Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

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70g (2½oz) unsweetened apple sauce (#litres_trial_promo)

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.

2 Grease a 20cm (8in) square cake tin with low-fat spread.

3 Using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until doubled in volume and stiff peaks form.

4 In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together, then mix in the sugar and the chopped nuts. (I quite like a mixture of walnuts and pecans).

5 Finally, add the vanilla extract, apple sauce and the stiff egg whites and fold in gently using a large metal spoon or spatula. Do not overmix.

6 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20–25 minutes or until the edges are firmly set and the centre is almost set. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

7 Once cold, dust with cocoa powder, then cut into squares and serve.

Nutty Banana Cake

This is a delicious and healthy, fruity nutty cake and just so easy to make! I use apple sauce instead of fat and wholemeal flour to boost the fibre content. Try to use very ripe bananas. Did you know that you can freeze ripe bananas to keep them safe until you have enough to make your dish? Freeze them (#litres_trial_promo), then thaw out for a couple of hours, peel and use as normal.

SERVES 12

low-fat spread, for greasing

6 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (#litres_trial_promo)

100g (3½oz) clear, runny honey

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed up well with a fork

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g (7oz) wholemeal self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

50g (1¾oz) chopped walnuts

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.

2 Grease a 23 x 12cm (9 x 5in) loaf tin with low-fat spread and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.

3 In a large bowl, mix the apple sauce and honey together.

4 Next, add the eggs and beat well, then stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract, making sure everything is well combined.

5 Stir in the flour. Put the bicarbonate of soda into a cup and add 4 tablespoons of hand-hot water. Stir to mix and pour immediately into the batter, stirring quickly and well.

6 Finally, stir in the chopped walnuts and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 55–60 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

TIP

If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, peel and pop in the microwave for 20 seconds and they’ll be perfect!

Low-fat Frosted Carrot Cake

This is a very easy recipe that my whole family enjoys. I have added a little ground ginger just because I love the combination, but feel free to omit it if you prefer. I love this cake without the frosting just as much as with it, but if you are using the frosting, add it just before serving, as it will soak into the cake if left for too long.

SERVES 8

low-fat spread, for greasing

2 medium eggs

175g (6oz) dark muscovado sugar

75ml (3fl oz) light olive oil

200g (7oz) wholemeal self-raising flour

1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 level tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger (optional)

2 tsp mixed spice

grated zest 1 lemon

200g (7oz) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

175g (6oz) sultanas

60ml (2fl oz) pineapple juice

grated zest 1 orange

For the frosting

225g (8oz) Quark (virtually fat-free soft cheese)

55g (2oz) icing sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

2 Grease a 20cm (8in) cake tin with low-fat spread and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.

3 Using an electric whisk, combine the eggs, sugar and olive oil together.

4 Next, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda , baking powder, ground ginger (if using) and the mixed spice into the egg mixture. If there are any bits left in the sieve from the flour, just pour these in. Mix together using a large metal spoon, then add the lemon zest, grated carrots, sultanas and pineapple juice and stir to combine but don’t overmix.

5 Finally, pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

6 To make the frosting, simply mix the Quark, icing sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. When the cake is completely cold, use a spatula to spread the frosting over the cake and decorate with grated orange zest, then cut into squares and serve.

TIP

It is a good idea to make the frosting ahead of time and leave to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.

German Honey Cake

This is a delicious, old-fashioned cake. I love it because it uses olive oil instead of butter. Contrary to what many people believe, olive oil doesn’t lose its goodness when it’s heated. The only time the nutrients in olive oil would be lost are if it is heated repeatedly. This cake has a traditional, slightly spicy flavour. Once you try it, you’ll know what I mean! Don’t use an electric mixer for the main part of this recipe – mixing by hand is much better, but I do recommend that you use an electric whisk for the egg whites.

SERVES 12

low-fat spread, for greasing

2 tsp instant coffee granules

2 eggs, separated

85g (3oz) dark muscovado sugar

3 tbsp light olive oil

110g (4oz) runny honey

200g (7oz) wholemeal plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground allspice

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.

2 Grease a 20cm (8in) round loose-bottomed cake tin with low-fat spread.

3 Start by dissolving the coffee in 125ml (4fl oz) hot water, and setting aside.

4 Now, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and muscovado sugar together thoroughly until the mixture goes a little paler. Add the olive oil and the honey and beat until the mixture is creamy and glossy.

5 Next, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Add these dry ingredients along with the coffee to the egg and honey mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Don’t worry if it is a little lumpy – this will add to the texture. Don’t beat or overmix.

6 Finally, using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then using a large metal spoon or spatula, fold gently into the batter mixture. Again, be careful not to overmix. Only allow yourself 15 turns of the spoon!

7 Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Low-fat Date & Walnut Block

Using the low-fat, heart-healthy spread instead of butter makes this dish healthier than a traditional version from the get-go. Wholemeal flour and dates add great fibre and the walnuts contain a host of vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important for heart and skin health. A slice of this for breakfast with a glass of fresh fruit juice will keep you going until lunch beautifully.

SERVES 9

40g (1½oz) low-fat, heart- healthy spread, plus extra for greasing