Paleo Choc Blueberry Cake

Paleo Choc Blueberry Cake

Serves 10-12

Ingredients
Base:
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup raw walnuts
¼ raw cacao powder
2 tbs. coconut oil
1 tbs. raw honey (or rice malt syrup)

Filling:
2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight, if you don't it will still work, just won't be as smooth!)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tbs. raw honey
1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup fresh blueberries
¾ cup raw cashews crushed
1 tbs. coconut sugar
1 tbs. ghee or coconut oil
½ a batch of paleo chocolate 

Method
Line the base of a 20 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper and grease the edges with a little coconut oil.

Start with the base:
In a food processor (we use our Vitamix), place the walnuts, coconut and raw cacao powder. Whiz these ingredients until a fine meal forms.
Add the coconut oil and raw honey and whiz until it becomes a choc butter.
Once it's all combined, press the base in to the cake tin, making sure you press it out evenly, covering the entire base.
Place in to the freezer.

Now for the filling:
Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in to the food processor along with the coconut milk, blueberries, coconut oil, raw honey and vanilla extract.
Whiz until completely smooth, this will take around 5 minutes.
Take the base out of the freezer and pour the filling on top of the base.
Shake the tin to even out the top and place the cake in to the freezer for around 1 ½ hours or until set.
Take the cake out of the freezer and let sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, time for the toppings! You'll need to make a ½ batch of paleo chocolate the place the crushed cashews, coconut sugar and ghee in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
Stir continuously until the ghee is melted and the cashews have caramelised. Transfer these on to a plate and allow to cool.
Rub the outside of the cake tin with a hot cloth and release the spring form slowly (you may need to run a knife around the edge).
Top the cake with fresh blueberries, caramelised cashews and drizzle with paleo chocolate. Cut in to slices with a hot knife and store any left overs in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

As September rolls around, so do the much-anticipated school exams. From NAPLAN in year 3, right through to University, the nation's young prepare themselves for the assessment period. 

Luckily, the University of Reading has discovered a hidden talent in the humble blueberry that could be the secret to great exams. The study saw a group of children consuming a drink containing either 1¾ cups of fresh blueberries, ¾ of a cup, or a placebo. Before and after the drink they were given a series of cognitive exams to test their memory.

The results? Astounding. The study saw a 13% improvement in the children's memory 6 hours after consuming the high dosage drink, making blueberries the perfect breakfast during the exam block. 

Commenting on the results of her study, Professor Claire Williams noted that the fruit is "rich in flavonoids, (and) a range of health benefits including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects." She also added that "primary school is a vital stage in a child's educational and social development. These results indicate strongly that consuming foods rich in flavonoids (like fresh blueberries) could aid overall learning in the classroom." 

With great timing, Australian blueberries are now in peak season, meaning it's easy for all families to add some punnets to their basket.