Birthday Chocolate Cake

Celebrate Your Sweet Tooth Naturally: Baked Desserts with Chef Cynthia Louise

Thick, rich, chocolate cake and dairy-free for your birthday!

Makes: 16 slices

Ingredients

(use organic ingredients where possible)

FOR THE DRY MIX

• 3 cups wholemeal or white spelt flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups coconut sugar or rapadura sugar
• 2 cups raw cacao powder
• Salt

FOR THE WET MIX

• 6 small eggs
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup or honey (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup water (as needed)

FOR THE ICING

• 2 large ripe avocados, flesh only
• ½ cup raw cacao powder
• ½ cup dried dates (or 10 large medjool dates)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• Salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a large round cake tin (30 cm round x 10 cm deep) with baking paper and set aside.
2. Sift the flour and combine it with the baking powder.
3. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Mix all the wet ingredients together.
5. Combine the dry and wet mixes together. Stir briefly until well combined.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour on the middle rack.
8. When done, allow the cake to cool.
9. To prepare the icing, add the ingredients (except the coconut oil) to a food processor.
10. Process until there are no signs of dates and the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy.
11. Add the coconut oil and process for 5 seconds. Use to decorate your cake.