Chocolate Prune Cake - filled with chocolate goodness
This cake was one of the first refined-sugar-free treats I made that was properly sweet. Dates give this a rich sweetness that works so well with chocolate.
I like the bitter-sweetness of dark chocolate and this cake is full of that bittersweet chocolate goodness. The prunes add variety and a soft tangy sweetness to each bite. Its taste is one of the reasons I originally called this a chocolate goodness cake. The other reason is that it’s full of protein and fibre so it’s quite nutritious while still being a treat.
A good topping for this cake is some cream whipped up with natural yoghurt and vanilla bean paste. This sets with a sort of mousse like consistency after an hour or so in the fridge. But if you have a very creamy Greek-style yoghurt then this alone with vanilla bean paste mixed in also works very well.
One last thing, this is a very filling cake. I think it’s best served with just tea or coffee. It’s not heavy but it may be too filling to work as a dessert.
Chocolate Prune Cake
Yield: Makes 9″ cake
Suitable for: Gluten-free diet
Ingredients:
- 350g pitted dates, chopped
- 35g cocoa powder
- 150ml hot water
- 6 tbsp Greek-style natural yoghurt
- vanilla bean paste
- 75g ground almonds
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 200g soft prunes, separated
- 150ml fresh cream
Instructions:
- Grease a 9″ cake tin with butter or sunflower oil. Line the bottom with greased baking paper. Turn the oven on to 160° C.
- In a cup, stir half the hot water into the cocoa till smooth. Add 3½ tablespoons of the yoghurt and all the dates into a blender. Pour the cocoa-water mix into the blender. Use the rest of the water to wash all the cocoa from the cup into the blender. Add a generous teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and blend for a minute or so until smooth. The mix may be a little warm but it should not be hot. Add the yolks into the blender and mix again until the mix is totally smooth.
- Whisk the egg whites till they form soft peaks. Fold the batter from the blender into the egg whites. Gently mix in the chopped prunes. Pour the cake mixture into the lined cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour. When done, take out and turn out on a plate. Leave to cool completely.
- When the cake has cooled pour the cream into a deep bowl and spoon in the rest of the yoghurt. Whisk until it starts to stiffen, then whisk in a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Spread the whip over the cake and leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour. Dust with a little cocoa prior to serving.
Enjoy!
