We’ve been crafting new recipes and refining old ones for the new look website. Here’s one we whipped up a while back and it’s had a few tweaks since then. The chia seeds help make the cake so moist but the real secret is in the raw cacao nibs, so don’t even try to use anything else.
Spelt is an ancient grain, popular in Europe. It has a more robust flavour than wheat and bakes well with hazelnut and cacao. I find that some people can digest spelt flour more easily than wheat flour. You can substitute the cacao with cocoa if you prefer. Be sure to bake gently at a 170 C or lower so as to preserve the nutrients in the cacao which is essentially a raw product and will spoil if cooked at high temperatures.
Spelt check – Hazelnut, spelt and cacao cake
- Total Time: 35 minute
- Yield: 1 cake 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda
1 cup hazelnuts finely processed or 1 1/2 cup hazelnut meal
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
4 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1 1/2 cup dates, pitted, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons chia seeds soaked in 1/2 cup water for ten minutes
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup rice or nut milk
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Line 24cm baking loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a food processor combine the spelt flour, bicarbonate soda, hazelnuts or hazelnut meal, vanilla powder and coconut sugar. Pulse until well combined.
3. Add the pitted, roughly chopped dates, soaked chia seeds, coconut oil and milk. Pulse gently to bring the wet and dry ingredients together, be careful not to puree.
4. Transfer to a lined baking tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cake to firm and set as it cools down.
6. When completely cool, slice and enjoy on its own or with a side of plant-based cream or ice cream of your choice.
7. Store leftover cake in a sealed container in a dark place for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes + 10 minutes cooling in tin
Image©SamanthaGowing2014