the best chocolate brownie cake (sugar free)

This may just be the perfect Birthday Chocolate Brownie Cake!

“I love getting older. My understanding deepens. I can see what connects. I can weave stories of experience and apply them. I can integrate the lessons. Things simply become more and more fascinating. Beauty reveals itself in thousands of forms.”

– Victoria Erickson

These birthdays seem to be sneaking up on me more rapidly each year.  I’m not sure where the time went, but on Saturday I found myself one year older…and more sure than ever that what I have yet to learn greatly outweighs that which I already know. 

One of the things I’ve learnt being that I can’t just eat anything I like anymore (Noooo!) and expect to stay the same dress size.  It’s taken some time (& therapy ;)) but I’ve managed to accept this & I’ve dusted off my running shoes & bought myself a yoga matt. 

Saturday was a reminder for me of how my life has changed since this time last year….In the space of one year I have moved country – leaving family, friends and almost all of my earthly possessions behind.  My life has changed in just about every way in one little year.  I was sad not to spend my birthday with my whole family, and meet my special friends for coffees during the week. 

The positives are that I’m making new friends and creating a new life for myself in such a beautiful place – undertaking brand new projects and setting new goals.  It’s been a good year on the whole.  I have a lot to be grateful for. 

To celebrate, I made myself my idea of the perfect birthday cake.  I really love brownies.  I love them all the more when I know they are borderline healthy.  And so I decided to create a Chocolate Brownie Cake that is sugar free, dairy free and with the option to be flour free. 

Words cannot properly describe to you how utterly  D E L I C I O U S  this Chocolate Brownie Cake is.  You will just have to make it for yourself! 

Despite the fact that it is dairy free, this cake tastes creamy and buttery, and it’s gooey in the centre.  In my opinion it has the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the bitterness of the cocoa. 

This cake is basically one enormous round brownie covered in glassy, silky smooth, rich chocolate sauce – is your mouth watering yet?

I have been snacking on this cake for a couple of days now….So I can confidently tell you that it is great on its own at room temperature, it’s incredible warmed up with vanilla ice cream, and it’s totally decadent eaten cold like fridge cake. 

You just can’t go wrong with this recipe no matter how you decide to serve it.  And I’m pretty sure if you made this for someone’s birthday, they would love you forever!  No joke – it’s THAT GOOD. 

Chocolate’s not your thing for a birthday cake? – try my lemon drizzle silk cake with cream cheese icing or my apple date cake with coconut crunch topping.

If you make it I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment.  Happy baking!  And here’s to the year ahead and lots more cooking and life adventures to come! 

5 from 1 vote

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the best chocolate brownie cake (sugar & dairy free)

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

Course: Dessert

Servings: 10

Author: berry sweet life

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 250 g pitted dates
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup almonds chopped
• 2 1/2 heaped tbsp peanut butter sugar & salt free
• 5 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup plain flour or coconut flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• FOR THE ICING:
• 2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp peanut butter sugar & salt free
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE CAKE:
2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease an 8” round cake tin.
3. Blend dates until they are becoming smooth.
4. Add vanilla, peanut butter, coconut milk and coconut oil and blend until smooth.
5. Add eggs and mix in with a fork until combined.
6. Sieve in plain flour or coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt. Mix with a spatula until mixture is smooth.
7. Throw in the chopped almonds and stir in.
8. Pour the mixture into the cake tin & flatten with a spatula. (Take some time to get it level as it won’t change shape much while cooking).
9. Bake for about 25 mins or until the top of the cake looks cooked. It should be firm to the touch but with a little give.
10. Let cool completely before turning out.
11. TO MAKE THE ICING:
12. Melt coconut oil, peanut butter, cocoa & vanilla essence. Take off heat, add honey and stir till combined.
13. Pour icing over the turned out cake. (It's best to have the cake on the plate you are going to serve it on before you ice it.)

Recipe Notes

If you use coconut flour - store the cake in the fridge. If you don’t have coconut milk, you can use dairy milk. You can substitute the almonds for any nut of your choice.