Sam Bourne
2 min
It's Christmas (well very nearly) if you haven't bought your cake yet - try making this. It's designed to be a little healthier with raw orange and lemon peel to support immune system, a little raw sugar that contains healthy minerals and lots of fruit and fibre.
Ingredients (can be dairy free) suitable for vegetarians, allow at least an hour for
soaking the dried fruit.
Cake
1 cup of organic sulphite free sultanas
1 cup of stoneless Medjool dates
Peel of 1 organic wax free lemon
Peel of 1 organic wax free orange
Juice of the orange
1-2 cups (200g) Goat’s Butter or coconut oil - softened
2 cups of brown rice flour or GF flour or spelt flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
Half a cup of Raw cane sugar (Rapa dura, coconut palm, or molasses)
4 Eggs
Half a cup of Pumpkin seeds
Half a cup of Sunflower seeds
Optional: Walnut or almonds
(If avoiding all seeds use cocoa nibs to get the nutty taste – and this adds antioxidants)
3 heaped tsps. Cinnamon
3 heaped tsps. Carda
3 heaped tsps. Mixed spice
Orange juice
Angostura bitters
Optional: Red vermouth instead of orange juice to soak the fruit (to add a rich spicy flavour)
Topping - Optional
Organic White or milk or dark melting chocolate
Decorations – choose a Christmas decoration
Directions
Soak the sultanas and dates in 1 cup of orange juice and 30 drops of angostura bitters for an hour – allow to soak into the fruit to soften and add flavour.
Thickly peel the lemons and oranges to include the white pith as this is packed with antioxidants, chop the peel to little pieces. Squeeze the juice into a bowl and add the chopped peel to
soak up the juice.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk, you can add a little oat milk or alternative.
Prepare a cake tin, greasing it with butter or place grease proof baking paper inside. I have used an 6.5x3 inch medium tin and a small 5x3 inch rounded tin to make two cakes (one to give away)
Pre-heat oven to 165 degrees (no hotter) and set timer for 45 minutes
In a mixing bowl add the softened butter and the soaked fruit, mix in.
Add the eggs, whisk or stir vigorously. Add the flour and baking powder, cardamom,
cinnamon and mixed spice. Stir in thoroughly then add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Place mixture in the bowl and place in the oven for 40 minutes then test by sinking a
skewer or narrow knife into the centre, if it comes out clean then it’s done or you can
cook for further 10 minutes and test again.
Once cooked place onto airing tray to cool.
Icing
Melt the chocolate until smooth, spoon onto the top of the cake allow it to flow down the sides, as it starts to set use a spatula to work up the sides and create the rough texture. Choose a decoration to place on top or just keep simple.
Option: Avoid the sugar for chocolate and have the cake with a little cream fraiche, Greek Yogurt or coconut yogurt.