Kale and Blood Orange Cake (with vegan option)
User Reviews
5
Kale and Blood Orange Cake (with vegan option)
Description
The Kale and Blood Orange Cake uses finely processed kale leaves incorporated into a batter flavored with blood orange zest and juice, applesauce, and oil. Eggs are beaten in, or a vegan flaxseed mixture can replace them. The cake batter includes sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, flour, and salt to create a well-risen, tender structure. The kale puree, despite mild stringiness, adds color and subtle flavor without overwhelming sweetness.
The cake bakes in a lined 9-inch square tin until a skewer comes out clean. After cooling slightly, it’s removed to a wire rack to cool fully. The complementary blood orange icing, made with powdered sugar, butter or vegan spread, and blood orange juice, provides a sweet tangy topping that amplifies the citrus flavor.
This cake offers a creative way to incorporate greens into baked goods with balanced flavors where the sweetness and citrus tone down the kale. It’s suitable for vegan diets with the indicated substitutions.
Apple subs for applesauce can be made by steaming and pureeing peeled, cored apples. Leftover apple puree can be used in other recipes or eaten as a dessert.
Ingredients
- 150 g kale (2 cups, packed) (woody spines removed)
- 3 egg vegan: 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 7 ½ tablespoon water and left to stand for 5 mins to thicken slightly
- 100 ml vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 100 g applesauce
- 175 g sugar
- blood orange juice of ½
- blood orange zest of 1
- 250 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the blood orange icing
- 250 g icing sugar (powdered confectioner's sugar)
- 4 tablespoons butter softened [vegan: use vegan spread]
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 9” square cake tin with parchment paper.
- Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and boil or steam for a few minutes until tender. Drain then refresh in cold water, drain well and puree (it will still be a bit little bit stringy, but persevere as long as you can until well pureed for a greener cake. If necessary, add a teaspoon of water but don’t allow the puree to get too wet. If you add water, squeeze excess moisture out of the resulting puree before adding to the batter). Set aside.
- Beat the eggs (or flax eggs), oil, vanilla, applesauce and sugar together well. Beat in the kale puree and orange zest and juice. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently combine.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then turn onto a wire rack, removing the parchment paper, to cool completely.
For the Blood Orange Icing:
- Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the other ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Store in the fridge until ready to use. Frost the cooled cake as desired.
Notes
- If you lack applesauce, steam and puree peeled, cored apples as a substitute; leftover puree can be enjoyed separately.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 260 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 260kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 114mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 133mg | 3% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 1075IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 12.4mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 44mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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