This cake tastes incredible and is completely grain, wheat and gluten-free. It uses hazelnuts and almonds as a base with 70% dark chocolate. I am not saying cake is healthy- BUT you can make it healthier by choosing a recipe that is not just sugar, butter and white flour. Swapping out the refined flour for nuts and replacing the sugar with coconut sugar is a good start. Remember that whether refined or natural, sugar is still sugar at the end of the day!

This recipe uses less sugar and the nuts should help to SLOW down its release and stop us going crazy!

So cake is still a TREAT but if we try and limit the damage by using healthier ingredients we might just feel a bit better afterwards.

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Ingredients
120g blanched almonds
120g whole hazelnuts (with skin)
200g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
200g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
170g caster sugar or half coconut sugar with half caster or xylitol
4 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon icing sugar, for dusting

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Spread the almonds and hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes (180°C), turning occasionally. Meanwhile, grease sides and line base of a cake tin (Ø 22 cm) with baking paper. Set nuts aside and allow to cool.
3. Place chocolate in a food processor (with a wide bowl and ‘S’ blade) and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. When the nuts have cooled pulse in a food processor until they resemble ground nuts (breadcrumb texture)
5. Place the butter and 75g reserved chopped chocolate in a glass bowl and melt slowly over a pan of simmering water until melted.
6. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate and butter and mix well with a wooden spoon. Alternatively, transfer to a food processor and process for 30 seconds until combined.
7. Stir in the ground almonds and hazelnuts and beat together with a wooden spoon or process again in the food processor for another 30 seconds.
8. Pour into a prepared baking tin and bake for 40-50 minutes (180°C) until just firm to the touch.
9. Allow to cool in tin before removing. Serve, dusted with icing sugar.

Thermomix Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place a bowl on mixing bowl lid and weigh in almonds and hazelnuts. Tip out onto a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes (180°C), turning occasionally. Meanwhile, grease sides and line base of a cake tin (Ø 22 cm) with baking paper. Set nuts aside and allow to cool.
3. Place chocolate in mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 6. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Place 125 g cooled, toasted nuts in mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 6. Transfer to another bowl.
5. Place remaining 125g cooled, toasted nuts in mixing bowl and grind 8 sec/speed 10. Transfer to bowl with chopped nuts and set aside.
6. Place butter and 75g reserved chopped chocolate in mixing bowl then melt 4 min/50°C/speed 1. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
7. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla extract then mix 20 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
8. Add reserved chopped and ground nuts then mix 20 sec/speed 3. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
9. Add remaining 125g chopped chocolate and stir in with spatula. Transfer to prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes (180°C) until just firm to the touch.
10. Allow to cool in tin before removing. Serve, dusted with icing sugar.