heartache chocolate cake

Some lovely cafe regulars who have just been to New Zealand, brought me back sea shells from a beach north of Auckland. I'm craving the sea. A large expanse of ocean with warm sand and a beach extending for miles, just standing taking a deep breath filling my lungs with all that salty air. Failing that - I'm baking Harry Eastwood's 'Heartache Cake'... This is his description:

'This cake is sad. It's dark and drizzling down the window panes.  She puffs her chest in hope when she goes into the oven; she then breaks, like a chest heaving a sob.  This is why aubergine (the Eeyore of the vegetable world) is the right kind of friend to hold your hand'.

HEARTACHE CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 small aubergines (about 400g)

300g dark chocolate broken into small pieces

50g good quality cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

60g ground almonds

3 large free-range eggs

200g clear honey

2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp brandy

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 23cm, loose bottomed tin with sides 7cm deep, with baking parchment.

Cook the aubergines by puncturing their skins with a fork and baking in an oven at 200C for 40 minutes.

Skin the aubergines. Put the flesh in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the chocolate to the aubergine, which will still be warm enough to melt the pieces.

In a large bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients for 1 minute until well blended and slightly bubbly.

Fold the chocolate and pureed aubergine into the mixture using a spatula and incorporate thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place it on the bottom shelf of the oven for 30 minutes, by which time your kitchen will just sing with the smell of hot chocolate.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in its tin for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a plate and peeling off the parchment.

Dust a little cocoa over the top of the cake before devouring it with gusto!