Chocolate, walnut & berry cake

I bought some walnuts in shells from the green-gorcer yesterday. Harvested in Australia. I cracked them open this morning and stored without consciously thinking about how I was going to use them. About lunch-time I came across a recipe for cake that, surprise, surprise, called for walnuts...

Bit of a hybrid this, as the process was as for raw baking, but ultimately an oven was involved. I wasn't at all sure about subjecting my lovely raw ingredients to this, but I went for it as it sounded so good.

The sponge contains walnuts, dates, cacao, coconut oil, raw apple sauce, and fresh blackcurrants. The tar-like ganache topping is simply carob, honey and coconut, dusted with lucuma.

All in all, a very rich and intensely flavoured cake: hit the spot for a lazy Sunday afternoon treat.

I think the moisture in the apple-sauce and fresh fruit explains why it needed baking - but honestly, I'm not convinced it was kind to treat these raw ingredients like that. Have got nothing against baking with standard ingredients, but it seems a little sacriligeous when using prime grade raw items.