Yes, It’s true… This is possible. It is not only possible, it is delectable.
Make it today it’s sooo easy, and give everyone you know a slice, then tell them that there is less than a third as much sugar in a generous slice of this cake than you would expect. And it has icing. And it’s yum.
Oh, and it’s also gluten free, grain free, low carb and full of protein.
For those of you who need detail… There are just 2 teaspoons of sugar (mainly in the form of dates and the small amount of sugar in the dark chocolate) per generous portion. RDA for an adult is 6 teaspoons…
For a similar cake made in the usual manner, ie with table sugar, you would expect each slice to contain at least 5 or 6 teaspoons of sugar.
If you fancy making it a vegan treat – just swap the butter for coconut oil (I’m a huge fan of Lucy Bee coconut oil)
Set your oven to 160C
Equipment: You will need 2 x 6 inch (15cm) cake tins, buttered and the inside base lined with baking paper.
Ingredients:
200g Ground Almonds
Optional: 2 Tbls Powdered Stevia*
100g Softened Butter or Coconut oil if you fancy a vegan treat.
100g Pitted Dates (this equates to about 10 dates) chopped
40g Cocoa Powder
4 Eggs
50g at least 70% dark chocolate chopped
1 tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla Extract
Icing
100g Dark (at least 70%) Chocolate chopped
120ml Double cream or Coconut milk – try and get a good one, the ones with lumps of coconut at the top if the tin are best.
50g Unsalted Butter.
*Stevia is a ‘new-age natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant leaf. Use the ones blended with maltodextrin or erythritol – bulking agents derived from fruit and vegetables. If you have one that is not blended – you will need to follow the instructions on the packaging. Their strengths differ so much, its very important to read it…Asda do their own but you can use any brand as long as they have a similar strength of sweetness to sugar. They can differ so read the pack! Stevia is available in all supermarkets and will add a lovely extra bit of sweetness to your cake- without adding extra calories or giving you that horrid sugar spike).
For the Cake:
Method:
- You make this using the easy peasy all-in-one method. Place all ingredients except for the chopped dark chocolate, into a large bowl (I use a stand mixer or food processor) if the butter is soft – you can easily mix this by hand. Just make sure you mix really well.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate chunks.
- Dollop the cake mix into the prepared cake tins distributing evenly between the two.
- Place in your preheated oven for 18-20 mins.
- Remove and leave in tin for at least 10 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack, leave to cool completely.
- Start the icing: put the chopped chocolate into a large heat proof bowl.
- In a saucepan, pour the cream or coconut cream and under a medium heat, slowly bring to the boil. As soon as bubbles appear, remove from heat and pour directly over the chopped chocolate.
- Whisk until well combined, add the butter and keep whisking until the ganache is cool. – Yes – you’ve just made a ganache!
- Once cool, split each cake in half across the middle, this should be quite eaasy with a large serrated knife like a bread knife.
- Slather the cooled ganache between each layer- I use an angled palate knife, and if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll pipe little ganache kisses all over, but that’s just me. Lastly smooth out a final splodge on the top.
- Invite all your mates around and serve with a cuppa.
