Chocolate fudge cake
Prep 45 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 8
100g prunes, pitted
200g unsalted butter, softened
225g dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g 70% dark chocolate, melted
100g buckwheat flour
50g cocoa powder
50g cornflour
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Heat the oven to 170C (160C fan)/325F/gas 3½, and grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Put the prunes in a small bowl, pour over 100ml boiling water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Put the butter, sugar and soaked prunes (including their liquid) into a food processor and blitz smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and blitz again until evenly combined (the mixture might look as if it has split, but this is normal).
Pour in the melted chocolate and blitz once more until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blitz for about 30 seconds, until the batter is smooth.
Tip the batter into the prepared tin and smooth over the top with a spatula.
Bake for 30 minutes, until set on top and just starting to brown: a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should not come out clean. Simply leave to cool in the tin.
This is just as good eaten warm for dessert with a dollop of creme fraiche and some berries as it is served by itself at room temperature. It will keep in an airtight tin for five days.
Walnut and poppy seed bundt
Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 8
3 eggs, separated, whites whisked to stiff peaks
150g light brown sugar
60ml water
100g ground walnuts
75g ground poppy seeds
75g gluten-free self-raising flour
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the icing
Juice of ½ lemon (about 1½ tbsp)
100g icing sugar, sifted
To decorate
½ tbsp poppy seeds
Heat the oven to 170C (160C fan)/325F/gas 3½, and oil a small bundt tin – ie, around 17cm diameter and 9cm deep.
Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric whisk until light, fluffy and almost doubled in size. Add the water and whisk again, until the mixture has loosened slightly.
Stir in the dry ingredients until evenly combined, then fold in the whipped egg whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a metal skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack.
To make the icing, mix the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small bowl. Once the cake is cool, drizzle with the icing and finish with a sprinkling of poppy seeds. It will keep in an airtight tin for up to three days.
Banana and buckwheat loaf
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 6-8
2 eggs, separated, whites whisked to stiff peaks
80g light brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
100g buckwheat flour
1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp salt
Heat the oven to 170C (160C fan)/325F/gas 3½ and line a 1lb loaf tin with baking paper.
Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and beat with a hand-held electric whisk until light, fluffy and almost doubled in size.
Add the mashed banana and whisk again briefly, until evenly combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
Gently fold the whisked egg whites into the batter, until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and springy to the touch, or a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Tip the loaf out on to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, slice and enjoy as it is, or lightly toast and spread with butter.
This will keep well in an airtight tin for up to three days, or it freezes well in slices.
Marzipan and raspberry layer cake
Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 6
100g unsalted butter, softened
75g caster sugar
2 eggs, separated, whites whisked to stiff peaks
100g marzipan, grated
75g gluten-free self-raising flour
25g ground almonds
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
3 tbsp raspberry jam
150g raspberries
For the icing
45g unsalted butter, soft
90g icing sugar, sifted
Heat the oven to 170C (160C fan)/325F/gas 3½ and grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric whisk until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, whisk again until combined, then add the marzipan, flour, almonds and baking powder. Stir again until well combined.
Fold in the egg whites, divide the batter between the two tins, then smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch.
Turn the cakes out on to a wire rack and leave to cool. Once cool, put one cake on a plate, spoon the jam on the top and spread evenly. Put the second cake on top.
To make the icing, put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Spread the icing over the cake, then arrange the raspberries on top.
