‘Free From’ Chocolate Jaffa Cake with Choc-Coconut Icing

I was inspired recently by a request on Quirky Cooking’s Chat Group page for a gluten/egg/legume free birthday cake.   Someone suggested this ‘crazy cake’, so I immediately went for a bit of a sticky.  It didn’t seem all that crazy to me, but I liked the thought of a quick egg-free cake for when I’ve run out of eggs!   I subsequently set about  tweaking and thermifying.   The result: a gluten-dairy-egg-nut-legume-refined sugar free version!  Not grain-free or paleo, but certainly free from many food allergens/intolerances/preferences!

What I will say though is that it’s not taste free!!!

Indeed, Miss MaMT was impressed (relieved even) to have a relatively ‘normal’ chocolate cake to eat for a change, ie free from ‘crazy’ additions like beetroot, cauliflower, parsnips, zucchini/courgette, pumpkin, quinoa – banana skins even – to which she and the rest of the family have become so accustomed!  Hee hee.

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Firstly, I’d advise making up a batch of gluten free flour.  The GF flour blend I usually make contains chick-peas, so if you’re not allergic or averse to chick-peas, you could use this one.  I’ve used Orgran plain flour for a similar cake with eggs and found it ‘drying’ and a little dense.  I believe the Oz White Wings brand is quite light; UK – maybe – Dove Farm?  Otherwise, try the one below:

To make up a batch of GF nut and legume free flour (should make just over 500g):

Grind on Speed 9 / 1 minute:

• 170g brown rice

Set aside.

Repeat Speed 9 / 1 minute with a batch of:

• 170g white basmati rice

Add into bowl and mix speed 6 / 10 seconds:

• brown rice flour
• 50g tapioca flour (grind your own tapioca in the previous step, if you wish)
• 120g potato starch
• 1 tsp xanthan gum

Pop this mix into a storage tub.   You won’t need it all for this cake, but it means you’ll have some on hand when you decide to re-make it in a few days!

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Now for the cake recipe:

Grind on speed 9 / 10 seconds:

• 150g dried dates (add more if you like it sweeter, or use an unrefined sugar)
• Zest of an orange (leave out for a non-jaffa version)

Add to the bowl and blend speed 5 / 15 seconds, scraping and repeating, if necessary, ensuring the mixture is well blended:

• 180g gf flour blend
• 25g cocoa/cacao powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarb
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 75g oil
• 210g water

Pour into a 20 cm x 20 cm baking tin, lined with greaseproof, and bake 35 mins / 170 degs f/f or 175 deg

Yummy cake mix

Fresh out of the oven with a few bumps and cracks.  Never mind, the frosting will cover these up!

Chocolate Coconut Icing

Place ingredients in Thermomix bowl and cook at 100C for 2-3 minutes, speed 2:

• 25g ground dates
• 25g creamed coconut
  
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 50g coconut milk

Once cooked, smooth the frosting over the cake, and sprinkle with some dessicated coconut.

Slice into bite-sized pieces and enjoy!

* Double the recipe for a larger cake or a Victoria Sandwich *