We’ve given classic chocolate cake a healthy twist by using sweet potatoes, sticky dates and almond milk. Using dark chocolate and cacao powder gives it a wonderful richness
Ingredients
- 300g sweet potatoes
- 250g dates, (after stones removed)
- 75ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- 350ml almond milk
- 1½ tbsp cider vinegar
- 350g wholemeal self-raising flour
- 50g cacao powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped, plus 10g, grated
- 1 orange, zested, juiced to make 1 tbsp
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Pierce the sweet potatoes in several places, then put on a small tray. Bake for 1 hour or until soft throughout, then remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle.
- STEP 2
Put the dates in a medium bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the soaking water, and put the dates and reserved water in a mini food processor. Blitz until smooth.
- STEP 3
Oil the bases and sides of two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins using ½ tsp of the oil, then line the bases with baking paper. Put the almond milk in a jug, add the vinegar and leave to sit. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the puréed dates, almond milk, oil and vanilla. Beat well until smooth. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out cleanly. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- STEP 4
Scrape the insides of the sweet potatoes into a medium pan. Add the chocolate and, on a low heat, continuously mix until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is mostly smooth. Transfer the mixture to a food processor while still warm, along with the orange zest and juice. Blitz for 2 minutes until completely smooth. If the mixture looks too thick, add 1-2 tbsp of just-boiled water and continue to beat until smooth. Leave to cool, then spread all over the cake. Decorate with the grated chocolate.
