Gluten/dairy-Free Chocolate sweet potato cake

Makes: 10" Cake
Preparation: 45mns
Total: 1.5 hours 

Benefits:
Cakes are normally void of nutrition, being made of processed flour, sugar and fat. This cake on the other hand replaces those non-nutritious ingredients with power packed alternatives. Heart healthy olive oil and almond meal is used, sweet potatoes full of vitamin A, fibre and potassium, and mineral rich cocoa.

Ingredients:

1. 300 grams cooked sweet potato (see method below for method)
2. 85 grams dark chocolate
3. 3 medium eggs
4. 300 grams coconut sugar (my choice as its low GI* & minimally processed) or brown sugar
5. 240 ml olive oil (can be substituted for sunflower oil)
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1tbsp vanilla essence)
7. 30 grams cocoa powder 
8. 200 grams almond meal
9. 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or gluten free baking powder)
10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
11. 3 teaspoons cinnamon powder

Chocolate Ganache:

1. 1 cup cocoa powder
2. 1 cup water
3. 4 tbsp honey or maple syrup
4. 4 tbsp olive oil.

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. To cook the sweet potato, wash thoroughly, towel dry.
3. Place whole on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for approximately 30 minutes until soft when poked with a knife.
4. When cooked, let cool on a wire rack.
5. When cool, make a cut in the potato skin along the length and scoop out the flesh.
   Discard the skin.
6. Blend or mash the potatoes until slightly smooth but still some ‘chunks’ remaining.
7. Melt the chocolate (85grams) gently, 'Bain Marie' style. This is done by placing the chocolate in a container (pan, bowl, soufflé dish, etc) in a large, shallow pan of hot water on the stove. This process surrounds the food with gentle heat and will melt the chocolate nicely, without burning it or altering the taste.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.
9. Slowly add the cooked potato, the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture.
10. Beat until just combined. Don’t over work it.
11. Sift the cocoa. Add this and the almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the wet ingredients.
12. Fold the ingredients until everything is just combined. Don’t over mix the batter.
13. Spread a teaspoon of butter or oil over the surface of a 10 inch cake pan. Sprinkle some flour all over, and tap out the excess. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin.
14. Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
15. Cake is ready when a tooth pick or skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Baking time may vary depending on the pan and oven you are using.
16. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan.

For the Ganache:

1. Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a small saucepan on high heat, stirring to combine.
   
2. Let mixture bubble for 5 minutes, stirring to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
   
3. Mixture will start to thicken.
   
4. Add olive oil and stir vigorously to incorporate oil into the chocolate mixture.
   
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using it to top the cake
   

Source: The nutrition guru and the chef