Chocolate Heartache Cake

Wait, wait, wait.  I DID say chocolate NOT eggplant.  There is  a perfectly good explanation for this.  This recipe uses eggplant instead of butter.
WAIT!!!  Come back!! It is good, I promise!  Look.

That's better.  Really, this cake is fantastic!  I can say that because I did not make this up.   The recipe comes from the latest enemy to my waistline,  Harry Eastwood's "Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache: The ultimate feel-good book of natural cakes that taste naughty."   I recently have been trying to be healthier and watch the calories but I can't stop the baking.  I just love it too much and it makes me happy, happy.   I found this book while searching online for healthy desserts.  It uses veggies such as eggplant, zucchini and butternut squash in every recipe.  I like to tell myself that the vitamins and fiber cancel out the sugar.  It could happen.
If you don't have a scale, get one!  I love mine.  All the recipes in this book are in British.  That means ingredients are weighed out by grams.  We are one of only 3 countries left that still doesn't use the metric system.  So get on board.  It is worth it for a bite of this cake (and others to come).

HEARTACHE CHOCOLATE CAKE:
From Harry Eastwood's Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache Cookbook

Serves 12 @ 267 cal/piece

2 small whole eggplant (approx 400g)
300g dark chocolate, the good stuff, broken into squares
50g cocoa powder plus a little more for dusting
60g almond flour
3 medium eggs
200g honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP brandy

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9 in round 3 in deep loose bottom pan with parchment and lightly brush with oil (I used Pam).

Cook the eggplants by puncturing their skins multiple times and placing in a bowl covered in cling wrap.  Microwave on high for 8 minutes until cooked and limp.
Discard any water at the bottom. Leave in bowl until cool enough to handle.

Next, skin and puree eggplants in the blender.  Once smooth, add the chocolate.  Set aside, covered, until all the chocolate has melted.

In a large bowl, whisk all the other ingredients until slightly bubbly.  Fold in melted chocolate/eggplant mixture until well blended.

Pour into prepared pan and place on the bottom rack of the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.  Then turn over onto the rack and peel off parchment.  Quickly turn it the right way up and sit it on a plate so it won't have rack marks.

Sieve a little cocoa powder on top just before serving.

I used a square pan and we ate it before the pic.  Couldn't resist!