Chunky Apple, Date & Walnut Cake

Made with less sugar than a traditional cake, this recipe is naturally sweet thanks to the apples, cinnamon and dates. I’ve substituted half of the usual amount of flour for oats, which boosts the fibre content, used light olive oil instead of fat to make the cake super-moist, and added a generous amount of walnuts for their excellent omega-3 value.

Photo credit: http://www.adrianlawrencephotography.com/

Makes 10 slices

5 tbsp olive oil

40g (1 ½ oz) ) Sugar with Stevia or 75g (3oz) sugar

25g (1oz) brown sugar

2 eggs

125g (4oz) plain flour

125g (4oz) oats

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

300g (10oz) eating apples (about 3), peeled and diced

75g (3oz) chopped walnuts

75g (3oz) chopped dates

3 – 4 tbsp milk

Pre-heat the oven to 160 C/ fan 140 C/ gas mark 3. Line a 20cm (8 in) round cake tin with baking parchment.

In a bowl (or a mixer) mix the olive oil, sugar/ stevia, eggs, flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon until well combined. Mix in the apples, walnuts, dates and enough milk so you have a fairly soft batter (this is important because the oats absorb liquid during baking).

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface and bake in the pre-heated oven for 50 – 60 minutes until well risen and golden and a skewer inserted in to the centre comes out dry. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.