Spelt Blueberry and Lime Cake (low fat and no refined sugar)

This spelt blueberry and lime cake was baked because I wanted cake, but the holiday spirit (in the form of overeating unhealthy food) had given me a slight aversion to processed and too sweet cakes.

Does anyone else get that way? I love a good blow out, believe me, but my body knows when I’ve had enough: I crave salads, and the thought of heaps of doughy bread or saccharine sweet cakes just leaves me cold.

I based this spelt blueberry and lime cake on another favorite recipe of mine:

This time, I added blueberries, a splash of lime and coconut sugar. If you’re not familiar with coconut sugar, you should give it a go. It’s interchangeable with brown sugar, and gives cakes a lovely caramel colour. The jury is out on whether coconut sugar can be considered healthy, but it is not heavily refined like white sugar, which is always a bonus.

As well as no refined sugar, my spelt blueberry and lime cake has much less fat than regular cakes. It relies on Greek yoghurt to keep its moisture. I’ve noticed that using yoghurt in cakes, and much less fat, gives a much denser crumb. It’s still delicious, but it’s important to understand that it is not a pound cake.

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Blueberry and Lime Coconut Sugar Cake

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

• 40g (⅛ cup) butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• 100g (⅚ cup) spelt flour (see note 1)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate (baking soda)
• 50g coconut sugar (see note 2)
• 1 large egg
• 75g Greek yoghurt (see note 3)
• 50ml milk (see note 4)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• juice of half a lime
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 100g (3½ oz) blueberries (I used fresh) - see notes
• icing sugar (optional)

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350ºF) and grease a 6" / 18cm cake tin (I used a springform).
• Melt the butter and set to one side.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together in a bowl.
• Beat the egg then whisk in the Greek yoghurt, oil, milk, lime and vanilla extract along with the cooled butter.
• Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Stir in the blueberries (see notes for a tip to prevent them sinking).
• Dollop into the prepared tin (the batter will be very thick).
• Bake for around 25 minutes, just until the top is firm to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan for ten minutes or so, then either turn out onto a wire rack, or remove the outside layer (if using a springform pan).
• Allow to cool completely, sprinkle with a little icing sugar if you like, then slice and enjoy!

Notes

1. You can use spelt or regular flour for this recipe (just use the same amount).
2. You can use brown sugar (or even white) if you prefer. Please note that less sugar obviously produces a less sweet cake - feel free to add a little more (as this won't affect the result).
3. I used 0% Greek yoghurt because that's all I had. Any kind of plain yoghurt can be used in place of Greek yoghurt.
4. I used almond milk because that's what I have at home. Replace this with regular milk, if you prefer. 
5. I used fresh blueberries, but frozen would work. 100g is a lot of fruit for a fairly small cake, so reduce the amount if you like.
6. A little tip to prevent blueberries sinking to the bottom of cakes is: pour around 3/4 quarters of the cake batter into the pan. Then, mix the blueberries into the remaining batter. Dollop over the top of the other batter, and smooth over. 

 

Disclaimer:

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made the recipe with imperial measurements.

In addition, many ingredients are different in Europe compared to North America. I do all I can to offer possible alternatives and to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. However, results cannot always be guaranteed if you have not used the same ingredients, measurements or methods as me.

Lastly, I do everything I can to ensure that my recipes (and instructions) are accurate and easy to follow. However, I am human, and don't always get it right. If you notice anything strange, a mistake, or even a typo, please let me know in the comments.