Hemp seed, prune and whisky cake

Vanessa Lewis

We need more olive oil in our lives — not only does it taste amazing but it can be used in more ways than you’d at first think. To reap the most benefit from the antioxidants, use extra virgin olive. This cake is made with olive oil, hemp seeds and prunes. Three teaspoons of hemp seeds meet our daily required intake of magnesium and prunes are a powerhouse of antioxidants. With prunes soaked in your favourite whisky and the hemp seeds, this cake will blow you away!

You can buy hemp seeds online or replace them with pine nuts. This cake is actually better the second day.

Ingredients

2 cups	Pitted prunes (Main)
¼ cup	Whisky (Main)
1 ¼ cups	Plain flour
½ cup	Hulled hemp seeds, or use pine nuts (Main)
1 tsp	Ground cinnamon
½ tsp	Baking soda
1 tsp	Baking powder
¼ tsp	Salt
½ cup	Extra virgin olive oil (Main)
1 cup	Organic coconut sugar (Main)
2	Free range eggs (Main)
1 tsp	Pure vanilla extract
2	Egg whites, beaten to soft peaks (Main)
1 pottle	Coconut yoghurt, or Greek yoghurt, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line the base of a 20cm round springform cake tin.
2. Place the prunes in a bowl, pour over the whisky and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
3. Place the flour, hemp seeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl, set aside.
4. Place the olive oil, sugar, whole eggs and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until the mixture is light in colour, doubled in size and has thickened a little. Remove the bowl from the machine and, using a large spatula, add the dry ingredients and gently fold to combine. Add the whisky-soaked prunes. Then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
5. Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin, smooth the top and place in the oven, cooking for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the pan. Serve the cake with coconut or natural Greek yoghurt.

See Simon's recipe for fish fingers with onion soubise