Prepare to be blown away – by this healthy paleo chocolate cake. It’s decadent, it’s chocolatey and I bet you can’t tell it’s also gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! Super easy and quick to make, it’s the perfect mid-week chocolatey treat. And even better – no nuts, for all those who are fed up with all the healthy sweet treats being nut-based (or have a nut allergy)!
The best. That’s a bit presumptuous, isn’t it?
It’s assuming that you’ve tasted all the paleo chocolate cakes out there and that THIS ONE comes out on top. Unfortunately, I haven’t sampled all the paleo chocolate cake recipes in existence – but I’m still confident in my claim.
Why?
Because people not following the paleo diet (or any sort of diet) couldn’t tell whether this cake is healthy/paleo/gluten/dairy/refined sugar free on not.
It’s decadent.
It’s chocolatey.
It’s moist.
It’s super easy to make.
And, yes, it’s HEALTHY, paleo and allergy friendly (and that includes any nut allergies).
Basically, you could eat if for breakfast, and it would be a really balanced choice. Plus, that’s one hell of a reason to get up on a dreary Monday morning! Or any morning, really.
Here’s what we’ll need for the paleo chocolate cake sponge:
melted coconut oil
honey or maple syrup
cocoa powder
eggs
almond milk
coconut flour
arrowroot flour
salt
baking soda
baking powder
Simple ingredients, that you most probably already have in your pantry.
The coconut oil, the liquid sweetener of choice and the cocoa powder come together to make what is essentially (slightly thick) melted chocolate. It’s just as luscious, just as shiny and just as dangerous.
Next, eggs are mixed in and the lusciousness factor increases. Exponentially.
After we’ve added the almond milk, we basically get a bowl of what looks like hot chocolate. Life is good, my friends. Life is good.
The dry ingredients are chucked in (<— totally professional vocabulary, don’t you know) and we’ll mix everything together until we get a really dense mixture that just seems… wrong. Because – it’s chocolate cake. The batter should be runny and smooth and not at all like this strange concoction. Right?! Well, not quite. It’s paleo chocolate cake, so things will be a bit different.
(Also, it’s THE BEST paleo chocolate cake EVER, so everything will be just fine. Pinky promise.)
The strange concoction is then put into some cake pans, and into the oven it goes.
After anxiously sitting in front of the oven for about half an hour (no sense trying to deny it), we’ll allow the paleo chocolate cake sponges to cool and whip up a batch of the AMAZING paleo & vegan chocolate frosting. Another easy and healthy recipe that will leave you craving more. So. Good.
And then… we’ll stack this beauty.
There’ll be no fancy decorating here. I mean, you can go crazy and decorate to your heart’s content… but, honestly, we all just want to get to the eating stage. Yeah? Yeah.
Sponge. Frosting. Sponge. Frosting. Sponge. An attempt to make the final layer of frosting look “pretty”. We’ll kinda succeed… but only kinda, because there’s an empty frosting bowl waiting to be licked clean… and, well, priorities.
(I mean… come on. Just look at that perfection. It’s giving me goosebumps. Seriously.)
By now, people have probably noticed that there’s CHOCOLATE going on. Enjoy basking in the gratitude of people because you’ve made chocolate cake and that makes you the best kind of person.
Also, when you inform everyone that that slice of decadent, moist, delicious chocolate cake they’re oohing and aahing over is actually healthy? It’s totally okay to feel a bit smug.
Recommended products + tools
To make things easier for you, here are the products I’ve used and recommend for this recipe! So often, I get asked about what kind of gluten free flour I use or which kind of baking pans are best – and I know that the baking/cooking world can be overwhelming, what with the bazillion different products available out there. Well, no more.
The links below are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission for every purchase you make, at no additional cost to you. This allows me to fuel my – and your 😉 – chocolate addiction, so thank you for supporting The Loopy Whisk! (For more information, check out the Disclosure Policy.)
- Use a high quality coconut oil – organic virgin (cold pressed) coconut oil is often best, as it doesn’t have s strong coconut smell and aftertaste.
