Sometimes in life, actions speak louder than words. Well, my type-1 diabetic partner just dug into a large second-helping of this cake without even hesitating. Though I say it myself, this recipe is truly delicious; far better than my poor photography will ever convey. The carb-count is incredibly low, so it’s perfect for a ketogenic diet. But there’s also one other plus point – it’s quick! From weighing-scales to cooling rack in half an hour. That means you can make it any day of the week, even on a ‘late home from work’ Monday evening…

Chocolate and orange is a match made in heaven. This recipe relies on dark cocoa powder to add depth of flavour, and grated orange zest to give it that beautifully ‘fresh and fragrant zing’. If you’re not a fan of orange, you can equally keep the flavour to a vanilla base, or mint would work just as nicely. So without further ado…

Measure 4oz of xylitol sweetener into a bowl. I always use xylitol in baking. In my experience, it’s the only sweetener which retains its sweetness once cooked; and its granular texture means that it behaves exactly like sugar in cake-recipes. Cream this with 4oz of unsalted butter, then mix in 2 beaten eggs. When smooth, fold in 4oz of ground almonds, a half-teaspoon of baking-powder and 1.5oz of good quality cocoa. The texture should be a spreadable, if reluctant dropping-consistency.

Line two 9×7 inch baking-trays or one larger tray. Spread the mix thinly so that it just covers the bottom of the tray. Bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes until the cake is resistant to the touch and springs back when pressed. I would certainly check after 15 minutes – as this is a layer-cake, we’re not anticipating much ‘rise’. The trays’ shallow depth and large surface area will mean this cooks quickly!

Whilst your cake is cooling on a wire-rack, make your icing. Take 10 and a half ounces (300ish grammes) of cream cheese and place into a mixing-bowl. Shake in a half-cupful of powdered table-top sweetener (not xylitol, as the icing is not being cooked); a cupful of whipping-cream, a half teaspoon of powdered vanilla-seeds & the zest of an orange. Whisk these together until thick and spreadable. Taste for sweetness, adjusting if necessary.

Once your cake is thoroughly cool, cut each rectangle in half; or if you baked it all on one tray, cut this into four equal oblongs. Place your first layer onto your serving-plate then spread a generous coating of icing atop the cake. Place your 2nd layer above this, and repeat until all four slices and icing are used up. Finally dust with cocoa-powder and a last sprinkle of orange-zest. Voila!

Few things can beat this recipe. It’s totally delicious. Don’t just take my word for it however; try it yourself. When you do, let me know you get on. If it’s not the best low-carb cake you’ve had all week, your money back!

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.