BLACKBERRY APPLE GINGER BUCKWHEAT CAKE
One of my most popular recipes from earlier in the year, I brought it out again for my recent East by West retreat in Yorkshire with some seasonal and Vata-pacifying updates. It’s a malty, sweet-but-not-too-sweet easy bake that’s simple enough to make using a base of apples, buckwheat and ground almonds with some mellow spices — which incidentally is totally vegan (if you use coconut oil) and gluten-free — suped up with fresh ginger and handfuls of blackberries.
We ate this for breakfast on the first morning and to say it was a hit is an understatement — guests were looking for it the next day! Once they tasted their parsnip and watercress kitchari (always a surprise fav on retreats), they were happy again, but I made sure I wheeled out the buckwheat banana bread the next morning!
I would drizzle this with melted ghee or almond butter gently loosened with a splash of hot water, and lightly sweetened with a dash of raw honey. In the summer, swap the blackberries and apples for peaches or plums and serve with coconut yoghurt.
INGREDIENTS
250g peeled and cored apple chunks (approx 2-3 apples), equivalent to 1½ cups once finely diced, plus 2 apples sliced into half-moons/8ths
150g blackberries
4 tbsp ground flax seeds
3 tbsp jaggery or maple syrup
2 tbsp blackstrap unsulfured molasses or use more jaggery
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp ghee, extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, melted
½ cup buckwheat flour
½ cup ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried ginger
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or 2 tsp more dried ginger)
½ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup (80ml) water
Coconut oil or butter for skillet
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
Add the buckwheat, ground almonds, spices and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
Add the apple chunks to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as you go. Add the jaggery, flaxseed, water, vanilla, ghee and molasses and blend well.
Add the dry ingredients and blend again until everything is well incorporated, adding another tablespoon of water if it’s too sticky. Taste a tiny bit and see if it’s sweet enough for you, remembering that fresh apple and raisins will be added.
Heat a 9-inch skillet or frying pan and melt 1½ teaspoons of ghee to generously grease the bottom and sides well. Arrange the apple half moons into the base of the pan and allow to caramelise for 5 mins on a medium heat.
Distribute the blackberries evenly around the rest of the pan in between the apples and then spoon the batter into the centre of the pan and gently smooth out to the edges using the back of a wet spoon or spatula.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until firm and lightly browned on top.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then using a pallet knife or spatula, gently ease up and loosen the edges and then the bottom of the cake from the pan. Top with a plate, turn over to turn it out onto the plate, then slide it back into the pan, apple side up.
Dust with cinnamon and serve warm.
NB: You can also bake this as a cake: smooth the batter into a well greased cake tin and arrange the apple slices and blackberries on top, then brush melted ghee or coconut oil over the apples.
If using a frying pan, check that the handle is OK to go into the oven — remember that plastic will melt!
East by West tip: This is also lovely sprinkled with toasted flaked almonds to add some crunch.