Finger Millet Chocolate Honey Cake With Chocolate Sauce (Whole Wheat and Eggless)

Madua/Raagi/Finger millets is a staple food of the people of the hills. Their robust health and longevity can definitely be attributed to this cereal. In Kumaon, it is incorporated in the diet in a number of ways. Madua chapattis are part of the everyday meals. Madua chapattis are also eaten with ghee and jaggery. It is also had in soups and gruels. Is a warming grain and keeps the body warm in winters. Madua is highly nutritious. It is rich in calcium, iron, and protein. It is non-glutinous and not acid-forming food. It is least allergenic and most digestible grains available.

Madua is grown extensively in Kumaon. Besides adding it to chapatti flour, I have also been using in bread and biscuits. I always wanted to bake a cake with madua flour. Using the basic recipe for the chocolate eggless cake, I added madua flour and honey to the batter and the result was a beautiful, delicious and healthy Finger Millet honey Chocolate Cake.

Edited on 21.7.13
I make this cake quite often. Over a period, I have made small changes in the recipe. The cake is soft, moist and chocolaty.

Finger Millet and Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake (Eggless)

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup madua/ Raagi / Finger millets flour
• ¾ cup thick yogurt
• ¼ cup milk
• 1/4  cup olive oil (or any neutral oil)
• 1 cup brown sugar or unrefined cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Sieve together whole wheat flour, finger millet (madua) flour,  baking soda, and salt.
2. Add ¼ cup milk to yogurt and beat well till smooth. Add sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well.
3. Mix together yogurt mixture, oil, honey, and vanilla essence.
4. Add the dry ingredients to wet and mix till just well incorporated.  Do not over mix.
5. Add chopped walnuts tossed in flour and gently stir the batter.
6. Pour into the greased and lined 6-inch cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 35-40 minutes or till the top turns brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven after 10 minutes, remove the lining and transfer to the rack to cool.

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons unrefined sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

1. Mix together milk, sugar and cocoa powder to a smooth lump-free mixture.
2. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium heat till it starts boiling.
3. Reduce the heat and cook till it thickens. Stir constantly.
4. When it reaches the sauce-like consistency, turn off the heat. Add butter. Mix.
5. Add vanilla essence and let it cool.
6. Pour warm sauce over the cake.

My notes  -This cake is very chocolaty and kids love it. It is dense and very filling. Great with a cup of tea in the afternoon or anytime time when hunger pangs trouble you. It is healthy and absolutely guilt free.