- Similarly, I like to use a non-GMO organic coconut flour and arrowroot flour.
- Note that this recipe makes three 6 inch sponges – so it’s a rather small cake, but that makes it super cute and perfect if you’re only baking for a small number of people… or even just for yourself! I love these 6 inch cake pans from Wilton.
The Best Paleo Chocolate Cake. Ever. (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Prepare to be blown away – by this healthy paleo chocolate cake. It’s decadent, it’s chocolatey and I bet you can’t tell it’s also gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! Super easy and quick to make, it’s the perfect mid-week chocolatey treat. And even better – no nuts, for all those who are fed up with all the healthy sweet treats being nut-based (or have a nut allergy)!
Ingredients
- 3/8 cup (75 g) melted coconut oil
- 3/4 cup (225 g) honey or maple syrup
- 5/8 cup (60 g) cocoa powder
- 3 medium eggs
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (for instance coconut milk, rice milk or almond milk if not sensitive to nuts)
- 3/4 cup (96 g) coconut flour
- 3/4 cup (96 g) arrowroot flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups paleo & vegan chocolate frosting (Note 1)
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC) and grease three ~6 inch round cake pans (at least 1 1/2 inch deep) with a bit of melted coconut oil. You can line the bottom of each baking tin with a bit of greaseproof/baking paper.
(If you don't have three such baking tins, or they don't fit into your oven at the same time, make the cake batter in batches and bake them one/two at a time).
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In a bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, liquid sweetener of choice and cocoa powder until you get a mixture resembling thick melted chocolate.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition.
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Add the almond milk and whisk until you get a mixture that resembles hot chocolate.
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Sift together the dry ingredients and add them to the wet mixture. Mix everything together until you get a homogeneous mixture with no clumps. The final batter will be quite dense, but that's OK. (See pictures above in text.)
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Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake tins and smooth out the tops with a spoon or spatula.
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Bake in the pre-heated oven at 355 ºF (180 ºC) for about 25 minutes, or until the cakes have risen and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove the baked cakes from the oven and allow to cool. In the mean time, whip up a batch of the paleo & vegan chocolate frosting.
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Assemble the cake by placing the first sponge on a plate of choice. Spread out about 1/3 of the chocolate frosting on top in an even layer. Place the next sponge on top and repeat until you have used all the sponges and all of the frosting.
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Enjoy!
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The paleo chocolate cake keeps well in a closed container (or wrapped in cling film) in a cool, dry place for about 3 - 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Note 1:Get the recipe for my paleo & vegan chocolate frosting here!
Looking for more delicious paleo desserts?
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73 thoughts on “The Best Paleo Chocolate Cake. Ever.”
Can I use dutch processed cocoa powder instead?
Hi Connie, you definitely can!
Delicious!
To keep it extra moist, I sprinkled about 1/3 c milk on the layers right after taking them out of the oven. Just perfect. I’m sure I’ll make again.
Hi, I’m looking to make this cake for my sons birthday. I’m struggling to find arrowroot flour though, I’ve only came across arrowroot powder, is it the same thing??
Hi Jen, yes, arrowroot powder is the same thing.
Hi, can I use Erythritol sweetener in this recipe? I cannot use honey or maple syrup as I am diabetic..
Hi JT, I don’t have any experience with using Erythritol, so unfortunately can’t say for certain. If you’ve successfully used Erythritol in other cake recipes, you can definitely give it a try!
I’m off suger, not paleo per se because I still eat dairy. But there was far too much maple syrup in this cake. I replaced with grated beets and its perfect. Replaced coconut flour with Cassava because I don’t care for coconut that much. Otherwise I highly rate this recipe and my own substitutions make it perfect for me.
Hi, I love this cake. Do you know howni can modify thid cake to make it a vanila cake (no chocolate)? I really like how moist this cake is. Thanks!
