This is a beautiful cake recipe that you can almost make in your sleep. It uses the ‘all together’ technique: putting everything in a bowl and mixing until combined.
This bad-boy cake is versatile. It can be a special-occasion birthday cake with the addition of raw chocolate mousse as the icing, a simple weekend bake or even an express energy booster.
The addition of courgette is a great way to get kids eating veg without them even knowing it. I like the flavour of espresso in my cake, but you could spice it up with cinnamon, allspice or even chai powder. For those who are a little naughtier, a splash of Cointreau or rum would add another dimension of flavour.
A quick note on flours: I added a mixture of flours for an unusual flavour, however, you could stick to any one of them or use another gluten-free flour altogether. Keep in mind, the flour you use will affect the flavour of the cake.
If you would like the cake to be dairy free, omit the yoghurt, increase the boiling water to 1 cup and add 1/4 cup dairy-free milk. There are numerous variations to this recipe, so get inspired and enjoy baking!
Ingredients:
- 10 dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup espresso powder
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour (I used a mix of almond, quinoa, coconut and cashew flours)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 cups courgette, grated
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate (chunks/chips)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Method:
- Soak the dates and espresso powder in the boiling water and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and Greek yoghurt until uniform. Pour in the honey and vanilla and mix.
- Sift the flours and cocoa powder into the batter and mix until almost combined.
- Pour in the soaked dates and the boiling water, along with the salt. Mix until well combined.
- Add the baking powder. Mix the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar in a small bowl and pour into the batter. Mix well.
- Add the courgette and most of the dark chocolate into the batter and mix using a spatula.
- Transfer to an oiled baking tray of your choice, around 22cm. Sprinkle the top with the remaining dark chocolate and the walnuts.
- Bake at 180ºC for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- This cake is best eaten warm with a cup of milk at midnight!
