Desserts & Baking (Part 5) : Orange and lemon cake with olive oil, Spiced beetroot cake with mascarpone

Orange and lemon cake with olive oil

This cake is dairy free. Make it
gluten free by using gluten-free baking powder.

Description: Orange and lemon cake with olive oil

Orange
and lemon cake with olive oil

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Serves 12

Easy/prepare ahead/freeze

225g (8oz) ground almonds

250g (9oz) rice flour

3tsp baking powder

200g (7oz) golden caster sugar

Finely grated zest and juice 1 Orange

Finely grated zest and juice 1 Lemon

175ml (6fl oz) Olive oil

4 free-range Eggs

For the citrus syrup

Juice 2 Oranges

3tbsp granulated sugar

You will need

20cm (8in) cake tin, oiled and base

Lined with baking parchment

1.    Heat the oven to 170 C, 150 C fan, 325 F, gas 3. In a large bowl,
combine the ground almonds, rice flour, baking powder, sugar and fruit zest,
and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and orange and
lemon juice, then add this to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand whisk to
combine.

2.    Pour into the cake tin and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes
until well risen and firm to the touch.

3.    Meanwhile, make the syrup by placing the ingredients in a pan,
bringing to a gentle simmer, and simmering for 1 minute until the sugar has
dissolved. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven, prick the surface all
over with a skewer and spoon over the hot syrup, until it is all absorbed. Cool
in the tin for 1 hour before turning out to cool completely. This cake is
delicious on its own but, if you are not following a dairy-free diet, it can be
served with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Per serving:
399 calories, 23g fat (3g saturated), 40g carbohydrate

Spiced beetroot cake with mascarpone

You’d never guess this cake is made
from a superfood; packed with antioxidants.

Description: Spiced beetroot cake with mascarpone

Spiced
beetroot cake with mascarpone

Preparation tiivie: 30 iviinutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves 14

Easy/prepare ahead/freeze (sponge only)

375g (13oz) unsalted butter

375g (13oz) self-raising flour, sifted

2tsp ground cinnamon

2tsp mixed spice

350g (12oz) soft light brown sugar

6 free-range Eggs

600g (1lb 5oz) cooked beetroot, coarsely
grated

For the icing

250g tub mascarpone Cheese

150ml (1/4pt) double Cream

4tbsp Icing sugar, Sifted

Ground Cinnamon, to decorate

You will need

2 x 22cm (83/4in) cake tins,
oiled and base lined with baking parchment

1.    Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. In a pan, melt the
butter and leave it to cool. Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl, then
stir through the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cooled
butter, mix in the beetroot and then add to the dry ingredients.

2.    Stir until well combined, spoon into the 2 cake tins and bake for 40
to 50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the
tins.

3.    To make the mascarpone icing, beat all the ingredients until smooth
and thick. Spread over both layers of the cake before sandwiching together and
dusting with the ground cinnamon to decorate.

Per serving:
590 calories, 39g fat (24g saturated), 57g carbohydrate