🍁 Homestead Maple Chocolate Cake Bars

There’s something about the flavor of maple and chocolate together that just feels comforting. The rich cocoa, the cozy sweetness from maple sugar, and the hearty texture from freshly milled grains make these bars the perfect wholesome treat when you’re craving something chocolatey but not too heavy.

I love that these aren’t overly sweet — just the right balance of rich and simple. They’re soft and tender like cake, but when you chill them in the fridge? Oh my goodness. They turn fudgy and dense in the best way. I honestly think they taste even better cold — like a cross between a brownie and a snack cake.

It’s one of those recipes that feels special but comes together easily, and I can almost guarantee you’ll find yourself slicing “just one more little square.”

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✨ Why You’ll Love These

    •    Made with freshly milled grains for a hearty, wholesome flavor.

    •    Naturally sweetened with maple sugar and allulose.

    •    Dairy-free, but still rich and chocolatey.

    •    Easy to make — one bowl, no mixer needed.

    •    Delicious at room temp, but amazing chilled for a fudgier bite.

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🍫 Ingredients

    •    1 cup hard red wheat berries

    •    1 cup einkorn berries

(mill together — yields about 393 g freshly milled flour)

    •    1 tsp baking powder

    •    ½ tsp salt

    •    1 Tbsp vanilla extract

    •    ½ cup maple sugar

    •    ⅓ cup allulose

    •    ½ cup cocoa powder

    •    1 egg

    •    ⅓ cup coconut oil (melted)

    •    1 cup organic canned coconut milk

    •    1 cup water

    •    ⅓–½ cup chocolate chips (fold in at the end)

Optional topping:

    •    Light sprinkle of maple sugar before baking

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🥣 Instructions

    1.    Preheat oven to 350°F.

    2.    Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan with coconut oil.

    3.    In a large bowl, whisk together the freshly milled flour, baking powder, salt, maple sugar, allulose, and cocoa powder.

    4.    Add the egg, coconut oil, coconut milk, water, and vanilla, and stir until smooth and well combined.

    5.    Fold in the chocolate chips.

    6.    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle a little maple sugar on top if desired.

    7.    Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

    8.    Let cool before slicing — and if you want them extra fudgy, chill them in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

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🌿 Notes

    •    You can substitute maple syrup for the maple sugar. If you do, reduce the water slightly to balance the texture.

    •    Maple syrup is a bit sweeter than maple sugar, so adjust to taste.

    •    These bars store well in the fridge for several days and taste even better cold.

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🍁 A Little Encouragement

These bars remind me that baking doesn’t always have to be perfect or fancy — sometimes it’s just about slowing down, using what you have, and enjoying the process. The smell of cocoa and maple filling the kitchen, the warmth of the oven, and that first soft bite straight from the pan… it’s simple, homemade goodness.

That’s what I love most about recipes like this — they’re sweet reminders that the little things really are the best things.