The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done…

At the start of this year, well before the idea of this Devil’s Food Cake even came to me,  I realised something. I realised the best way to make a change was to go cold turkey. In essence that means, to rip off the band-aid. No gradual weaning off something, reducing little by little. Rather,  very definitive full stop. That’s how I gave up sugar (and most sweeteners). It took me about 24 hours to realise the severity of what I had just done. 

It took a further two weeks to adjust to the new lifestyle. I had to remove not just my beloved Pepsi Black cans, milk chocolate and Nutella but also most sauces and processed foods. All of them had sugar or artificial sweeteners in some form or the other. In a day-to-day setting, thanks to a renewed love for coffee, I was able to get by. 

But what happens when I have a craving. Especially one brought about by stress and that too for cake? 

Gluttonous Innovation 

Easily the hardest part about giving up sugar was not being able to bake. Baking for me is insanely therapeutic. So imagine my anguish when I realised that I had to avoid most store-bought things, even sauces because they all sugar in them and not having baking to deal with that stress. 

I had to get baking back in my life somehow. I mean I am allowed honey as my lone sweetener but it is temperamental when it comes to baking. You can’t just use it in place of sugar and call it a night. Well, not in all of them. 

Delicious Risk

It’s a risk. It’s a gamble. Adding 250 grams of honey in place of the same amount of sugar. What if it doesn’t work? What if it’s too wet? Of what if it’s just perfect? 

Turns out, Devil’s food cake was the divine intervention I needed. Rich, dark, decadent and slightly less potent at inducing guilt. That’s the best way I can describe the results. One bite is all it took. 

That’s how I fell back in love with baking. With a little effort you can too!

Devil’s Food Cake

Ingredients

• 125 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
• 250 grams honey 
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 85 grams (⅔ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 125 ml (½ cup) hot water
• 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 215 grams (1 ¾ cup) plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• I teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• Pinch of salt

The instructions on how to make this recipe can be found on my Instagram, in the story highlights: Devil’s Food Cake. Please note, I was trying to make this into a red velvet sort of situation, but obviously, that failed. It was still gratifyingly delicious. Even more so than most brownies I’ve ever made!

Enjoy!