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Before you kickstart your New Year’s resolutions we recommend you make this cake before it chocolate goes onto your cheat list.

Freelance photographer, web designer and creator of food blog anjasfood4thought.com, Anja Schwerin, dreamed up this mouth-watering chocolate olive oil cake for you to impress your loved ones and friends.

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 150g or 1 1/3 cups
  • almond meal
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 50g or 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 125ml or 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 2 eggs
  • 150g or 2/3 cup granulated coconut or raw sugar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/375F. Line 8-inch round tin with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over cocoa powder and stir until cocoa has dissolved. Set aside to let cool.
  3. In a bowl, mix together almond meal and baking soda. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Blend in olive oil and vanilla extract. Add the cooled cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and stir until well combined. Now add wet mixture to almond meal mixture and stir until combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for about 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack before cutting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

 

HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

Ingredients

  • 2 cups full fat cream
  • 2 cups full fat milk
  • 200g turbinado sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 vanilla pods, slit open
  • and scraped

Method

  1. Combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  2. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir in to the cream mixture just before removing from the heat. Let stand for at least an hour for the flavour to spread.
  3. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store in airtight container and return to freezer until ready to serve.
  4. Alternatively, if you don’t have an ice cream machine, pour the cold mixture into a shallow bowl or pan. Freeze until almost solid, about 1-2 hours. Take out of the freezer, and thoroughly stir it with a fork. Put back into freezer and freeze until solid.
  5. Scoop out the frozen mixture and place it into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer ice cream to airtight container and return to freezer until ready to serve.

 

For more healthy inspiration, visit anjasfood4thought.com.

 

 

The evocative Steampunk decor courtesy of Tranformers, a boutique agency offering specialised services to brands, corporates, event management companies, advertising and communications agencies and private clients. Visit transformers.me for more information.

 

Compiled by: Lyndsey Steven, Art Direction: Alexandra Bull, Photography: Ajith Narendra