Ingredients
- 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
- 100 g caster sugar
- 50 g dark brown sugar
- 75 ml sunflower oil
- 200 ml unsweetened almond milk
- 150 g wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 75 g dark chocolate chips
To decorate
- 110 g plant-based butter alternative
- 225 g icing sugar
- a few drops green food colouring
- multicoloured sugar sprinkles
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Method
Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) and line a 20 cm (8-inch) square cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Step 2.
Mix the flaxseed meal with 5 tbsp warm water, then leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Step 3.
Add the caster sugar, brown sugar, sunflower oil, almond milk and a big pinch of salt. Whisk on high speed for 4 minutes.
Step 4.
Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder until smoothly incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 5.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.
Step 6.
To make the icing, beat the butter alternative until smooth, then gradually beat in the icing sugar. Colour with a few drops of green food colouring, then transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.
Step 7.
Use a fir tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many cakes as possible (the off-cuts can be used to make trifle or cake pops). Pipe rows of branches onto each tree, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Decorate the trees with sugar sprinkles.
Serves 6 – 8
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