Sweet Sunday is here! It’s been two quiet weeks, I’ve been spending this week sick in bed and haven’t cooked or baked anything. Yeah, it’s been quite boring. However, I did watch the whole first season of How To Get Away With Murder in 1.5 days, so I’ve got that going for me. Seriously though, if you haven’t watched it, do it now, it’s sooo good and nervewrecking.

Anyways, back to business. I’ve mentioned that I was working on a somewhat healthy recipe in my previous post. You see, a friend of mine is studying Nutrition & Dietetics, which I am highly interested in as well. So I called in her knowledge to help me convert a normal Chocolate Cake recipe into a more healthy one. (She also makes incredibly awesome bracelets and rings. All handmade! Check her page here!)

During our talks, I have learned so much! For instance, did you know that honey and agave syrup are not per definition better or healthier than sugar? Your body absorbs the sugars in the honey and sugar the exact same way as it does the regular sugar. So, it’s not better per definition to substitute sugar with honey. However, the whole process of your blood absorbing the honey or syrup is more gradual than with regular sugar. This means that you will be less inclined to eat more when choosing honey or syrup.

My first test cake was made by substituting the butter with chia seeds and the sugar with banana. Although I am still completely in awe of the way chia absorbs water and what those little seeds can do, this was not a great recipe. It taste like cocoa powder and like cocoa powder only.

Next try, chia seeds and apple butter. This was actually not too bad. I’ll definitely share this recipe with you too in the future!

The winner was this one though: made with sunflower oil and maple syrup. Yeah, I know, the maple syrup still has sugar in it and all that. But the big difference is that these are natural sugars, which your body can process without any problems. There are no funny additions, it’s just syrup. Sunflower oil is great for you as it has fatty acids (good for your heart), Vitamin E (great for your skin), and rich in antioxidants. A lot better than butter.

As you can see on the photos, this cake is moist, wonderfully risen and has a subtlety and aroma of the maple syrup. Although it’s a chocolate cake, and rich in flavour, it is not a heavy cake. The Greek yogurt that is also incorporated in the batter for extra moisture, is combined with maple syrup to top the cake off. Pomegranate seeds provide some crunch and colour.

In short, a perfect cake for when you need something sweet, something chocolatey, and something comforting.

Enjoy your day!