February 2004

Fairtrade Fortnight 1st- 14th March 2004

Bake a Birthday Cake for Fairtrade – 10 years old this year

Celebrate 10 years of Fairtrade by making The Vegetarian Society’s fantastic Fairtrade Chocolate Espresso Torte. This indulgent desert certainly fits in with the fortnight’s theme: a taste for life. Using fairly traded ingredients (look for the Fairtrade Mark*) making this cake will enhance more than the quality of your tea-table – you’ll be helping to enhance quality of life for the producers of fairtrade cocoa, coffee and sugar.

FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO TORTE

This cake is extremely rich and luxurious, but completely dairy-free. It is ideal for any celebration. The addition of espresso gives the flavour an exiting twist.

200g/7oz creamed coconut
1.3l/2¼ pints boiling water
30ml/2tbsp of the boiling water
800g/1lb 12oz SR flour
100g/4oz fairtrade cocoa powder*
10ml/2tsp baking powder
100g/4oz roasted pecans
300g/12oz fairtrade light muscovado sugar*
420ml/14fl oz vegetable oil
20ml/2tbsp fairtrade espresso strength coffee*

Fudge Icing:
100g/4oz soya margarine
10ml/2tsp fairtrade espresso strength coffee*
100g/4oz fairtrade cocoa powder*
90ml/6tbsp water
550g/18oz icing sugar
few drops vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4

1. Grease and line a 27.5cm/11 inch cake tin.
2. Place the creamed coconut in a large bowl and cover with the water, stir until dissolved.
3. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, pecan nuts and sugar.
4. Add the espresso and the oil and stir thoroughly, then add the cooled, dissolved coconut and incorporate well.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and place in the oven for approximately 1½ hours, or until the cake feels springy to the touch.
6. Leave to cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack.
7. When the cake is cool, drizzle with the espresso.
8. To make the fudge icing, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
9. Spread the icing evenly over the cake and use a fork to decorate.

Notes for editors

• For photography to accompany The Vegetarian Society Fairtrade Chocolate Espresso Torte please contact Kerry in the Press Office on 0161 925 2012, email kerry@vegsoc.org

• Outside office hours The Vegetarian Society Press Office can be contacted on 07973 108 165. Alternatively visit the website for lots more information at www.vegsoc.org.

• *For the Fairtrade logo and more information about Fairtrade Fortnight, please contact: Fairtrade Foundation, Room 204, 16 Baldwin Gardens, London, EC1N 7RJ, Tel. 020 7405 5942, email mail@fairtrade.org.uk, website www.fairtrade.org.uk

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