Chocolate Orange & Cranberry Cake

DAIRY-FREE, GLUTEN FREE
Serves 10-12

Yay!  It’s December and I finally have world-wide permission to go all-out festive-crazy! I sneakily tried to decorate the house from mid-November but my husband gave me a strict veto. So this decadently delicious chocolate cake seemed like a great way to kick off the celebrations! It is based on Nigella’s fabulous chocolate olive oil cake, with a few healthier tweaks and sprinkle of christmassy love thrown in for good measure.   It just happens to be dairy and wheat free, so is a wonderful option when catering for those with intolerances.  Although having said it, it is most definitely the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever made, regardless of whether it is allergy friendly or not. 

It takes 10 minutes to prepare in two bowls (yay to minimal washing up!) and then simply popped in the oven. It is fabulous to make in advance for a festive dinner party, as it is a real crowd pleaser, but be warned - you’ll feel like a bit of a cheat taking praise for it when it really was so easy to make! 

One rich and decadent portion provides 173 calories, 3g of protein and only 1g of sugar.  That is because I substituted regular sugar for a natural sugar substitute called Erythritol. It is a sugar alcohol that doesn’t have an effect on blood sugar levels and is therefore even suitable for diabetics.  Swapping the sugars really doesn’t alter the taste either – I have made it both ways and you honestly can’t tell the difference. It is hard to believe that something so sweet and seemingly indulgent doesn’t cause a crazy sugar high followed by the inevitable crash. It is an easy and simple swap to make and if you’re not familiar with erythritol, then it is available to buy on Amazon and I would encourage you to try it out.

Low Sugar Chocolate Cake Ingredients

·     50g Good Quality Cocoa Powder (I used Green & Blacks)
·     100ml Boiling Water
·     2 tsp Vanilla Extract
·     150g Ground Almonds
·     ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
·     Pinch of Salt
·     180g Erythritol (or regular sugar)
·     Zest of 1-2 Oranges (depending on how orange-y you like it)
·     120g Raw Cranberries
·     3 Large Eggs
·     150ml Olive Oil 

Method

·     Preheat the oven to 170°C.
·     Grease a 22cm springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.
·     Sift the cocoa powder into a small bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny paste. 
·     Add in the orange zest and whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool while you prepare the rest.
·     In another bowl, add the sugar, olive oil and eggs and whisk together vigorously for approximately 3 minutes until you have a pale and aerated cream. You can do this with an electric hand whisk or in a mixer with the paddle attachment.
·     Turn the speed down and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go.
·     When that is fully combined, slowly tip in the ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt.
·     Stir it through with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin. 
·     Scatter the fresh cranberries on the top.
·     Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. 
·     A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
·     Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack while it is still in its tin, then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. 
·     Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some berries and cream or ice cream. 

Allergy-Friendly Nutritional Information

Calories – 173
Protein – 3g
Fat – 17g
Carbohydrates – 21g
Fibre – 1g