Name: Wholemeal almond and chocolate cake
Ingredients: 125g butter; 1 cup sugar, raw preferably; 3 eggs; 2 tbsp milk; 1 cup wholemeal flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 200g dark chocolate (70%), chopped; 125g ground almond meal, or hazelnut meal; Handful chopped nuts – I like to use pine nuts

I spotted this little beauty of a cake in the Good Living section of the SMH paper one week, and they mentioned how nurturing it is that it is often brought round at times of births and need. So, I made it for a friend who had just given birth - and it does feel nurturing, and soul reviving, and we all loved it so much.

I made it again for a treat-loving friend of mine who texted that morning that I was "the Beethoven of cakes! It is such a great combination of nurturing whole meal, satisfying dark chocolate chips, and moistening almond meal.

It is also the cake I cook for those without a sweet tooth – they love its rich dark chocolate and earthiness, and that it isn’t too sweet!

Make sure the tin is not too large, or it can be too thin and dry.

Serves 8-10. V. Freezes well.

Pictured: Wholemeal almond and chocolate cake

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 21cm cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs gradually beating well after each.

Fold in milk, flour and baking powder and mix well.

Add the chocolate and ground meal.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin (no wider than 21cm), sprinkle nuts on top.

Bake 1 hour in total, covering the top at half way with baking paper so the nuts don’t burn.

Let sit in the tin a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.