Fancy making a chocolate, aubergine and cranberry cake or cupcakes?
This cake has a festive air and could be served at Christmas or another wintry celebration. Few people will guess it contains aubergine which adds moisture and a silky smooth texture.
Chocolate, Aubergine And Cranberry Cake:
Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 40 minutes
Makes 1 cake (15 slices) or 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
- A little oil, for the tin (if making 1 large cake with 15 slices)
- 1 large aubergine (weighing roughly 400g)
- 300g dark chocolate (60% minimum cocoa solids), broken into squares
- 50g cocoa powder
- 50g ground almonds (almond flour)
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 tsp orange extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 200g golden syrup
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp brandy
- 100g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- To make one cake you will need a loose-based cake tin 23 cm diameter and 7 cm deep, or for small cakes a 12-hole cake or muffin tray.
- Line the cake tin with non-stick baking parchment and brush lightly with oil. Or fill the muffin tin with small paper muffin cases.
- Puncture the aubergine all over with a skewer, place in a bowl, cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and cook in a microwave on high for 5 minutes until soft. Throw away any liquid that has accumulated and leave to cool a little.
- Skin the aubergine and purée with a stick blender or liquidiser. Add the broken-up chocolate, which will melt in the warmth of the aubergine.
- Place the remaining ingredients apart from the cranberries and caster sugar in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Stir in the aubergine mixture and half the cranberries.
- Pour into the prepared tin or cases and bake a large cake for 40 minutes and small cakes for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before turning out on to a cooling tray.
- Place the remaining cranberries in a small bowl with the caster sugar and cook in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Use these to decorate the cake(s).
Recipe courtesy of: Cooking for the Sensitive Gut, Dr Joan Ransley and Dr Nick Read