Hi Dariana, so glad you like the cake! I haven’t tested it as a vanilla cake, but you could try omitting the cocoa powder and increasing the coconut flour and arrowroot starch each by 15g.
hi there, looks fantastic. Can I do one big cake??
It should work as one big cake (note that I didn’t test it so I can’t way with 100% certainty), but you will need to adjust the baking time, which will probably be longer.
Hi Kat,
This cake was such a success at my son’s third birthday party. With parents asking for the recipe and catching the kids sticking their little hands in it for more.
I can’t tell you how happy i am to find a gluten free (intolerent papa), dairy free (intolerent mama) and sugar free (son’s already hyper as it is) cake! I will definitely be making it again as well as try your other recipes, that just look amazing.
Can I use oat milk instead?
Yes, it should work perfectly. 🙂
Amazing! Thank you. Moist, chocolate +++ & keeps well.
This cake turned out amazing! Thank you so much, it was so lovely to watch my sister, who can’t eat gluten or refined sugars (neither can I), eat this scrumptious, melt in your mouth chocolate cake for her 50th birthday! It brought us so much joy!
I also just tried the recipe to make vanilla cupcakes. I replaced the cocoa with coconut flour. It worked perfectly, moist and delicious cupcakes! (I added some vanilla extract to the wet ingredients just after the eggs)
I can’t thank you enough!
Kelly
I wish I had gone with my instincts and added a 4th egg. Coconut flour needs lots of binding and the cake was too crumbly with just three. That being said – my 3 eggs were medium size, not large. Suggestion to Kat – specify the size of the eggs or add a 4th to the recipe. The only substitution I made was corn starch instead of arrowroot. For the measurements, I followed the weight (grams), not the volume (cups).
The pudding-like frosting is great. I recommend using an immersion blender or a food processor, not a blender. I used a Vitamix blender and needed to add liquid (almond milk) in addition to scraping down the sides.
Sorry you’ve had trouble with the recipe – I’ve actually used medium eggs myself without any problems at all. The 3 medium eggs, honey (or maple syrup) and non-dairy milk in the recipe should provide more than enough moisture to keep the cake nicely moist. What kind of sweetener did you use?
If I use maple syrup in the cake batter, is it better to use honey in the frosting?
Hi Amy, you can use either – you can use maple syrup in both, honey in both, or a mix of the two. 🙂
Hi Kat,
I am very excited to try this recipe. In one of the comments you mentioned that the milk substitute needed to be the drinkable kind (vs. canned coconut milk) because the canned coconut milk would be too thick. I happen to have some “almond milk for cooking” on hand, but now am concerned it may have the same issue as the canned coconut milk. What do you think?
The main problem with canned coconut milk is its high fat content which may result in a dense and/or oily cake. Almond milk should work perfectly – note that the cake batter will be fairly thick, but will bake beautifully.
Can’t wait to try this cake! I made 2 6 inch heart shaped trays. Wanted to post how beautiful it came it! But tasting the ganache/frosting (which tasted yummy!) and I can wait to try it foday/Valentine’s Day! My husband was impressed that I made this since I am not a baker what so ever! We’ll see how it tastes!
So glad you like the recipe, Yadida! Hope you and your husband enjoyed it. 🙂
Thanks for this amazing recipe!! I’m writing from Spain where it is not that easy to come across some arrowroot flour… Is there any other thing that I can substitute it for? Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Ana! You can use cornstarch or tapioca.
I was looking for a cake recipe to make for my next birthday. Finding such recipes has been hard, as I am paleo and dairy free. I also happen to love chocolate, but usually chocolate cake recipes require butter, so I was wondering “Is this going to work?” I scroll down, and I see the about me page, and I see that we share a name. It’s even spelled the same! I took it as a sign. I can’t wait for my birthday to come! I bet it tastes amazing!
Well, I know we Kats are pretty amazing, but this is the first time somebody trusted a recipe of mine based on my name alone! 😀 But names aside, this cake is AMAZING and I’m sure you’ll love it!
Hi
I tried this recipe and it tasted really good! Didn’t have avos so just made a chocolate ganache to go with it.
