, almond milk and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt into the wet mixture. Blend. Taste.Mmmm… Fold in the coconut. Now you’re ready to pour into your pans! If you’re doing a layer cake, make sure they are spread evenly.

Bake the bundt cake for about 50 minutes (layer cake for 35 minutes), or until tops are golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (Please note, all ovens are not created equal! Keep an eye on your cake so it doesn’t burn.) Remove from the oven.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from pan onto a cooling rack (while stealing tiny bits of delicious crumbs).

Allow the cake to cool for about 1-2 hours. You don’t want to put the icing on until its cool or it will melt. To make the icing, cream the vegan butter in a bowl with a hand mixer. Add dark cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with almond milk. Beat to spreading consistency (additional rice milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla.

Enjoy naked—or clothed, your choice!
Cheers,
Eliza


About THE REBOUND PACT:

The Rebound Pact is “An intoxicating blend of wine, food and smoldering sex!” ~Christi Barth, acclaimed author of Planning for Love.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Just one taste is never enough...
The attraction between Gabrielle and Holden still sizzles on the surface even after all these years since their last encounter. Having just experienced serious relationship breakups neither one is ready to start again. Instead, they make a rebound pact. Casual sex, no strings attached—and rule #1? Don't fall in love. Problem is, with each scorching encounter, Gabrielle and Holden find themselves falling hard and fast. 
After college, Gabrielle Dane makes one terrific mistake. Thinking she's sneaking into her crush's bedroom at an all-night party, she ends up sleeping with her older brother's best friend. It’s only when the sun comes up that she recognizes Holden Bellamy. Mortified, Gabrielle leaves to train with a renowned chef in France, vowing never to return to her hometown and the awkwardness of her one night stand mix-up. But several years later, she finds herself doing just that, and she runs smack into the delicious man who makes her catch her breath. 
Holden Bellamy, owner of Belle Ami, a critically acclaimed vineyard, has always had a thing for his best friend's little sister...even if she was off limits. Waking up to her in the morning several years back was a remarkable surprise, one that crashed and burned when she left town without a word. Now he's face to face with the woman he never stopped wondering about. 

A Sneak Peek at THE REBOUND PACT:

As she neared the exit, a sign caught her eye with a picture of purple grapes inside a wine glass, below it said: Belle Ami Vineyards.
“Perfect,” she muttered. 
A stop at the vineyard to purchase a couple bottles of wine and then she’d head to her Dad’s place. She wasn’t ready for the conversation he’d want to have regarding Len. She stared at her empty ring finger on the steering wheel, tears already stinging her eyes. Her finger still showed the lines of where her ring had been.
Gabrielle followed the signs for the vineyard, pulling into a nearly empty parking lot, her tires crunching over the gravel. There were only three other cars parked.
Damn. She hoped they hadn’t closed already. She’d forgotten how everything in the town of Mount Airy kept farmer’s hours.  She climbed out of the car and walked toward the entrance. The door opened easily when she pulled, but she didn’t see anyone. She walked up to the bar and picked up the tasting menu.
Gabrielle loved wine. Had even volunteered at many a wine tasting event, pouring glasses, talking shop to wine enthusiasts, and even turning some non-winos into vino connoisseurs.
The Belle Ami merlot looked right up her alley with a tangy bouquet of pomegranate and cocoa. She turned in a circle, her fingernails tapping against the “green” pressed bamboo counter. 
“Can I help you?” a smooth, sensual, very male voice said from behind.
Oh. My. God.
Gabrielle turned around slowly, unable to breathe. She came face to face with Holden Bellamy. His face itself was perfection in the flesh. Chiseled. A wide square jaw, cheek bones she’d kill for, kissable lips and a nose that spoke of good genes. Dark brown, nearly black hair cut short enough to be in style, but still rugged, a few strands falling over his forehead. Her entire body stilled as she gazed at him, wide-eyed.
He was just as alluring, if not more so than he’d been before.
A jolt of longing wracked her. Her belly fluttered. Goosebumps rose along her arms making her skin tingle. Memories came flooding back of their one night together. Her body hadn’t forgotten, even with the passing of time, and neither had her mind. But with those memories and the pull of her attraction came regret. For what she’d thrown away. For the hurt she’d caused him. For not telling him the truth. 
He wore a tight black t-shirt with the winery’s logo on his right pec. His jeans looked to be designer and if he turned around… She gulped, gazing at his flawless physique and then back up into his crystal blue eyes that seemed to delve right into the center of her soul. A light bulb sparked inside her mind. Bellamy… Was it possible this was his winery? A play on words?
“Gabrielle?”
He remembered her. Her stomach tightened. Of course he remembered her. She’d known him for years. Her body trilled a tune, as if her flesh remembered the way he’d touched her. He flashed her a smile, showing white, faintly imperfect teeth. Teeth that had skimmed naughtily over her flesh.
“Yes, hi, it’s been so long…” She trailed off, feeling awkward at showing up here six years after walking out on him.

Meet Eliza Knight:

Eliza Knight is the multi-published, award-winning, Amazon best-selling author of sizzling historical romance, time-travel erotic romance, and now contemporary romance. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain, and enjoys cold winter nights when she can curl up in front of a roaring fire with her own knight in shining armor.

Find Eliza Knight: History Undressed - Facebook - Twitter: @ElizaKnight

~*GIVEAWAY*~

Eliza is giving away one digital copy of The Rebound Pact to one reader today. To enter, just leave a question or comment for her on this post and then fill out the rafflecopter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway