From a raspberry and peach crumble to a blackberry and apple slice, these recipes can be made with regular or gluten-free flour.
Beetroot chocolate cakes
Makes 12
Ingredients
125ml coconut oil, macadamia nut oil or olive oil
150g muscovado sugar or light soft brown sugar
60g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g puréed cooked beetroot (roast or boil a medium-sized beetroot, then peel and purée until smooth)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
160g plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
60ml coconut, almond or rice milk
For the whipped chocolate coconut cream
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
2–4 tbsp icing sugar or pure maple syrup, to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
15g cocoa powder
Freeze-dried raspberries, to serve
Method
1 Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Combine the oil, sugar and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Melt over a low heat until just combined.
2 Remove from the heat and stir in the beetroot purée, vanilla and eggs, one at a time.
3 Sift over the flour (or use 70g fine brown rice flour, 60g quinoa flour and 30g cornflour for gluten-free), cocoa, baking powder and a good pinch of salt, then stir until nearly combined. Add milk and stir until just combined. Divide between paper cases and cook for 20 min or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4 To make the icing, first carefully open the tins of chilled coconut milk, scoop off the top thick layer and place in a bowl (reserve coconut water left in the bottom of tins for another use, such as in smoothies, porridge, etc). Sift over cocoa powder and icing sugar or maple syrup, add vanilla and beat with electric beaters until thick and smooth. Ice the cooled cakes and top with freeze-dried raspberries if desired.
Nectarine honey cakes
Makes 9
Ingredients
75g butter, diced
60ml honey
80g ground almonds
45g plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1½ tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
60ml almond, rice or coconut milk
1 large free-range egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium nectarine, thinly sliced
Method
1 Preheat oven to 160C/gas 3. Grease a 9-hole muffin tin generously with melted butter. Place butter and honey into a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter has just melted, Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 5 min.
2 Place ground almonds in a medium bowl and sift over the plain flour (or replace with brown rice flour for gluten-free), cornflour and baking powder. Add lemon zest and whisk well to distribute flours evenly.
3 Whisk milk, egg and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients with melted butter and honey. Whisk to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into each friand hole and top with a couple of slices of nectarine.
4 Bake for 15–20 min or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 min. Run a thin knife around the perimeter of each cake, then gently remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool further. They are best eaten on the day of baking, but can be stored, airtight, for three days.
Blackberry and apple slice
Makes 15 slices
Ingredients
165g oats
70g plain flour
45g shredded coconut
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
Good pinch of fine sea salt
80ml coconut oil
125ml honey
3 large free-range eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
125g fresh or frozen blackberries (don’t defrost beforehand)
1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced
Method
1 Preheat oven to 160C/gas 3. Grease and line a 28cm x 18cm baking tray with baking paper, extending up and over the sides by roughly 2cm. Place dry ingredients (replace the oats with quinoa flakes and flour with quinoa flour for gluten-free) in a large bowl, mixing well to combine. Heat the coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted.
2 Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add eggs and zest and mix well.
3 Fold through the blackberries and apple at the last second, then transfer the mixture to the slice tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon to even it out.
4 Bake for 20–25 min or until golden around the edges and firm to the touch in the centre. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin before slicing. It will store, airtight, for 2–3 days, or in the fridge for longer.
Chocolate bundt cake
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
225g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
200g demerara sugar
25g ground almonds
80g roughly chopped dark chocolate
¼ tsp fine sea salt
2 medium courgettes, grated
3 large free-range eggs, lightly whisked
185ml extra-virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate icing
85g dark chocolate, roughly chopped plus extra to sprinkle
60ml coconut milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease a 23cm bundt tin.
2 Sift the flour (or replace with potato flour and brown rice flour), cocoa, baking soda and spices into a large bowl. Add the sugar, ground almonds, chocolate and salt and whisk well to evenly distribute.
3 In another bowl, combine grated courgette, eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until combined. Transfer to cake tin and bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
4 To make the icing, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Combine the chocolate, coconut milk and maple syrup in a heatproof bowl and set over the boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until it is melted and glossy. Remove from heat and drizzle over cake, allowing it to dribble down the creases in the cake. Sprinkle the top with extra chopped chocolate if desired.
Dark chocolate, pear and pistachio cake
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
70g buckwheat flour
3 tbsp plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
55g ground almonds
130g golden caster sugar
Good pinch of fine sea salt
150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
80g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
125ml extra virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease a 23cm round springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Sift buckwheat flour, plain flour (or potato flour for gluten-free) and baking powder into a medium bowl.
2 Add ground almonds, sugar and salt, and whisk to combine evenly. Add chocolate, pistachios, pear and orange zest and mix well. (Reserve a small handful of pistachios and/or chocolate to scatter on the top of the cake if you like.)
3 In another smaller bowl, whisk eggs, olive or macadamia nut oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared tin and smooth off the top, scattering over reserved pistachios and chocolate.
4 Bake for 45 min or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool further. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best eaten on the day of baking, however, the cake will store, airtight, for 2–3 days.
Raspberry and peach crumble cake
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For the crumble topping
45g plain flour
25g ground almonds
25g chilled butter, finely diced
2 tbsp light muscovado or soft brown sugar
25g flaked almonds
For the cake
125g softened butter
200g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
110g ground almonds
105g plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp almond, rice or coconut milk
1 large peach, thinly sliced
125g fresh or frozen raspberries
Method
1 Preheat oven to 170C/gas 3. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2 To make crumble topping, combine the flour (or replace with brown rice flour for gluten-free) and ground almonds in a bowl. Add butter then, using your hands, rub butter in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir through sugar and almonds. Set aside.
3 To make cake, cream butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy using an electric beater or wooden spoon. Add the lemon zest and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the ground almonds, sift over the plain flour (or replace with brown rice flour), cornflour and baking powder, and gently fold in, with the milk.
4 Transfer to prepared cake tin and top with the peach slices and raspberries.
5 Squeeze the crumble mixture in your hands to form clumps before scattering over the cake.
6 Bake for 55–65 min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside to cool in its tin. It is best eaten on the day of baking but will store, airtight, for 2–3 days.
Apple, lemon and thyme crumble
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 large Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored and sliced
85g flaked almonds
70g plain flour
55g ground almonds
70g cold butter, chopped into small pieces
50g muscovado or soft brown sugar
3 tsp finely chopped thyme
Method
1 Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4. Place apples and lemon zest in a saucepan, add a little splash of water, cover and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8–10 min, stirring occasionally until apple is tender. Transfer to a 2-litre ovenproof dish (or 4–6 smaller ones if you’d like to make individual crumbles).
2 Place the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat and cook for 3–4 min, stirring until lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3 Put the plain flour (or replace with rice flour for gluten-free), ground almonds and butter in a bowl. Use your hands to rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (it will feel a little more moist than regular crumble at this stage). Stir in the sugar, toasted almonds and thyme.
4 Scatter some crumble mixture over apples, then squeeze the rest of the crumble together with your hands to form large clumps before gently scattering on top.
5 Bake for 40–45 min for one large dish, or 30–35 min for smaller ones, until the top is golden brown and the filling bubbling up and over the crumble in places. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, vanilla custard or natural plain yoghurt.
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