Tuesday 4 September 2012

Easy chocolate cake thats good for you!!


No its not too good to be true!

I really have made a yummy, soft, light and really chocolatey cake thats not just 'not too bad for you', but actively good!!!

And the best thing is that people who aren't health food fans wont suspect a thing! It tastes totally indulgent!

OK I'm not saying its calorie free, or that you should eat the whole thing or anything, but if you taste it you wouldn't believe that it was made with whole wheat flour, no sugar and no butter!

To top it off its really simple to make!

What are you waiting for?!?!?

I iced this fatboy cake with lower fat peanut butter frosting which does have sugar in it (although not as much as traditional buttercream and a LOT less saturated fat!). If you wanted a completely sugar free version you could finish it with fresh cream and raspberries or cherries which would make a gorgeous summer dessert. My version has some sugar but about 60% less than a traditional sponge cake with buttercream, not to mention around 60% less saturated fat as well and an extra protein hit from the peanut butter! (I'm just guessing the percentages based on the percentages of fat differences in butter and low fat spread so may not be 100% acurate but they should be about right.)

I've just had a slice after a particularly hard gym session and it ticks all the right boxes,
  • complex carbs
  • protein
  • low sugar
  • delish!


Note: The key to making it sugar free was that I used one of my favourite ingredients, agave nectar, for sweetness. Both honey and agarve are both good natural sweetners however Agave Nectar is low in GI and doesn't make the insulin levels spike which can cause fatigue and cravings for more sugar soon after you've eaten. Its also lower in calories than sugar or even honey. You can get it in most health food shops and even in some supermarkets now. Its awsome on greek yogurt or porridge for breakfast.

Anyway, back to the cake!
Want to know how I made it??

Thought so... here it is:

Ingredients:

100g self raising flour
150g whole wheat self raising flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 eggs
half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbinate of soda
150mls sunflower oil
100 mls semi skimmed milk
200mls dark Agave Nectar

Directions:

Grease and line 2 sandwich tins and preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

Weigh the flour, salt, bicarb and sift the cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and mix well.

In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs, then add the milk, oil and agave and whisk until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, combine and then whisk with and electic whisk for a few minutes.

The mixture will be quite sloppy. Pour it into the two tins and then bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins.

To make the lower fat peanut butter frosting:

Ingredients:

150g lurpak lightest spread
2 heaped dessert spoons of peanut butter.
100g icing sugar

Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients, taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter and then chill in the fridge for an hour.

Once the cake is completely cooled, ice with the frosting in the middle and on the top. I finished mine with a little grated dark chocolate.

You can get 10 genorous slices out of the cake or upto 14 slimline pieces. the calorie counter I usually use didnt list Agave Nectar so I couldnt work out the exact calories but an educated guess I think the cake alone works aout at around 230 cals/slice, moving upto 300 with the frosting. Compare that to a similar sized slice of chocolate fudge cake and you would usually be looking at around 450 Cals. Then add in all the extra goodness thats packed into this cake and its a no brainer, my cake wins hands down!

I'm really proud of this cake because it came out loads better than I expected and the texture was really light, soft and moist!

I posted a picture of it on facebook last night and my friend Jo has requested I make her one for her birthday next month. I'm going to see her on Friday (cant wait to catch up) so have promised to bring some of this one over with me if any survives that long that is!!! 

Peace (of cake) out! xxx

2 comments:

  1. Hi Clare, yet another amazing cake! Loving the texture of the peanut butter and the chocolate flavour. Well done!
    Jo

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    1. Hi Jo! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment and share my link! So glad you liked it! More cakes to come, and would love to try a piece of your cake if you make one, although I'd be surprised if it made it home in tact if you give it to Andy! :o) xx

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