Oat Rich Chocolate Cake

I'm not big on "healthifying" desserts. I make my desserts with the best ingredients I an afford and, because they are splurge-worthy, I enjoy them for what they are.  I'd rather have a small serving of a really good dessert every once in a while than eat more servings of a not-so-tasty but healthier dish.

I believe that treats are called treats for a reason: They're meant to be enjoyed.  

My friend Colleen is much more inclined to look for healthy ingredients in her desserts than I am, and she introduced this cake to me. When I read the ingredients list, I was skeptical.  It's an amazing cake though. 

Deep flavour + moist crumbly texture + a little bite from the oats = crazy good.

To make Oat Rich Chocolate Cake, you'll need:

• 1/2 cup large flake rolled oats
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 cups loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 5 Tablespoons cocoa powder (I used Frys)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• about 1 cup of jam or jelly (I used cranberry/red wine jelly but rapsberry, blackberry or apricot would be good too)
• icing sugar for dusting

Combine the oats, oil, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add the boiling water and stir to combine.

Allow the oat mixture to rest for 15 minutes.

While the oat mixture is cooling, prepare the pan.  

Butter an 8-inch square pan.

Cut a strip of parchment about 8 inches by 12 and press it into the pan, smoothing it so that the paper sits snug with the bottom of the pan and two of the sides. 

Some of the paper will extend above the pan.  You'll use it as handles to lift the cake out later on.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Once the oatmeal mixture has rested for 15 minutes, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and stir them in.  

Add in the flour mixture and stir until there are no dry bits remaining.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan.  It's not a firm batter.  It will look fairly liquid.

Bake the cake on the middle rack of a 350F oven for 40 to 45 minutes.  The cake is done when it springs back when the center is lightly touched.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan. 

When the cake is completely cooled, use the parchment to lift it out of the pan. 

Place the cake on your serving platter and slice it in half horizontally.  

Place the top half of the cake, topside-down, on a plate so that it can be inverted back into place.  

(Trust me.  You want to make sure the cake pieces are supported when you move them.  It's very crumbly and will likely fall apart if you handle it too much.)

Spread the bottom half of the cake with jam or jelly.

Invert the top half of the cake back onto the filling, cut side down.

If the cake top breaks as you put it back in place, don't panic.  Just piece it back together and top it with some whipped cream to hide the damage.  

If the cake is intact, simply dust it with icing sugar.  

Use the cake within three days, or freeze the leftovers.
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This recipe came from the Times Colonist newspaper, published in Victoria, BC, Canada.  I'm not sure of the date of publication but I do know that it was written by Eric Akis.