I couldn’t find arrowroot so I replaced it with Cornflour (1.5x as per google searches), the cake came out quite crumbly. Wonder if it was excess cornflour?
Thanks!
Hi Sana,
So glad you liked the cake! I don’t know where on google you found the substitution, but I usually use a 1:1 replacement when it comes to arrowroot & cornflour. The excess of cornflour is probably what caused the cake to be crumbly. Just use a 1:1 substitution and it should be perfect! 🙂
Would it work to use a larger pan and make a sheet cake with this recipe? Or two 9″ rounds instead of 3 6″?
Hi Christine, I’m sure all the options would work with no problems, you will just need to adjust the baking times slightly. Use the “toothpick test” to check whether the cake is baked: insert a toothpick or skewer into the cake, and if it comes out clean after ~2 seconds, it’s baked perfectly!
OMG! My first attempt at Paleo baking and this recipe exceeded all expectations. I used cacao powder and divided the mixture into 12 muffin cases. Had trouble stopping myself eating all the frosting as soon as it was made. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Hi Amanda! Ohmygosh I’m SO GLAD that the recipe was a hit! I’ve never made it into cupcakes, definitely need to do that ASAP 🙂
I’m so excited to try this recipe out. Quick question if I want to make 1 cake out of this recipe do I just hafe the measurements?
Hi Emily! The recipe as written makes 3 sponge cake layers. If you want a single layer, divide the ingredient quantities by 3. Or, if you want one layer that’s thicker, just halve the recipe. Enjoy!
Hi, I’m just trialing the recipe for my sons birthday – before the recipe it says it is to split between 2 6 inch pans but then the recipes last step says to split between 3. I split by 3 and the didn’t really rise and are quite flat – any tips? I haven’t tasted it yet. Do they usually rise much ? I will also need to make this in a larger size so there is enough for everyone – have you trialled in a bigger square cake tin. I’m notthe best Baker so have no idea how much longer I would need to bake for. Thanks
Hi Elysse! Sorry for the confusion, it’s 3 x 6 inch cakes, I corrected the post. 🙂
If the cakes didn’t rise, the first thing I would do is check whether your baking soda and baking powder are still active (within the expiry date). The cakes don’t rise significantly – they’re somewhere between a brownie and a sponge cake in texture, but they DO rise and shouldn’t be completely flat.
I haven’t tried it in a big square tin, but it should work with no problems: I know other people have made this recipe on a larger scale with no problems. 🙂 As for getting the timing right, I always recommend you do the “toothpick test” to see if the cake is baked: insert a toothpick (or a skewer) in the cake, leave it for ~2 seconds and if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs attached), the cake is baked. It should also feel “spongy” if you touch/press the top with a finger.
Hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, just let me know! 🙂
Do i need to use cold pressed or virgin coconut oil for this recipe? I used normal coconut oil and it had a very strong coconut oil smell. I am in India where coconut oil normally stays in liquid form due to temperature, and did not have to melt it. The batter was not thick in the end and was only enough to put in 2 6inch pans, cake rose well but then sank in the middle a bit.
What am i missing here
Hi Manu! Either should be fine, but definitely choose one that doesn’t have a very strong coconut flavour/smell. To a large degree, this depends on your preference, I know some people are very sensitive to the coconut oil taste and don’t really like it.
The cake batter usually goes quite thick because of the coconut flour, it tends to quickly absorb a lot of moisture, but still gives a moist sponge.
If you check the recipe, it’s meant to make two 6-inch pans, if you want to make a larger cake, just scale up the recipe.
As for why the cake sank in the middle: that usually happens when the cake is underbaked. Before you take it out of the oven, always do the “toothpick test”: insert the toothpick into the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean (maybe with a few crumbs) after about 2 seconds, the cake is baked.
