Eating well is all about balance.  I like to eat using the rule of around 95% healthy, whole foods and then having a little wriggle room of around 5% for indulgent and social eating occasions.

My point is, that having the occasional treat is perfectly OK.  Really, it is.  So long as you totally enjoy the experience and then get back to eating well.  “Occasional” being the operative word here.

This gluten free zucchini and chocolate cake is just the thing for a little indulgence.  It’s moist, chocolatey and delicious.  You can go with the addition of icing or not.  It’s up to you.

A little bit on cacao

Cacao (“ca-cow”) comes from the same plant (from South America) as the more traditional cacoa powder (“co-co”), but the difference is in the processing.

• Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans.  Cold pressing helps to keep the living enzymes in the cacao stable and removes the fat content of the bean (cacao butter).  It tastes a little more bitter – like dark chocolate and is a healthier choice, full of antioxidants, iron, magnesium and other minerals.
• Cocoa powder looks the same but has been roasted at high temperatures which changes the molecular structure and reduces the nutritional content.  It has a slightly milder flavour.

Here’s what you need:

Dry Ingredients

• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cold pressed olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 1/2 cups (240g) of grated zucchini

Here’s what you do:

Prehead the oven to 180 degrees.  Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with baking paper.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.   Add in the olive oil, vanilla essence and whisked eggs and combine.  Stir through the grated zucchini until well combined.  Pour into loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer coms out clean.

You can ice the cake or enjoy just as it is.

Enjoy!

With you health in mind,

Catherine x