Introduction: Peanut/Chocolate Protein Cakes

Despite being sugar free* and fat reduced, these are some incredibly tasty treats. Perfect substitute for cake, and great for after exercise. It has a nice spongy texture.

I do want to note, that although these are undoubtedly healthier than normal cake, protein does not necessarily equal healthy. Although fat reduced, they still contain some fat from all the nuts (so at least the good kinds of fat!), but it doesn't mean you can eat as many of them as you like without consequence. Any kind of food, even the really healthy ones, should be enjoyed in moderate amounts.

*Although the recipe doesn't call for sugar, it doesn't mean that its completely sugar free if you still use peanut butter or chocolate containing sugar. Read the ingredients list of your products if you want the cake to be completely sugar free.

You'll need: (for app. 8 servings)
1 generous spoonful peanut butter
1 banana (preferably very yellow or unripe)
1 egg (medium)
A spoonful protein powder (app. 25g). I used vanilla flavour, but I guess you can also use cocoa or banana flavour.
A splash of milk
50g of hazelnuts (or other unsalted nuts)
1 spoonful coconut flakes
1 spoonful oat meal
1 spoonful unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

If you want to increase the flavour of chocolate, add more cocoa powder. If you want to increase more peanut flavour, decrease the amount of cocoa powder, or leave it out.

Optional:
Coconut flakes or chopped nuts to sprinkle on top
or
Dark chocolate (at least 70%) for coating. (100g)

Why the dinosaur, you ask? Well its obvious, isn't it? T-rexes loves protein! I'm sure they love cake too, if they had a chance to have some.

Step 1: Blend Those Nuts!

With a stick blender or chopper, blend your nuts as much as possible until you get a nice fine grain.
If you like bits and pieces of nuts in your cake, take a few extra nuts and chop them with a knife, and add them in the batter once its ready.

Step 2: Add the Rest of the Dry ​ingredients

It might be easier if you add coconut flakes and oat meal one at a time, and mix in between. Or you can add it all, and blend away. It will turn into a thick grainy substance. Potentially something that you could turn into protein bars!

Step 3: Add in the Rest

Add the rest of your ingredients (remember to break the banana into smaller pieces, making it easier to blend) and blend until you get a nice smooth and even batter.

Step 4: Bake!

Pour the batter onto a baking pan or into muffin cups. I distribute one spoonful in each cup (filling it half way up) making 8 cakes (you can use a teaspoon to help the batter off the spoon). I'm sure you can use a small baking pan as well, and cut them out once baked, but I never tried myself.

Take the pan/cups and let them drop gently a few times on the table to even out the batter.
If you want to add nuts or coconut flakes on top, you should sprinkle them on now.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees (celsius)

Step 5: Optional: Cover in Chocolate

I personally think this adds a lot of flavour to the cake, making it even more delicious, but its yummy even without it. But to keep the unhealthy just as healthy as can be, I recommend using really dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa. The darker the chocolate, the healthier it gets.

Let the cakes cool before you melt a one third of your chocolate over heat (waterbath), take it off the heat and then add the rest of the chocolate. Stir until everything is melted, and dip or cover your cakes in chocolate. Let it cool in the fridge until hardened.

Step 6: Enjoy!

The most important part:

Eat and enjoy!

Edit: I recently found cocoa nibs (pure roasted and chopped cocoa beans and nothing else) in my local supermarket. Haven't tried them yet, but figured they would be a great addition to add some fibre to the cake. Defiantly going to try them in my next batch!