Hope this helps 🙂
What an amazing cake recipe! I was searching for a refined sugar free cake to make for my friend who cut out sugar a year ago, and was hoping to find something vaguely tasty as it was for her 40th birthday cake – well, she was absolutely blown away by how good this tasted! I’d happily give up refined-sugar to eat this 😀 Oh and the frosting was divine – literally eating it off the spoon!! Thank you for sharing this!
Hi Brinda! I’m so very happy you both enjoyed the cake! 😀 Honestly, with the options to use maple syrup and/or honey… who needs refined sugar, eh?
Hi I can’t wait to make this! Do you know if this cake will keep well in the fridge or freezer as i want to make it in advance for a birthday later this week?
Hi Brinda! So glad you like the recipe 🙂 I’m not sure how well the cake freezes, but it should definitely last a few days in the fridge. It might dry out slightly, so make sure to keep it in a closed/air-tight container!
Hi Kat,
The cake looks yummy! Certainly plan to try this recipe right away! Can you please advise on the ingredient proportions for just one layer of this cake?
Thank you!
Hi Amreet! Depending on what size and thickness of sponge cake you want, you’ll have to scale the recipe differently. I’ve used 6 inch round baking pans, so you’d use 1/3 of the recipe for just one 6 inch layer… but if you want to make an 8 inch layer, you’ll need more batter.
Good recipe, thank you! Though can we all acknowledge the measurements given are weird? I think most recipies would say something like 1/4c plus 1tbs.
Glad you like the recipe! And I understand that my conversions can be awkward at times 😀 I’m originally from Slovenia, so I’ve grown up with grams, millilitres and using scales… cups just seem odd so I’m still getting my head round them 🙂
I made this cake for my assistant manager for her birthday. It turned out fantastic!!! Instead of having three six inch cakes, I made two eight inch cakes, baking it a little longer. I also added a bit more honey in the frosting to make it a little sweeter. Overall, the recipe for both the cake and frosting is so incredible!!! I have already shared it with two people!
Hi Becky! I’m SO GLAD the cake turned out so well 😀 Thank you for your kind words, and for sharing the recipe further 🙂
Hi, I am gonna try to make this looks-so-amazing cake for my dad’s birthday which is coming close.
When I checked this recipe, I realised that I don’t have arrowroot and I can’t find it near my home. Also I can’t order online due to shortage of time. Can you please tell me the PERFECT substitute for it?
Thanks a Lot
Hi Aaravee! Either tapioca flour or cornstarch are good substitutes for arrowroot. Have fun baking, and happy birthday to your dad! 🙂
Hello!
Could this cake be made in two 8” pans instead of 3 – 6” pans? Would you know how long they would need in the oven?
Hi Michela, I’m sure two 8″ pans should work. The cakes will probably need a bit longer in the oven, but you can use the “toothpick test” to see when they’re done: if you insert a toothpick or a skewer into the cake, leave it in for ~2 seconds and take it out, the cake is done if there are only a few/no crumbs on the toothpick/skewer. Also, if you press onto the cake with your finger, it should bounce back. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hello,
This cake recipe has gotten so many great reviews that I’d like to try it! I was wondering however, if I’d get the same results if I were to use coconut milk instead of almond milk? I see that coconut milk is listed as a substitute but would the flavour change much? My son has a severe nut allergy so I don’t keep, let alone bake with any nut products at home.
Thank you!
Hi Michela! Coconut milk (or soy milk, or rice milk) is perfectly fine – just note that in the case of coconut milk, I mean the one out of a carton, not the one in a can. The canned coconut milk is much too fatty and closer to coconut cream – you need the drinkable one for this recipe! The flavour may change slightly, giving the cake a slight “coconutty” taste… but then again, coconut + chocolate is one of the best flavour combos out there! 😉
Hands down, best coconut flour based choc cake texture and taste I’ve encountered (over 5 yrs) to date! I did try to lower the sugar content with applesauce and stevia replacing most the liquid honey content. Do not do that. Disappointment follows.
Thank you so much for the recipe! ❤️
Hi Michelle, I’m so incredibly happy you liked the cake! 😀 I haven’t experimented with artificial sweeteners and applesauce, but I’m hesitant to ever recommend the applesauce substitution when baking with grain-free “flours”… the results are usually not great.
