by KetoDietApp.com
Step 1Make the cake base. Preheat oven to 170 °C/ 340 °F (fan assisted), or 190 °C/ 375 °F (conventional). Grease your cake tins with a little oil and line the base and sides with baking paper.
I used a set of two 20 x 5 cm (8 inch x 2 inch) sandwich cake pans, measuring but you could also use standard 20 cm (8 inch) springform tins. This recipe makes two cakes that will be put together to make the base, so don’t pour the entire mixture into one tin.
Step 2Put the almond flour and peeled ground hazelnuts into a mixing bowl, along with the baking soda and stir to combine. Set aside.
Step 3Pour the boiling water into a heatproof jug and add the cacao powder and vanilla extract (reserve about 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for coating the truffles). Whisk until it forms a smooth paste and then sit it aside to cool.
Step 4To the bowl of your stand mixer, put the Swerve, olive oil and eggs. Beat until it is pale yellow and slightly thickened. Add the cocoa paste mixture to the olive oil mix, beating slowly as you go.
Step 5When it is all combined, add the dry ingredients (mixed almond flour, ground hazelnuts and baking soda). Pour the cake batter into the prepared tins.
Step 6Bake for approx. 45 minutes, depending on the cake tin that you used. A skewer inserted into the centre will come out with just a bit of moist cake on it. Remove from oven and cool on cake racks.
Step 7Prepare the ganache. While the cake is baking, chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream on stove until just barely simmering. Then, pour hot cream over chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. (Don’t then drop your kitchen timer into the ganache like I did). Whisk until smooth. Pour about a 1/3 of the ganache into a separate bowl and sit both bowls on the counter at room temperature to set overnight.
Step 8Day Two: Decorate the cake. Take the smaller bowl a 1/3 of the ganache that you prepared on Day One. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop different sized balls out and roll them with your hands. Chill on a plate in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 9Keep about a 1/4 of the ganache mixture in the smaller bowl to melt for your drip decoration (for final decoration on top of the cake).
Step 10Take the larger bowl of ganache, scrape it into your mixer bowl and beat it until it is light and fluffy, like frosting. (You may need to lick the beaters, it’s okay I won’t judge you!)
Step 11Get a cake platter or decorating turntable out and put a smear of ganache frosting in the centre to hold the cake in place.
Step 12Very carefully, cut each cake evenly in two. Starting and ending with cake, layer cake and frosting filling.
Step 13Carefully spread the balance of the whipped ganache around the outside of the cake. I like to leave it a bit patchy towards the bottom, but that’s my personal taste. You can make little piped balls of this whipped ganache for decoration, if you have any left over. Place the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour until it is chilled.
Step 14Heat the reserved ganache gently in the microwave until it is just liquid and very gently spoon it on top of the cake until it runs down the sides in a series of drips. Place cake back in fridge for another hour until ganache has re-set.
Step 15Decorate with the chocolate ganache balls that you chilled in the fridge, rolling some in the remaining cocoa powder.
Step 16Stand back and bask in the beauty of this cake 😊
Step 17Slice and serve!
Step 18Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.