Healthy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

1 2/3 cups wholemeal spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarb soda
3 1/2 cups pitted dates, divided
1 cup pineapple chunks in own juice, drained
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup diced beetroot
3/4 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced zucchini
3 tbsp cacao (raw chocolate powder)
1/2 cup currants
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pineapple juice from canned pineapple
2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Nut Icing

1 cup cashews
1 cup hemp or other plant milk
2/3 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup Brazil nuts
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Cake

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.

In high-powered blender or food processor, purée 3 cups of the dates, pineapple, banana, applesauce, beetroot, carrot and zucchini.

Dice remaining 1/2 cup dates. In large bowl, mix diced dates, cacao, currants, walnuts, water, vanilla and flour mixture.

Add the blended mixture and mix well. Spread into a large square baking pan lined with baking paper.

Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Icing

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth and creamy. Spread on cooled cake.