Fruity Streusel Cake
This works well with any fruit, use what is in season—try rhubarb in the spring, strawberries or roasted peaches in the summer, bramble fruit in the autumn , & mincement with cranberries for Christmas.
Low Sugar
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Fruity Streusel Cake
Servings:
12
Ready In:
Prep 15 mins, plus fruit might need extra prep
Cook 25 - 30 mins in total
Good For:
Desert or snacktime
About this Recipe
If you are a fan of crumbles or streusels, but want a lower sugar, healthier alternative, then this recipe is perfect.
Shown in this photo with made in December with my take on healthy mincement.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp coconut oil (hard – put in fridge if soft)
- 1 cup of flour of your choice. Oat works well.
- 1 cup of nuts – almond, walnut or brazil nut work well. (These can be ground or whole nuts)
- 2 tbsp linseeds
- ¼ cup molasses sugar (less if you can get away with it!)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp chopped nuts, or whole oats, (for the topping - optional)
- Fruit of your choice, I like raspberry chia jam (cham), (approx. 150g), or cooked mashed apples (4) with whole blackberries (200g)
Method
- Turn oven to 180 /160 fan. Grease or line a 20cm square tin.
- In a food processor whizz of pulse the oil, flour, nuts, molasses, cinnamon & salt (if using) until its crumbly like wet sand
- Take ¾ of this mixture (put the rest in the fridge for now) and press it down hard into the baking tray. Bake this for 10-15 minutes until it starts to go brown around the edges and come away from the sides of the tin
- Lower oven temperature to 160 / 140 fan
- Spread the fruit over the base
- Take the remaining mix from the fridge, add the additional chopped nuts if using, mix it gently with your hands, adding a little water if necessary, until it forms thicker crumbles. Crumble this over the fruit
- Bake again for 15 minutes, until the topping starts to go crunchy.
- Let if cook, then lift out of the tin and slice.
Health Benefits
Raspberries, like other berries, have been well researched for their role in reducing the risk of heart attack & cholesterol, & enhancing brain function, High consumption of berries also promotes diabetes control & weight management (reducing blood sugars), & calming inflammation.
Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, but a different type to animal fat, a controversial area in nutrition at the moment. Thought to help with weight control by burning off fat in the body, & provide the brain with a quick source of energy. Research indicates it can help raise good cholesterol too
Molasses, whilst still being a sugar that is not good for our teeth or blood sugar levels, is generally seen as a better option to refined white sugar. It is a by-product of sugar refining, its strong concentration means that less is needed in baking & the concentration of nutrients is much much higher—iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium. Apparently 1 tbsp of molasses has as much calcium as a glass of milk, & as much iron as 9 eggs!
Cinnamon historically was used for insomnia, menstrual cramps, & nausea. It is probably best known now for stabilising blood sugar levels, & reducing sugar cravings. Without a doubt the most used spice in my kitchen.
