Orange and Coconut Polenta Cake

This is one of my favourite creations. Really moist (love/hate that word) and FULL of flavours that just go on and on. Smells amazing too. It's gluten and dairy free and uses coconut sugar so has caramel-ly depth to it. I used eggs from a friend's chickens and most of the ingredients are from local independent shops - except the oranges which I had to get from a supermarket. 

I originally made this as a lemon and coconut cake with postachios on top for mummy but works so well as an orange version too. I used light olive oil and a splash of almond milk as the fat content. The combination of polenta, ground almonds and desiccated coconut make a delectable texture and flavour. I recently made this cake for a parent at school and I believe it went down very well at her birthday lunch.... Happy Birthday! 

You will need:

9inch spring form cake tin

Oven at 180 degrees c

Scales

Electric hand whisk 

2 large bowls.

For the cake:

150ml light olive oil

200g coconut sugar

120g dry fine polenta

80g desiccated coconut 

100g ground almonds

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

Zest of 1 1/2 large oranges

For the syrup:

1 1/2 oranges - juice of

100g coconut sugar

To decorate:

Toasted flakes almonds

Toasted nuts

Extra desiccated coconut

Any fruit or berries

Prepare your tin by greasing with a little olive oil and line the bottom with baking parchment. Heat your oven

Mix together the oil and sugar. In a separate bowl mix the polenta, almonds, baking powder and coconut.

Add 1 egg and a third of the dry mix to the sugar and oil, mixing well each time. Add your zest and a splash of almond milk. Mix again.

Spoon into your tine and bake for 25-35 minutes until the sides are just coming away from the tin and it is springy to the touch. 

Make your syrup by melting the sugar and juice together over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Leave to cool a little before pricking holes all over and pouring your syup over the top. Leave to cool completely in the tin, preferably over night. 

Carefully remove from the tin and transfer to your chosen plate. Decorate as you wish with flaked almonds, other nuts, seeds, coconut or berries.

Enjoy with a glass of champagne! 

Spiced Chocolate Orange Brownie Bites

Last weekend a friend asked me to make some Paleo snacks, savoury or sweet but easy to carry and full of energy. Challenge accepted! I was looking forward to a lot of tasting but (sadly) there was not a lot of taste testing as I managed to make these first time round and they are absolutely delicious (huzzah!). So scrummy and packed full of goodness, these are quick to make and will last for a week to 10 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Although I highly doubt they will survive that long, I am really struggling not to eat the whole lot in one go. This mixture makes about 30 bites, depending on how big your bite is. I have wrapped them in batches of 2 or 3 with a little baking parchment so that they are easy to grab and go. 

You will need:

1 mixer

1 small baking tray

baking parchment

For the brownie bites:

200g almonds

400g pitted dates

4 tbsp raw cacao powder

2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

grated zest of half an orange

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

2tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp linseed

1/2 heaped tsp cinnamon

Line a small baking tray with baking parchment. It helps if you scrunch it up first then smooth it out again into the base of your tray. Place the almonds into the food processor and whizz until all crushed. 

Pit the dates and add those, then all of the other ingredients and whizz again for about 30 seconds until everything is mixed.

Tip the mixture onto the tray and spread out. Press the mixture down firmly with your fingertips and pop into your freezer for 1 hour until set.

Cut into bite sized pieces, pop one in your mouth and enjoy a burst of flavours and energy.

To store them I suggest placing a piece of baking parchment between each one to make it easier to grab them. I then wrap 2 or 3 together to make a handy parcel for when I'm on the go.