In some areas, getting hold of the white stuff has become near impossible in lockdown. Plain and self-raising flour have become incredibly scarce – which is concerning when so many of us have become utterly reliant on home-baked cakes (they make you happy, the kids happy, and keep you occupied – they're basically magic).
2 indulgent cake recipes that don’t require flour
But there is another way. Try these gluten-free, flour-free recipes for just as tasty results…
1. Flourless Chocolate, Almond and Chestnut Brownie Cake from Rebel Recipes by Niki Webster
Ingredients:
(6 servings)
1/3 cup melted organic coconut oil
1 cup cooked chestnuts
1 cup ground almonds
1tbsp vanilla extract
9 pitted Medjool dates
100g good quality dairy free chocolate, melted
2tbsp raw cacao
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp almond essence
Pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup coconut sugar or sugar for choice
For the cashew cream:
2 cups soaked cashews
Juice 1 lemon
2tbsp maple syrup
1/2tbsp vanilla essence
Pinch sea salt
Water
Strawberries, for the topping
Method:
1. Pre heat your oven to gas mark 4/325F.
2. Pop the the coconut oil and chestnuts in your food processor and blitz for one to two minutes. Add in the dates and blitz again, then finally the melted chocolate, ground almonds, cacao, baking powder, almond and vanilla essence, salt and coconut sugar and pulse again until everything is well combined (please note, the batter is super thick).
3. Spoon the batter into your cake tin. I used a 21cm loose bottomed tin (I wet my hands and pressed the mix into the sides).
4. Bake for 25 minutes on gas mark 4/325ºF until the edges are getting a little brown.
5. To make the cashew cream pop all the ingredients into your cleaned food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy. Add a little water if the consistency is a little thick.
6. Allow to cool and then top the cake with the cashew cream and strawberries.
Rebel Recipes by Niki Webster is published by Bloomsbury, priced GBP 26. Available now. For more recipe inspiration visit rebelrecipes.com.
2. Magic Muffins Four Ways from The Reverse Your Diabetes Cookbook by Katie Caldesi and Giancarlo Caldesi
Ingredients:
(Makes one large mug muffin, two smaller ones or 12 mini muffins)
1 egg
A knob of butter, melted, or 2tsp coconut or olive oil
50g ground almonds
&12;tsp baking powder
&12; apple or pear or 75g strawberries (to make pink berry muffins)
&12;tsp vanilla extract and/ or pinch of ground cinnamon or mixed spice
Method:
1. Mix the egg and fat together in a bowl. Add the ground almonds, baking powder, the grated fruit or strawberries and the vanilla extract and spice and mix well. Spoon the mixture into one or two microwaveable mugs. Microwave on full power for two minutes or until cooked through.
2. Alternatively, to cook them in the oven, generously grease and line the mugs or use paper-lined or silicone muffin moulds. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6 and bake for 20–25 minutes.
3. You can also divide the mixture between 12 mini muffin cases and bake for 10–12 minutes. Check the muffins are cooked through by piercing them with a skewer. If it comes out clean, they are done; if it is wet, put them back into the oven for another few minutes.
4. To make nutty seeded muffins, swap out the grated fruit or strawberries for &12; courgette, coarsely grated, 1 tablespoon mixed seeds, a pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon finely chopped sundried tomatoes, plus a teaspoon of the oil from the jar and 6 walnut halves, roughly chopped, and make as above.
5. To make Greek feta muffins, swap out the grated fruit or strawberries for 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried or fresh tomatoes, 1/2 courgette, coarsely grated, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 x 15g (1/2 oz) cubes of feta, 5 cherry tomatoes, halved, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and make as above.
The Reverse Your Diabetes Cookbook by Katie Caldesi and Giancarlo Caldesi is published by Kyle Books, priced GBP 20. Photography Maja Smend. Available now.