Sunday ‘espresso and cake’ (Kaffee und Kuchen) is a factor right here in Germany. Whereas it has grow to be much less widespread to ask folks over for “espresso and cake” on Sundays, I nonetheless love this custom. ‘Espresso and cake’ has a “hygge”-character, which implies that it creates a comfy setting. It’s a pleasant strategy to cherish the final day of the weekend by spending time with pretty folks, and having fun with a pleasant piece of cake and a scrumptious espresso on the identical time.
Right now’s cake is ideal for a spontaneous late summer season get-together together with your family members. Clearly I’m scripting this through the COVID-pandemic, however not less than right here in Germany, you possibly can meet family and friends once more.
Again to the cake. The ingredient record is brief, and the substances are all fairly reasonably priced. What I’m most enthusiastic about is the truth that it’s only sweetened with dates. I wasn’t positive if this may work, however it labored extremely effectively. One other plus is that you just don’t even want a meals processor, as a result of it’s doable to make a date paste with a fork solely. The one fancy ingredient is comfortable, Medjool dates, which can be essential to make a creamy date puree.
For the oil, I used the Swedish Alba oil. I do know, this can be a flavored oil, so it in all probability can’t be thought-about wholesome. However I all the time stress that neither I nor this weblog needs to be good. My understanding of the phrase ‘wholesome’ is that you just eat a balanced weight loss plan wealthy in vitamins and taste, however to by no means be restrictive. Wholesome consuming isn’t a weight loss plan, and it ought to all the time be nice and joyful.
Once I made this cake, I occurred to have apricots ready on the counter, so this cake grow to be an apricot cake. For the second try, I used damsons (plums), however you might in all probability additionally use cherries, peaches, or different stone fruit. Apricots usually are not tremendous candy, so in case you favor candy muffins, I counsel utilizing plums.
Heavenly for physique and soul, as a result of …
… this cake comprises zero refined sugars. After all, it’s not sugar-free, because it comprises dates and apricots, however these are pure sweeteners that also comprise fibers and even minerals. The flour combine consists of sunshine and wholegrain spelt flour in addition to floor almonds, which comprises much more vitamins than white wheat flour. After all, that is nonetheless a cake, not a meal, so deal with and luxuriate in it as such.
I haven’t made this cake in a gluten-free model but, however I’ve included some recommendations down beneath within the recipe card. Should you’ve made a gluten-free model of this cake, please let me and the opposite readers know within the remark part beneath.
Have a stunning weekend!
xx
Lynn
Wholesome apricot espresso cake
Whole Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- 120 g comfortable Medjool dates, pitted
- 120 g sizzling water
- 500 g apricots (or plums, apples, or different stone fruit)
- 120 ml impartial rapeseed oil (e.g. Swedish Alba oil or gentle olive oil), extra for greasing
- 1 teaspoon natural lemon zest
- 200 g gentle spelt flour (sort 1050)
- 50 g wholegrain spelt flour
- 50 g floor almonds
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) aluminum-free baking powder
- a pinch of sea or rock salt
- 120 ml glowing water
- 30 g flaked almonds
- some powderes xylit for adorning (completely optionally available, and undoubtedly not crucial)
Directions
- Lower the dates into small items. Place them in a bowl and add the recent water. Go away to soak for not less than 10 minutes.
- Halve or quarter the apricots.
- Combine the soaked dates right into a paste utilizing a fork. Place the date paste in a mixing bowl, add the oil and lemon zest. Whisk effectively with a hand mixer or a whisk.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C high and backside warmth (160 °C fan setting).
- In a second bowl, combine the flour, floor almonds, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry substances to the moist ones and blend effectively. Then rapidly, however rigorously fold within the glowing water.
- Switch the batter to the ready pan and flatten the highest of the batter. Press the apricots gently into the batter.
- Bake the cake for approx. 40-45 minutes. After half-hour, unfold the almond flakes over the cake.
The cake is completed when you possibly can pull a wood stick out of the middle of the cake clear. - It tastes greatest when eaten heat, however you possibly can nonetheless take pleasure in it a day later.
Notes
- Sadly, I’ve not but examined this cake in a gluten-free model but. I’d both use a gluten-free natural baking combine (I can suggest these German manufacturers: Alnavit, Spiegelberger Mühle, or Bauckhof). Or I’d make the next baking combine myself: 190 g brown rice flour, 10 g psyllium husk seeds, 25 g potato starch, 25 g corn starch). Use this combine as a substitute of the spelt flour. It could be crucial to make use of a shot extra glowing water because the gluten-free batter can grow to be fairly dry.
- Delicate coconut oil can be used as a substitute of rapeseed oil. However I solely examined the cake with Swedish Alba oil, which is a rapeseed oil with butter taste. I do know, flavors are nasty, however I make an exception with Alba oil.
- The cake is sort of doughy (is that even a phrase?). In a second model, I used plums and quartered them. This makes the cake extra fruity, so I’d suggest quartering the stone fruit that you’re utilizing. On the photograph, you possibly can see the primary model with halved apricots although.
- The date paste solely works with comfortable, juicy dates, similar to Medjool dates. Dry dates, which you normally discover within the grocery store close to the nuts, received’t work right here. Medjool dates could be discovered, for instance, in well-assorted supermarkets within the produce part. Nevertheless, these from Turkish or Arabic supermarkets are the very best. Medjool dates can be present in natural meals shops within the produce part. All suggestions are, in fact, for Germany. It could be totally different within the nation you reside in.
- You probably have a meals processor, you too can use it to finely puree the date paste. However it additionally works rather well with a fork.
- I adorned the cake with powdered xylitol. This can be a pure sugar derived from birch wooden. I’m not too large of a fan of xylitol, and I don’t use it in recipes. It may be floor to powdered sugar, nonetheless, and I do use this to brighten my muffins. Xylitol is toxic for canine, so preserve it out of vary of your pets.
- Prep Time: 20
- Prepare dinner Time: 45
