This cake has been our 100% go to recipe for the last 8 years, it is moist and rich, and totally grain/ refined-sugar/ dairy-free. Over the years, I have perfected the recipe, and found ways to make it a teensy bit easier, so I thought this was as good a time as any to update some details on this very popular recipe page!
I hope you enjoy it, and please leave a comment or a review to let us know if you have any special tips or tricks!
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups almond nut butter: You can either buy the nut butter direct from the store, or use whole almonds and grind them in a food processor until they releases their oils. The cheapest option is actually to blend 2 cups of almond meal with a tablespoon of olive oil in a food processor until it is the texture of a nut butter.
4 eggs
1/2 cup raw honey
1T vanilla extract
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup yoghurt 1t baking soda
1/2 cup melted dark chocolate: If you are 100% avoiding sugar, you can make your own chocolate, recipe HERE. Otherwise, you can use 1 slab of the 70% plus dark Lindt chocolate. It is dairy free, and lower in sugar.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat your oven to 175C. Line a cake tin with baking paper and set aside.
Melt your chocolate in a metal bowl, over a pot of boiling water. Once its melted, you can just turn the heat off until you're ready to use it.
Next, mix the nut butter and eggs together until smooth and pasty. (Thermomix speed 5, 30 secs)
Scrape down the bowl, then add honey and vanilla, continue mixing.
In a separate bowl, mix the yoghurt and baking soda together with a fork, until the yoghurt starts to "FIZZ". (This is a crucial step, as this will cause your cake to rise!). Then turn the mixer to slower (Therm speed 3), and add the cocoa and the melted chocolate. The mixture should be quite thick, but smooth and easy to mix. If you feel that it is too thick, you can add 1 egg and 1/4 cup of yoghurt and blend until the batter is at the desired consistency.
Pour the mixture into the prepare cake tin, and cook on 175C for 35-40 minutes. Remove it and allow it to cool on a rack before icing. Top tip: I always make my cake the day before, and put it into the freezer overnight before icing it. The reason for this is that the Icing recipe below sets EXQUISITELY and solidly, like a shiny coat, on a very cold cake. I can just pour the icing over the cake, and it sets. Once it is iced and decorated, the cake defrosts perfectly.
Chocolate Sauce Icing:
2 T grass-fed ghee (or for dairy free, use 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, gently heated to melt if it is solid).
1/4 cup of organic cocoa
1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup Almond milk (or whichever is your preferred milk)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract Optional, but excellent if using ghee, to help the sauce set more solidly: 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate (again, I use 70% Lindt, but you can also make your own as per above)
Combine all the ingredients except the melted chocolate in a food processor/ blender/ mixer. Mix on a medium speed until combined. If the mixture splits, do not panic, keep
mixing and just add the melted chocolate, or 2 Tablespoons more milk to bring the mixture back together. It should be glossy and thick, perfect for pouring directly onto your cooled cake.
Pour the icing into the centre of the top of your cake, slowly letting it drip over the edges. Decorate as desired! I love to use a big punnet of mixed fresh berries, just DELICIOUS
