Apple and Almond Cake

At our fortnightly WaistWatchers meetings we prepare a healthy snack. This week we’ve made a deliciously moist cake which can also double up as energy bars if you slice it up.

For the apple puree

• 3 eating apples 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the cake

• a little coconut fat or butter to grease tin
• 8 large eggs
• 325 grams ground almonds
• 150g Xylitol or 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 50 grams flaked almonds

Method

1. Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice and bring the pan to a bubble over a medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. Leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180ºC/350ºF; oil a 25cm / 10 inch springform tin with almond or coconut fat and line the bottom with baking parchment.
3. Put the cooled puree in the processor with the eggs, ground almonds, Xylitol or Coconut sugar and 1 tablespoon – or generous squeeze – of lemon juice and blitz to a puree. Pour and scrape, with a rubber spatula for ease, into the prepared tin, sprinkle the flaked almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes. It’s worth checking after 35 minutes, as ovens do vary, and you might well find its cooked earlier – or indeed you may need to give a few minutes longer.
4. Put on a wire rack to cool slightly, then spring open. This cake is best served slightly warm, though still good cold.