An Unusual Chocolate Cake Which is So Good
Prior to going on my holiday I found my well loved copy of Zorba the Buddha Cookbook. I had misplaced it for more than a year and was really missing it. When I found it I was almost tempted not to go on holiday so I could recreate all the recipes and make them vegan as a lot of the recipes in Zorba the Buddha are laden with dairy. I resisted staying home but on return from India I started experimenting. This is the second recipe I have adapted and it’s a winner.
The first recipe that I adapted and shared was the Tofu Egg Fried Rice
This chocolate cake was quite unusual to make as the instructions said to pour ¾ cup of water or rum on top of the cake before baking. I did as instructed and it worked well.
This is not only a very tasty cake but a good looking one too. You can impress your friends with how it looks and tastes. The original recipe had dairy and gluten so it was a lovely challenge that worked well to make it vegan gluten free.
Chocolate Banana and Raisin Layered Cake
Ingredients
1 cup vegan butter
¼ cup sunflower oil
1/3 cup soy milk
¾ cup raw sugar or coconut sugar
3 cups gluten free flour
1 cup almond meal
4 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tbsp filtered water
¾ cup sultanas or raisins soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
1 cup chocolate
5 bananas sliced
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup water or ¾ rum (I didn’t use rum but think it would be amazing)
Method
1. Either chop the chocolate really fine or place in a food processor and pulse until the chocolate resembles fine bread crumbs. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Place the hazelnuts in the food processor and pulse until they also resemble fine bread crumbs. Place in a separate bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the soy milk and oil to this mixture and whisk well.
4. Place the flours and coconut in a bowl and mix in 2 tbsp of water. Fold in the butter mixture.
5. Press ¾ of this cake mixture into a baking paper lined spring form cake tin. And bake at 160°C for 10 minutes or until it browns a little.
6. Divide the rest of the cake mixture in half.
7. Once the cake base is a little brown then add the rest of the ingredients in this order:
1/3 of the chocolate
½ of the banana slices
½ of the sultanas or raisins (strained from the water)
1/3 of the hazelnuts
½ of the cake mixture
1/3 of the chocolate
½ of the saltanas or raisins
1/3 of the hazlenuts
½ of the bananas
½ of the cake mixture
1/3 of the chocolate
1/3 of the hazelnuts
8. Pour over the 1 cup water or ¾ cup of rum (yes that’s right – it feels weird but it works).
9. Place the cake tin on a biscuit tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
10. Cover the cake with baking paper and something to weight the paper down and bake for a further 15 minutes.
# If you make this recipe please share on facebook or instagram to #veetsvegancookingschool
Vegan Foundation Cooking Course
A big part of the three day Vegan Foundation Cooking Course is adapting recipes that are not gluten free or vegan and developing them into recipes that are vegan and are gluten free. I share ways to make this easy and ways that work to create really good food.
There are only 12 opportunities left in 2019 for you to come along and join this life changing course.
August 22nd to 24th 1 place left
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I will announce 2020 dates next week.
Vegan Chef Training modules 1 to 5
There are presently still two places left for modules 1 to 5 of the vegan chef training. The group is small so you will be guaranteed lots of attention. Come along and do it for a career change or just for personal home use. The first 5 modules are so packed with incredible recipes, information, techniques and tips along with plenty of space to develop your own creativity in the kitchen.
For more information visit our Vegan Chef Training page
Have a great week everyone
Love Veet
