Gluten Free Buckwheat & Olive Oil Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake pretty much goes with any occasion, whether it be Christmas, a birthday, Easter or any kind of get together and it's often a guaranteed crowd pleaser too. So I thought with Christmas fast approaching it was high-time I had a decent chocolate cake recipe on here for those on a gluten and dairy free diet.

My family liked this recipe a lot. It's isn't overly sweet yet the chocolate chunks make it indulgent and the ingredients are relatively healthy for a cake too. You could have more than one slice in a day without feeling guilty - well we didn't anyway! So I wanted to share it because all you autoimmune warriors out there deserve a treat.

I'm a fan of buckwheat because it's high in protein and magnesium and I like the texture it creates. It has a slight nutty flavour and behaves like a wholegrain but doesn't feel overly processed like commercial gluten-free flour. It's also low in fodmaps and suitable for those on an IBS or SIBO diet.

Having made the cake already with the recipe below I can tell you that next time I will be putting in two bars of chocolate and skipping the nuts to see if I can make more of a brownie / torte type of dessert. That doesn't mean the nuts weren't good, but sometimes a pure chocolate option is needed. I might add a banana in to see if that makes the texture more gooey. Adding orange zest or cranberries is another idea for a more festive flavour.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs

• 200g seedless medjool dates

• 1 glass of water

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons of raw cacao powder

• 1 cup buckwheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 -2 bars of Green & Blacks 70% dark chocolate

• 1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts (optional)

Instructions:

• Soak the dates in the water for 10 minutes, then put into the food processor and blend until you get a puree consistency

• Beat the eggs in a deep bowl

• Add the date puree and olive oil into the bowl and whisk

• Add the raw cacao, buckwheat flour and baking powder

• Stir until mixed well.

• Break the Green & Blacks chocolate into chunks with a pestel and mortar

• Option to add nuts crushed, stir well.

• Pour into a greased silicone loaf mould

• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 mins or until a knife comes out clean.

If you make it, let me know how you got on and what you thought of it in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @autoimmune_hub. I hope this recipe can bring some joy and pleasure to you social occasions and celebrations.

Enjoy! x