Vegan apple, olive oil and pine nut cake

This vegan apple, olive oil and pine nut cake by Phil Vickery is low in sugar yet delicious.

A reduced sugar, dairy free cake wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago, but through this Mediterranean inspired recipe Phil Vickery shows it’s not only possible, but very tasty too... As a father, and general advocate of healthy living I appreciate the need to eat healthier, but only a few years ago, before the advent of natural sugar alternatives and decent egg replacers, this vegan and reduced sugar cake simply wouldn’t have been possible. With so many alternative ingredients now readily available, it’s an exciting time to be a chef and there’s no longer any excuses for us not to be making healthy but delicious desserts.

Vegan apple, olive oil and pine nut cake

Makes: 1 loaf      Preparation time: 20 minutes      Cooking time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium Bramley apples (450g) peeled and cored (250g prepared)
• 50mls cold water, roughly
• 3 tsp (12g) egg replacer (I used Orgran’s gluten free replacer)
• 90mls cold water
• 75g date puree – or whizzed up pitted dates
• 80g xylitol sugar alternative (available in stores as Total Sweet)
• 50mls extra virgin olive oil
• 220g wholemeal flour
• 41⁄2 (14g) level tsp baking powder
• 50g pine nuts

1. 1. Pre heat the oven to 160oC, gas mark 3
   2. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a parchment loaf liner or equivalent
   3. Place the apples into a small saucepan and add 50mls cold water. Place over a low heat and cook until pulpy, but not fully cooked, then cool slightly
   4. Mix the egg replacer and 90mls cold water together well.
   5. Put the date puree, xylitol and oil into a mixing bowl on a machine and beat until smooth.
   6. Add the egg replacer and water and just mix in
   7. Mix the flour and baking powder together really well
   8. Place the apple pulp into the date, oil, xylitol and egg replacer and mix well.
   9. Add the flour and baking powder mix and beat together very quickly.
   10. Mix well, but don’t over mix or the end sponge will be tough and chewy.
   11. Spoon into a prepared loaf tin and spread out evenly then sprinkle over the pine nuts.
   12. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until well risen and cooked through. Remove and cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes then lift out and cool completely before cutting (with no egg you have a more fragile sponge).

Copyright Phil Vickery 2017