19 December, 2015

Apricot Chestnut and Coffee Cake

Comments : 1 Posted in : Blog, Not So Naughty on 19th December 2015 by : Ugne

Apricot Chestnut and Coffee Cake
(Gluten Free, Low fat, Dairy Free)

As holiday season is fast approaching, we like to treat ourselves with flavoursome and aromatic bakes. This very staright forward to make cake is utterly delicious and moist, soaked in dark rum and glazed with orange icing, it bursts with flavour. I tried making it as  less naughty as possible by repacing butter with Trex (which is vegetable fat and requires smaller quantities) as well as replacing wheat flour by cold pressed Almond flour and corn flour. I reduced refined sugars to minimum (using just powdered sugar for the glaze)

So here you go, my quick and easy recipe below

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INGREDIENTS
(Cake)
75g Corn Flour
35g Self Raising Gluten Free Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Baking soda
1tsp Vinegar
180g Trex
65ml Almond milk
280g Ground Almonds (Sukrin)
260g Whole Eggs (around 5-6, room temperature)
120g Soft light Coconut Sugar
40g Runny Manuka Honey
180g Chopped Chestnuts
85g Dried Apricots
2 tblsp Coffee Extract
Zest of half orange

(Soaking syrup)
80ml water
80ml sugar
100ml dark rum
2tbsp Apricot Jam (I used sugar free Meridian)

(Glaze)
120g powdered sugar
Around 2 tbsp squeezed orange juice

(Decoration)
Handful toasted almonds
Couple chopped chestnuts
2-3 dried apricots sliced in to strips
Orange zest

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180’, grease, flour and line 25cm Loaf tin with parchment paper.

Sift flours and baking powder in a clean bowl.

Melt Trex in the microwave or in the pan over low heat.

In the bowl with milk add the vinegar and set aside until it curdles.

In the bowl of stand mixer add ground almonds, eggs, sugar, honey and beat well with paddle attachment, around 5min.

Remove from the mixer and with a spatula fold in flour mixture, chestnuts, apricots and the coffee syrup. Following by melted and cooled Trex and almond milk.

Transfer the batter to the tin, even the top and bake for 40-45min. You might need to cover the top with foil half way through so top won’t burn.

Make the soaking syrup by boiling water and sugar until sugar melted. Simmer for couple minutes, switch off and add rum.

Check the cake with a skewer if it is baked, take out the oven and brush it with syrup straight away. Leave to cool for 10 min and remove on wire rack to cool.

Prepare the glaze. Coat the cake and scatter fruits to decorate.

Enjoy