Ahhh, it's been ages since I last posted a recipe and it's been ages since I made a decent raw vegan dessert but I hope you can forgive my absence. It had been a lazy month for me and it's probably because winter is here. I don't know about you guys, but I dislike moving around when it's cold. :(

Anyway, yesterday was my day-off and I've had a productive one. I was able to come up with a raw vegan cake that I am actually proud of. I am myself's worst critic, I am usually unhappy with my raw cakes but this one turned out great (finally!) and without added sweetener too. If you don't know yet, I am obsessed with agave nectar. I use it to almost everything and if drizzling agave nectar on top of my brown rice would be acceptable, I would! :D

This raw, vegan and ofcourse, glutenfree nutella cake tastes really good and I kid you not, the photo doesn't do this raw cake any justice.

If ever you try making this at home, please let me know how it went. I'd love to hear from you. xx


Ingredients

Serves 5

All raw and organic (where possible)
Raw cacao is also ethically-sourced

Base

• 1 1/2 cup almond & macadamia nuts (could use walnuts too)
• 3 tbsps coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 medjool dates

Filling

• 2 cups hazelnuts
• 3 tbsps cacao powder
• 3 tbsps coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of Himalayan pink salt
• *(Optional) 3 medjool dates (soaked overnight or atleast 4 hours prior preparation) or 1 tbsp agave nectar

Chocolate Ganache

• 7 medjool dates (soaked overnight or atleast 4 hours prior preparation)
• 1 tbsp cacao butter
• 2 tbsps coconut oil
• 2 tbsps cacao powder

Method

Line an 8-inch pie tin or a non-stick cake tin. Set aside.

Place all the base ingredients into the food processor and pulse until mixed thoroughly but still with nutty texture. Press into the prepared cake tray evenly. Put in the fridge while making the filling.

Process all the filling ingredients into the food processor until well-combined and very smooth. It may take a while but be very patient. My food processor is not the best so it took a while for it to get to the smooth consistency that I wanted.

When you achieve that cake-like, doughy-smooth consistency, remove prepared base from the fridge and scratch the base top with a fork. This is to ensure that the filling will stick to the base. Place the filling on top and put it back in the fridge.

Put all the chocolate ganache ingredients into the food processor and process for few minutes until the mixture becomes gooey and easily spreadable. This one is tricky, as I've said before, I don't have the best food processor. I am using a Ninja Master Pro and it took a while for the ingredients to have the 'melt-like' texture that I want for it to spread easily on top of the cake. You will feel like you want to give up, but hang in there. You will get there somehow.

Remove the prepared cake from the fridge and spread the chocolate ganache on top. Better when chilled but can be eaten right away.

*I didn't put medjool dates or agave nectar in my filling because I don't want the cake to be overly sweet as the ganache and the base are already sweetened. Mine turned out okay but if you have a sweet tooth and likes your desserts to be sweet, you can add the dates or any sweetener you like - agave or coconut nectar. You can taste the 'dough' while making, so sweeten as you go.