Celebration cake.... where health and indulgence collide!
'Where health and indulgence collide' has always been a bit of a mantra for me as I've developed Including cake over the last few years.
I simply don't believe the two are mutually exclusive. It was the challenge I most embraced as I ventured into the world of a plant based lifestyle around three years ago. If you have read my about page you'll see how this lifestyle first presented itself to me.
As time went on I began to research more and appreciate the incredible benefits of a plant based diet and then more importantly a 'whole food' plant based diet. It was at the time the refined sugars and 'white' products began to find there way out of my cupboards and into the bin. There was no turning back!
Did I ever deprive myself during this time?
No
Did I ever feel as thought i was missing out?
Sometimes- but only in social situations with limited options not in terms of what I could create myself
The challenge of creating indulgence in a way that did not compromise my health became my 'thing', and now in my coaching practice this is is something I am passionate to help others appreciate for themselves in their own lives.
Oh.... so you want to know about this cake...yes!
Ok, well I wont keep you waiting any longer. This cake is rich, moist, chocolatey, silky smooth, packed full of veg and other good stuff and topped with my Wholeplus product range (but you could use anything you like!)
It doesn't use loads of crazy specialist ingredients (just a few key ones like stevia) and doesn't take long to whip up. Its virtually foolproof. It's tried and tested with kids too.
Put simply... you have to make this cake!!
The base of the cake is actually my crazy courgette cake topped with a variation of my heathy chocolate frosting on top, (if you want a soy free frosting try this one) but since we're putting everything together i've rewritten it all out below. I then also topped it all off with my vanilla Wholeplus Squares.
I made this cake for a friends birthday a week or so ago (i made a big one plus some small ones- I doubled the recipe). I had advised her that it would keep well for a few days in the fridge...but I was quickly informed that within 24 hours the whole things had been eaten. To quote her she said "this cake is quite literally the nuts".
Recipe: Chocolate Celebration Cake
Makes 1 8” round or square cake
Base of the cake:
ingredients:
2/3 cup packed dates (soak in hot water for a few minutes if they are very hard)
approx ½ tsp pure stevia
1 heaped cup courgette puree (I approximated this by using 1 ½ cups smallsh chunks)
½ cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup oil of choice (I use coconut oil)
¼ cup flax seed
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 cup oat flour (I ground up some regular oats)
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (I used these)
1/4 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1 heaped tsp baking soda
Method:
Blend the courgette with all the wet ingredients and the flax seed to form a smooth fairly runny paste. Allow to stand for a couple of minutes.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and then add the wet. Mix lightly but well to form a thick soft batter. Add a little extra water if necessary.
Spoon the batter into a lined/greased muffin pan or round cake tin (you could also make cupcakes?) and smooth the top as best you can.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for approx 25 minutes, after 10-15 minutes it is advisable to lightly cover the top of the pan with foil to prevent the top browning before the centre is cooked through.
Allow to cook before topping with frosting.
Frosting:
Note: you can make this in advance and keep in the fridge for a day or so, you'll also want to chill it before to topping the cake anyway.
Ingredients
1/2 carton firm silken tofu (I use Mori nu)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbs melted coconut oil
3 tbs agave nectar (plus a touch of stevia if needed)
1/4 tsp stevia powder
1 tsp orange extract (or another flavour if you prefer)
Method
So simple!! Put all ingredients into food processor and blend up very thoroughly. Spoon into a bowl and store in the fridge to firm up a little ready for use.
For toppings, I used my vanilla Wholeplus Squares plus some cacoa nibs and ground up goji berries on the big cake for a pretty sprinkle of colours- gojis make the perfect healthy sprinkles right?
This cake keeps best in the fridge in keeping for more than a day. (yeah right!)
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