Agave sweetened chocolate cake

I bit the bullet yesterday and tweaked a recipe by replacing the sugar and honey with agave nectar. I was a bit apprehensive but the result was perfect! The original recipe can be found here:http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/2346/Recipe.cfm My cake wasn't exactly "moist" but wasn't dry either so here goes my version

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons spice mix (I used the rests hence the difference with the original - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and 5 spice mix), 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups agave nectar (I used blue agave dark one dark ones are supposed to be lower GI than light ones), 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup cinnamon apple sauce (I used a 4oz pot of baby apple sauce), 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, mix of walnuts, cashews and almonds (optional but worth adding) Topping: Melted dark sugar-free chocolate (had one with maltitol but I'm sure a fructose one would be even better)

Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and allspice. Set aside. In bowl combine oil and agave nectar. Beat mixture on low to medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add in the eggs, apple sauce and vanilla and beat for 2 to 3 minutes on low speed. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed for another 2 minutes until batter is smooth and well combined. Fold in the nuts and pour the batter into the pan (2/3 as it does rise quite a bit). Bake in preheated 160 C oven on lower shelf (if heat comes from the both upper and lower part) for 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool in pan until the pan cools down, then invert it, let it cool completely, decorate and eat! Just a side note - check on the cake regularly as it might burn slightly on the top or the edges even with the lowered temperature.

I can drive!

Yeah! I know this statement sounds silly as I've had my driving license and been driving for the past 5 years, but! I'm a very insecure person. I underestimate myself, don't believe in my practical abilities while at the same time I'm a perfectionist. Bad mixture as it ends up in procrastination, lack of productivity and avoidance. But I'm digressing. Eventhough I've been driving almost daily for the past 5 years I was refusing to go off the "safe" roads and hell would've frozen over before I went on Sh Zayed or further than Diyafa Rd. Until yesterday, that is.I desperately wanted to be able to go to Sharjah but had been too scared. But yesterday I decided enough was enough - we decided with a friend to go to Blue Souq and instead of going there with her, I drove myself there. And it was silly easy! Not even stressful!
As they say "if I knew then what I know now...". So why was i so scared and why wasn't it even half as bad as I feared? For once I only ever went there with husband who is a good but short-tempered driver. Hence part of my fear. Now the easy part of going to Sharjah is staying in the same lane the whole way. Perfect - no need for life-threatening lane changing. And the lane one needs to stay in is the second from the left which means no crazy minibuses and wild weavers and slalomists (is it even a word?). Next challenge will be Al Wasl Hospital, I just need to find an alternative way to my husband's...