Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache

Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache: The ultimate feel-good book of natural cakes that taste naughty

This beautiful book, by 'Cook Yourself Thin's Harry Eastwood, is an absolute gem for anyone following a gluten-free, kosher or low-fat diet - or just anyone who loves good cake. As Eastwood says 'I didn't write this book because I'm obsessed with healthy food. I wrote it because I adore cake'.

The book is packed with  wonderful recipes, from traditional sponges to decadent concoctions, all of which contain a number of surprising ingredients that replace the usual butter, margarine or flour, and cut the calories to a fraction of what you would expect. What's more, in most cases, the taste and texture of the cakes are far superior to those made to traditional recipes. 

The Chocolate Heartache is probably the best  and  and most intensely rich chocolate cake we have ever tasted, yet it is gluten free and  pareve, containing no butter or margarine. Instead, it has the most amazing 'secret' ingredient - aubergines!  Completely undetectable, the aubergines are cooked, peeled and blended with 70%+ dark chocolate to help create the cake's velvety and almost mousse-like consistency.

More favourites are the Strawberries & Cream cupcakes and the virtually fat-free American Vanilla Cupcakes (both made with courgette) to which we have added everything from lavender flowers to chopped apricots with consistently delightful results. The Victoria Sponge (made with potato) is also a winner and, unlike traditionally-made sponges, won't dry out in the fridge.  For those following a kosher diet, the vast majority of the cakes are pareve (if you exclude some of the frostings), making them ideal for serving after a holiday meal.

If you're not convinced, Amazon's preview displays the recipes for the Chocolate Heartache cake and Strawberries & Cream cupcakes, allowing you to try before you buy. You'll also be able to read the rave reviews the book has had to earn it its 5-star Amazon rating. So go on... have your cake and eat it!