This cake provides lots of goodies to feed your gut microbes and help them flourish. It is full of polyphenols. These are the plant chemicals contained in the deep dark colours of ingredients such as beetroots, raspberries, hazelnuts, cacao, and extra virgin olive oil. These are all special foods to make your microbiome (gut bacteria) healthy. A healthy microbiome cross talks with your immune system to keep you protected and well. This is a case of really having your cake and eating it.

INGREDIENTS

​WET STUFF:

• 250g ready cooked beetroots

• 5 eggs

• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

• Half a cup (115ml) of extra virgin olive oil

DRY STUFF

• 6 tablespoons of cacoa powder (I used Food Thoughts natural cacao powder from Waitrose)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 cups (about 300g) of blanched hazelnuts, ground in a food processor

• 1 American cup of almond flour (also known as ground almonds)

OTHER INGREDIENTS

• 1 American cup of raspberries, fresh or frozen

• Half an American cup (115g) of golden caster sugar

WHAT TO DO

1. Put the wet ingredients in a powerful blender and pulse till the mixture is smooth.

2. Put the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir in the wet ingredients and mix till all combined.

3. Add the raspberries and sugar to the mixture and stir till combined.

4. Grease a round baking tin with extra virgin olive oil and pour in the cake mixture.

5. Put in the oven 170C degrees for about 50 minutes. Remove when you can put a knife into the mixture and draw it out dry without mixture stuck to it.

6. Leave to cool, take out of the baking tin and serve.

I often serve this with a dollop of probiotic creme fraiche...I hope you and your gut bugs enjoy this cake :))