What's not to love about the classic combo of dark chocolate and hazelnuts? In this dairy-free, gluten-free cake, the chocolatey goodness comes in the form of raw cacao, while rich rapadura sugar adds depth of flavour and a handful or two of raspberries cuts through the richness. This cake is delicious served with a dollop of thick plain yoghurt.
Cacao, hazelnut and raspberry cake
What’s not to love about the classic combo of dark chocolate and hazelnuts? This gluten- and dairy-free version means everyone can have a slice.
- 15 mins preparation
- 25 mins cooking plus cooling
- Serves 8 - 10
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Ingredients
- 250 gm coconut oil, melted
- 110 gm raw cacao powder, sieved, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 6 eggs, separated
- 250 gm rapadura sugar (see note)
- 140 gm hazelnut meal
- 60 gm coconut flour
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 80 gm raspberries, plus extra to serve
- 20 gm cacao nibs, plus extra to serve
- Freeze-dried raspberries (optional), to serve
Method
Main
- 1Preheat oven to 170C. Grease a 22cm-diameter cake tin and line it with baking paper. Whisk coconut oil and cacao powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in vanilla paste. Whisk egg yolks and half the sugar in a separate bowl until thick and pale (1-2 minutes), fold into cacao mixture, then fold in hazelnut meal, coconut flour, baking powder and a good pinch of sea salt.
- 2Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks (1-2 minutes). Gradually add remaining sugar and whisk to firm peaks (1-2 minutes). Fold into cacao mixture, then fold in raspberries and cacao nibs. Spoon batter into cake tin, smooth top and bake until set with a slight wobble in the centre (15-20 minutes). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill (2-3 hours). Serve cacao, hazelnut and raspberry cake dusted with cacao, and scattered with extra raspberries, freeze-dried raspberries and cacao nibs.
Notes
Rapadura sugar, an unrefined cane sugar, is available from health-food shops and select supermarkets.