No-bake Chocolate Cake

I think we all need a little TLC during these uncertain times, don't you? That doesn't mean I always turn to chocolate when things get rough, but when I do, it does always seem to help! I tend to reach for dark chocolate, 70% or above (have you tried 90%? It's incredible!)  The only difficult part about making this wholesome no-bake chocolate cake is waiting for it to set in the fridge before you can eat it! Packed with a combination of nutrient-rich nuts and dried fruit plus ginger to help reduce any inflammation, it is a great recovery food for after a long exercise session - and a much more nutritious, iron-rich and wholesome alternative to a packet of chocolate biscuits or a chocolate bar. If you want to go vegan, just replace the chocolate with vegan dark chocolate and the butter, with coconut oil. Everyone loves this cake, but if you want to savour it slowly, it will keep for a few weeks too in an airtight container.

Now my children have left home I send this cake to them in food parcels to get them through exams and other tough times! 

For a step by step on how to make this cake, click HERE for the link to my latest Instagram Live video, or scroll down for the recipe.

•  Makes a 20cm diameter cake – 8 slices
• Prep time – 10 minutes, plus I hour chilling

You will need a round 20cm loose-bottomed or spring-form cake tin, lightly greased

Ingredients

• 125g good quality plain chocolate (70 per cent cocoa)
• 70g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
• 75g digestive biscuits, broken into small pieces
• 100g mix of raisins, halved glacé cherries and chopped stem ginger
• 50g toasted flaked almonds

 Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then add the butter, the golden syrup and the ginger syrup.
2. When the butter has melted, take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Spoon out into the cake tin and flatten down.
5. Put in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.