Olive Oil Choc Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup pure maple syrup or raw honey

2 pasture-raised eggs (room temp)

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

¾ cup almond meal

½ cup cacao powder

¼ cup coconut flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (helps it rise)

Frosting:

1 can full-fat coconut cream (chilled overnight)

¼ cup cacao powder

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp nut butter (e.g. almond, hazelnut or peanut)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a loaf pan or 20cm (8") round cake tin and line with baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and almond milk until smooth.

2. In another bowl, sift and mix together almond meal, cacao, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just combined. Then stir in the apple cider vinegar last.

3. Pour into prepared tin, smooth the top, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove and cool completely on a rack.

4. Frosting: Scoop out solid part of chilled coconut cream into a bowl. Add cacao, maple syrup, vanilla, and optional nut butter. Beat until fluffy and smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Spread over cake and refrigerate to firm it up.