It’s an ongoing voyage of discovery making low sugar, low carb cakes. From time to time there are baking trays of disappointment when experiments don’t work out as anticipated. Equally though there are the thrills and triumphs. Take this ginger cake for example. Read more

Let me introduce you to one of my recent cake making triumphs – this cracking little vegan brownie!

Low carb, zero/low sugar cake baking is an intriguing and sometimes elusive art.  For example, finding a successful low carb replacement for wheat flour in recipes can pose as much of a challenge to the intrepid sugar free baker as learning how to achieve a healthier sweetness and flavour. Read more

I love this cake and I want to marry it.  This little Middle Eastern cakey beauty’s so moist, soft and yum-tious. Read more

It’s Mid-Summer and I’ve become obsessed with raspberries.  I think I need to check myself into a 12 step raspberry recovery programme.  It’s the delicate fragrancy of their flavour that gets to me.  And here they are esconced in brownie goodness.  What a winning combination -  squidgey dark chocolate gooey sponge with the light, Summery flavours of raspberries.  Yin and Yang in cake form.

3 eggs
200g no added sugar plain chocolate*
150g butter (or coconut oil)
1 tbsp xylitol or erythritol
150g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
50g chopped walnuts
100g frozen raspberries
Fresh raspberries for topping
10g pistachio nuts
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of salt

Whizz the eggs with sweetener and vanilla essence.
Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Add slowly to the egg mix.
Stir in the ground almonds and baking powder.
Add pinch of salt.
Add chopped walnuts and frozen raspberries.
Spoon the batter into a 23cm cake tin lined with baking paper.  Add the fresh raspberries to the top of the cake.
Bake at Gas Mark 4 – 350F/180C for 25-30 minutes until just cooked – just a little squidgy still in the middle.  Scatter chopped pistachio nuts on the top.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin.  Then keep in the fridge

* I used Sainsbury's no added plain choc for this recipe.   Or alternatively I sometimes use Montezuma 100% dark chocolate and add a little extra sweetener to the cake mix.

Oh my god!  I’ve attained cake consciousness.   This little spongey beaut is a variation on a carrot and cinnamon cake I make often.  I replaced the carrots and cinnamon for parsnips and cardamom with a little rosewater and the result is exquisite. Read more