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Orange and poppyseed cake

Food • Recipes • Three Veg and Meat

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges, washed well
  • 1 cup (160 g) pitted fresh dates
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup rice bran, grapeseed oil or light olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 350g sweet potato, scrubbed, finely grated
  • 1 large carrot, scrubbed, finely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus pinch extra
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
  • 1 cup wholemeal plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons bicarb soda
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, preferably raw

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 22 cm springform cake pan. Coarsely chop 1 orange, peel on, and process in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add the dates and continue to process until very finely chopped. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla extract and pulse until combined. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the sweet potato and carrot until combined.

Fold in the salt, poppy seeds, flours and them bicarb soda until just combined. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and evenly smooth over the surface. Place onto the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Meanwhile, very thinly slice the orange zest from the remaining orange, and juice. Add to a small saucepan with the honey and bring to a simmer. Reduce for 5 minutes or until syrupy.

Remove the cake from the oven and sit on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a plate. Using a skewer make holes all over the surface, not inserting all the way through. Evenly pour over the syrup and allow to cool completely before serving.

The easiest way to make this cake is with a food processor. You can zest the orange and remove the pith before chopping the flesh if preferred. This will add a slight bitterness in the cake.

Nutritional information about this cake:

  • 495 calories per serve (9 serves)
  • Fat: 29.1g
  • Protein: 8.3g
  • Carb: 48.2g
  • Calcium: 85mg/serve (RDI 1000mg-1300mg)
  • Iron: 2.3mg/serve (RDI 8mg-18mg) around 15% RDI
  • Vit C: 28.7mg/serve (45mg/day) more than 60% RDI
  • Fibre: 7.6g/serve (25g-30g/day) More than 30% RDI
  • 1.3 serves wholegrains
  • 0.9 serves veg
  • 0.3 serves protein
  • 1 tsp ADDED sugar/serve

Sweet potato great source of Vit A (beta carotene) – carotenoids: antioxidants (including vit C) protect against free radical damage, immune regulator/support, eye health, growth and development as well as helping to reduce inflammation. Good source of dietary fibre/prebiotic fibre (especially with skin on) microbiome feed off this type of fibre so helps supporting health of gut and overall digestion/immunity.