Eating Clean, Paleo, and Gluten free,and so ondoes not mean you can’t have your cake and eat it!You absolutely can, you just need to choose alternative, wholesome, natural and healthy ingredients.
Although there is still a need for good old fashioned baking or what “granny used to make,” people are making more of a conscious effort to eat nutritious food whilst satisfying a sweet tooth or perhaps to fit in with their lifestyle choices.
Modern trends see vegetables in cakes to add moisture, fruit to add sweetness, gluten free flour for Coeliac’s and Clean Eaters, Coconut Flour for Paleo’s and Primal etc. Whichever lifestyle you have decided to follow, there is a cake recipe waiting to be made.
This month I would like to share with you cakes that I have tried and devoured. Enjoy!
Strawberry & Honey Glutenfree Cake
170g soft, unsalted butter
300g Self Raising GlutenFree Flour
200g honey (plus extra for the top of the cake when cooked)
1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
3 large free-range eggs
300g strawberries halved & hulled.
Oven 160c Fan. Grease 20cm loose bottom tin – line the bottom.
Cream the butter & honey until light & fluffy.
Whisk the eggs with the Vanilla.
Add to the butter mixture – take care; it will separate (curdle), therefore, add the flour in 4 stages and mix.
Gently fold in the strawberries.
Add the cake mixture to the tin and cook for approx 50-60minutes.
Tip: I use spaghetti to check that it’s cooked.
Remove the cake from the oven and swirl some honey on the top whilst it’s still warm – this will allow the honey to soak through to the sponge.
Tip: you can change the fruit to raspberries and the vanilla to almond essence and sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the cake before you cook it. Follow with the honey when cooked.
This cake can be eaten on it’s own or you can, indulgently, devour it with real cream!
Paleo Chocolate Lime Cake
150g Dark Chocolate 85% cocoa solids, chopped
150g Soft unsalted butter
6 Free Range eggs
300g Honey
100g Ground Almonds
4 tsps Organic Cocoa Powder (best-quality)
Zest & juice of one lime.
Grease & line a 23cm Spring form tin.
Melt the butter and chocolate together (allow to cool).
Beat the eggs & honey until light and fluffy (good 5 minutes by hand).
Mix the almonds and cocoa; gently fold in to the egg and honey mixture.
Follow with the chocolate mixture and then the lime juice & zest.
Pour into the spring form tin and bake at 180C for 40-45 minutes.
The cake should still have a little movement underneath the top of the cake. This cake needs to be light and moist.
Once cooked remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin on top of a cooling rack.
Remove from the tin and serve with coconut cream.
