Makes 18
(Vegan; no cane sugar, dairy, gluten or soy)
Are you looking for a special treat or gift that tastes of and symbolizes all the rich, sweet, luxurious pleasures of life? Ask most women and of course this implies chocolate. To make it more challenging though, perhaps the recipient prefers to avoid cane sugar, dairy, gluten and soy. Is monastic austerity all that is left to them? This recipe can come to the rescue.
(No gluten, dairy or cane sugar; with options for soy)
It is challenge enough to produce moist and fluffy baking that is gluten– and dairy-free, but a chocolate icing without added sugar is a culinary Everest. The cake achieves sweet stimulation courtesy of dried and fresh fruit, a little honey, plus spices and vanilla. Thanks to maturing flavours, it tastes even better the next day. Alternatively, the batter can be poured into paper-lined tins and baked as muffins. The icing is rich and creamily convincing despite some non-traditional ingredients. The trick with any dietary substitution is to achieve equivalent flavour, as well as consistency or structure. One of the hurdles here is to offset the natural bitterness of the cocoa content. This is compensated for with a date puree (pre-soaked into sweet succulence) although few taste testers will recognise its presence. For the creamiest result the dates are best soaked overnight.