Hi,
I want to do this cake but don’t have coconut flour-and its expensive. Can I use other flours? I usually use almond, oats, rice. You think if I make a mixture like this with starch it could work???
Hi Hilla! I’ve never tried this recipe with almond or oat flour, but my feeling is it should work (although I can’t guarantee it with 100% certainty). If you do give it a try, let me know!
Outstanding ! This is the best paleo chocolate cake I’ve ever made or tasted. Kat your recipe is beyond awesome. I made the cake for a few friends and they were all amazed at how delicious it was. This is now my go to cake. Thank you Kat ! Laura, Health Coach
Thank you SO MUCH Laura! That’s incredibly lovely to hear, your comment has seriously made my day! This cake is definitely one of my all-time favourite desserts – it’s crazy how delicious it is, there’s no way anyone can guess it’s also healthy 😉
O. M. G.!!!!!!
Tried this for the first time tonight and seriously the best chocolate cake I’ve had. This will literally be the ONLY chocolate I will eat going forward. Absolutely fantastically delicious.
Couldn’t find arrowroot flour so used corn starch instead (ordered arrowroot flower online immediately already because this awesomeness is happening over the weekend again) and still turned out amazing.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Hi Clement!
Thank you SO MUCH for your kind words, you comment absolutely made my day! And just think about it – you could have this cake even for breakfast, it’s so healthy 😉 And who wouldn’t love THAT, right?
Happy-chocolate-cake-eating,
Kat
When you sub corn starch for arrowroot, what was your ratio, 1:1 or less/more?
Can I substitute the eggs for anything?
Hi Alis! I haven’t experimented with egg substitutes yet, so I really couldn’t say. I’m more inclined to say ‘no’, as eggs are rather crucial in this recipe. If you do decide to give it a try without the eggs, let me know how it goes! 🙂
Verdict – I tried to make this cake yesterday and followed the recipe exactly except substituted the eggs with a substitute that usually works in other cakes – apple cider vinegar & baking soda. The cake did not work at all – it didnt rise much, then sank in the middle, and had a weird taste. Based on all the super positive reviews, I blame the egg substitute. Unfortunately as this was for a colleague’s birthday, it had to be vegan so i made a different cake. But i still made your frosting as i already had the ingredients and that is incredible!
Wow, I am impressed. I found your recipe featured on thefeedfeed.glutenfree Instagram. It looked delicious, but after reading the ingredients (in particular, coconut flour), I was afraid I’d be disappointed like all the other paleo recipes claiming to be “so good, even gluten eaters wouldn’t be able to tell the difference!”. Since I had some coconut flour I needed to use, and a craving for chocolate cake, I decided, “Oh what the hell, I’ll just give it a shot!”. I am so happy I did! I could not tell this was made with coconut flour (the cake had a nice texture!). I love that this is refined-sugar free and made with all natural and healthy ingredients, especially the avocado frosting! I did switch out the almond milk for whole organic cow milk. I am thinking of making this for a friend’s birthday who has a love for dark chocolate but has a hormone imbalance.
Thanks so much for sharing! This recipe will be my go to chocolate cake recipe from now on! 🙂
Hi Sarai! Your comment totally made my day! I can’t express how incredibly glad I am you’ve liked the recipe. 😀 My aim was to develop a chocolate cake that is healthy… without tasting healthy, and I can see from your comment that it was indeed a success. Thank you for your kind words!
Hey!
I am wondering if I can make the same recipe replacing almond milk with regular milk and arrowroot powder with tapioca starch ? You might not be able to answer me, are you using arrowroot powder to bind?
Hi Dolphia!
You can substitute milk with no problems, and I’m 99.99% certain that tapioca starch will work. Most of the binding comes from the eggs, so there shouldn’t be any problems. I would first try on a smaller quantity (for instance, make just one sponge cake rather than three) to be certain. Let me know how it goes!