By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: June 25, 2019

Here’s a recipe for a rich, indulgent and healthy cake that will be a treat for your whole family (as long as nobody around you has a nut or gluten allergy)! As we enter the summer holidays, you’ll be glad to have this nutty, nutritious, and protein packed cake coated with chocolate on hand for children of all ages to enjoy. Or make it the centerpiece of your gala dinner, birthday celebrations, picnics, camping trip, or pool party.

Ingredients

Wet ingredients: Combine the following in one medium sized mixing bowl.

• 3/4 cup hot water

• 1 cup maple syrup 

• 3 Tbs. peanut butter 

• 2/3 cup ghee 

• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice

Dry ingredients: Sift together the following in a larger bowl. 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• 3 or 4 Tbs. arrowroot powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• Any one of these ingredients:
  - ½ tsp. ground coriander
  - ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  - ½ tsp. lemon or lime rind, grated
  - ½ Tbs. candied ginger, chopped

• ½ cup roughly ground nuts (choose from walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, etc.) 

Instructions:

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until combined well. Line a round cake pan with parchment paper and pour the batter into it. Bake at 350° F for 45-55 minutes. Cool for 10-20 minutes, and then remove from pan onto cooling rack.

Melt a little bit of ghee with 50-75 grams of natural, organic chocolate in a small mixing bowl that is resting in a pan of hot water on top of the stove. You can also add a handful of coconut. This will be your ganache, a sweet glaze to cover the cake.

Pour your ganache on the cake and using a spatula, spread it evenly in a thin layer. Decorate your cake with dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries, etc.), soaked almonds or other nuts, coconut, or any decoration that sounds delicious to you. Lovingly serve it to your party goers either plain or with ice cream.

This recipe was originally inspired by the Art of Living, India website.

By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.