This luxurious chocolate cake reimagines dessert with natural sweetness from dates and honey, making it a perfect choice for health-conscious food lovers. The almond flour base creates a rich, moist texture while keeping the cake gluten-free and nutrient-dense.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 200g (7 oz) pitted dates
- 100ml (3.4 fl oz) water
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 100g (3.5 oz) honey
- 30g (1 oz) cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 200g (7 oz) almond flour
- 5g (1 tsp) baking powder
- 5g (1 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tangerine, zest and juice
- Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)
- 200ml (6.8 fl oz) heavy cream (33% fat)
For Decoration:
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Dark chocolate pieces
Instructions
Prepare the Date Base:
- Place pitted dates in a saucepan with water.
- Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until dates soften.
- Transfer to a blender and process until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Make the Cake Batter:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Line an 18cm (7-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Separate eggs, placing whites in a clean bowl for later use.
- Beat egg yolks with honey until pale and creamy.
- Add cocoa powder and date puree to the yolk mixture, mix thoroughly.
- Stir in almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add tangerine zest and juice, mix well.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold egg whites into the batter in three portions.
Baking:
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan.
Make the Ganache:
- Chop dark chocolate finely.
- Heat heavy cream until just below boiling.
- Pour over chopped chocolate, let stand 1 minute.
- Stir until smooth and glossy.
- Let cool slightly until spreadable consistency.
Assembly:
- Pour ganache over cooled cake, spreading evenly.
- Decorate with rosemary sprigs and chocolate pieces.
- Let ganache set before serving.
Storage and Serving
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
Per slice (1/12 of cake):
- Calories: 295
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 21g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 4g
- Natural Sugars: 19g
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12
This cake offers a healthier alternative to traditional chocolate cakes while maintaining rich flavor and moist texture. The natural sweetness from dates and honey eliminates the need for refined sugar, while almond flour provides protein and healthy fats. Perfect for those following a refined sugar-free or gluten-free diet.
