Chocolate chestnut cake

SERVES 12

Ingredients

• 200ml unsweetened soy milk

• 10ml lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar

• 200g pouch Merchant Gourmet Chestnut Puree

• 125g coconut oil, melted

• 150ml maple syrup

• 225g plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 30g cocoa powder

• Pinch of salt

• 150ml cream

• 100g dark chocolate

• 100g Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 1-2 tbsp demerara sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 10-inch bundt cake tin.

2. Pour milk into a small measuring jug and add the lemon juice. Stir once and set aside for 10-15 minutes to curdle.

3. Put the chestnut puree into a large mixing bowl, add the coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, then add to the chestnut puree mix and stir.

5. Add the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth and fully combined, then pour in.

6. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

7. Once the cake has cooled, prepare the ganache. Break chocolate into small chunks and place in a small saucepan with cream.

8. Heat gently over a low heat, folding the cream and chocolate together until smooth and glossy.

9. Do not over stir as it may separate. Set aside to cool slightly, but not set.

10. Toss the chopped chestnuts together with the sugar.

11. Pour the ganache evenly over the cake, then top with the chestnuts.

• Recipe from: Merchant Gourmet.