This cake is an all time  favourite at the retreat. After many requests, we are happy to share the coveted recipe with you. Moist and delicious, sweetened with dates and agave, this gluten free, guilt free cake will have you smiling from ear to ear.

If learning more delicious, healthy recipes sounds like guilt free fun then join Jo this year for a detox retreat or a nutrition and cookery retreat or check out the 2nd edition of her cookbook: ‘Truly healthy, truly delicious’ with new, informative chapters on gluten and dairy. It’s a top seller in our new online wellbeing shop.

Ingredients

300g beetroot
130g date puree
4 eggs
4 tbsp coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
80g cocoa powder
150g almond flour
4 tbsp agave syrup
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cardamom
Tip: You can make your own almond flour simply by blending them in a normal blender. Don’t add any water.

Method

• Steam or boil the beetroot and blend to puree
• Pre-heat the oven to 170 C
• Put baking paper in a baking tin (I normally use a rectangular bread tin).
• In a bowl combine beetroot, date puree, eggs, coconut oil and agave syrup and whisk or blend
• Add ground almonds (almond flour), cocoa powder, cardamom, baking soda and mix will.
• Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. To test that the cake is fully baked insert a fork into the center. When the fork comes out clean, the cake is ready.

OPTIONAL: Coconut chocolate topping

90g date puree
80g desiccated coconut
50-75ml water (depending on how thick the date puree is, the topping should be easy to spread)
2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder

Method

• Grind the coconut in a coffee grinder or blender
• In a blender, combine all the ingredients and run until smooth.
• When the cake has cooled down, top with the chocolate topping and sprinkle some desiccated coconut on top.
• Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

About the author

Jo Dombernowsky is the resident chef and nutrition advisor at Azulfit Surya Retreat. She runs nutrition workshops, detox retreats and special nutrition holidays and is the author of the highly acclaimed cookbook ‘Truly healthy, truly delicious’. Edition 3 of the cookbook has just been released, with new chapters and 25 new recipes. Jo is also an inspirational nutrition expert and Pilates teacher and her all-round healthy approach to life is clear to see! Jo has her own food blog where she posts her delicious recipes, keeping you up to date on all the wonderful new food coming out of the Azulfit kitchen.