This Chocolate, Zucchini and Coconut Cake is a sure fire winner for those of you who are gluten, grain or dairy free. Thanks to the talented Kat Jeffries of Kitchen in the Valley for this mouth watering recipe. She used our Niulife Coconut Sugar, Niulife Coconut Oil, Niulife Coconut Flour and Niulife Dessicated Coconut to make this delicious cake.

Ingredients:

Cake:

3 eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups Niulife Coconut Sugar

2/3 cup Niulife Coconut Oil (liquified)

1 tbs vanilla essence

1/3 cup coconut yoghurt

1/2 cup almond milk

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup Niulife Coconut Flour

2/3 cup cacao

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp espresso powder

1 cup shredded zucchini, patted with paper towel to remove some of the moisture

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Icing:

1/2 cup coconut cream (from a can of coconut cream which has been refrigerated overnight)

1/3 cup Niulife Coconut Sugar

1 1/2 cups Niulife Desiccated Coconut

1/2 cup Niulife Coconut Oil (solidified)

100g dark chocolate, melted

melted dark chocolate to decorate

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F. Prepare two 20cm/8inch spring form cake pans. Lightly cover both pans with coconut oil, then line the rims with baking paper.

Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until thick and pale. Add coconut sugar half a cup at a time, and beat until dissolved. Add liquified coconut oil, vanilla essence, coconut yogurt and almond milk and beat until well combined.

Add flours, cacao, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Remove from mixer and fold through zucchini and chocolate chips.

Divide evenly between cake tins and tap on bench to level mixture. Place both tins in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Gently remove sides of springform tins and use a cake lifter or spatula to release from the base of the pans. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before icing.

To prepare the icing, place the desiccated coconut and solidified coconut oil in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until oil has completely covered the coconut. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until well combined. Divide between the tops of both cakes then layer one on top of the other. Decorate top layer of icing with melted dark chocolate and enjoy!