HEALTHY MEDITERRANEAN

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Orange olive oil cake

An old school orange olive oil bundt cake with a few modern ingredients. This dairy-free cake has plenty of flavour and yet still moist inside. You’ll make this cake time and time again for an afternoon treat or special celebration. I use this same recipe to make my Vasilopita (Greek New Year’s cake) by inserting a washed and foil wrapped coin into the batter before baking it. Who ever gets the slice with the coin will have good luck for the year! Decorate with vanilla drizzle or for a reduced sugar version, simply dust with icing sugar.

Note: In this recipe I’ve used coconut sugar instead of white sugar. Coconut sugar is less sweet than cane sugar but is often much darker in colour, which can affect the colour of the cake. I’ve been using an organic coconut sugar from Ceylon Coconut Company which is a lighter, caramel colour and works well in lighter cakes like this orange cake or vanilla cake.

ORANGE OLIVE OIL CAKE

Makes one bundt cake

400g white spelt flour

300g coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

175ml extra virgin olive oil

4 large eggs

juice and finely grated rind of 2 oranges (approx. 180-200ml juice)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla drizzle:

1 cup icing sugar

1 vanilla pod

Approx. 2 tablespoons coconut milk

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease a bundt cake pan very well.

  2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix with a whisk to remove any lumps.

  3. Pour the remaining ingredients into a jug and whisk to combine. Make a well in the flour and pour in the liquid mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.

  4. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

  5. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  6. Carefully place the cake onto a cake plate and decorate with the vanilla drizzle or sift icing sugar over the top of the cake.

  7. To make the vanilla drizzle, place the icing sugar in a large jug. Carefully slice the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Mix the seeds into the icing sugar. Slowly drizzle in coconut milk, while mixing with a spoon, until you get a pourable but thick icing. Drizzle over the cake as desired.