FIRE UP THE VEGGIES! Fantastic fudgy chocolate cake

SERVES 12

80g coconut oil, melted, plus a smidge for the tin

50g self-raising flour

100g ground almonds

2 scoops (60g) vanilla protein powder (see Joe’s Top Tip)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

salt

80g cocoa powder (over 70% cocoa solids), plus more for dusting

150ml maple syrup

200ml coconut milk

zest of 1 orange

optional coconut yogurt and fresh strawberries and/or raspberries, to serve

• Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm round cake tin with a little coconut oil and line the base with baking parchment.
• Mix the self-raising flour, ground almonds, vanilla protein powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa with 150ml boiling water until well combined, then whisk in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut milk and orange zest.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and give everything a good whisk until you have a smooth runny batter. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin. When cool, dust with a little cocoa powder and serve topped with coconut yogurt and berries if you like.

JOE’S TOP TIP This cake can also be frozen without the topping for up to a month. Visit myprotein.com for my new protein powders.