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5.0 from 18 votes

Kale and Blood Orange Cake (with vegan option)

This Blood Orange Kale Cake is naturally green! The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the zesty orange in the sponge, leaving behind some green goodness, and it’s topped with a pale pink citrus buttercream. 

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 16
Calories: 260 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 150 g kale (2 cups, packed) (woody spines removed)
  • 3 eggs [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
  • juice of ½ a blood orange
  • Zest of 1 blood orange
  • 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

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 9” square cake tin with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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:
  1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the other ingredients and mix until smooth.
  2. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Frost the cooled cake as desired.

Notes

  • If you don't have applesauce, just peel, core and slice 2 apples, steam or boil with 1 teaspoon water until soft and puree. Use ½ a cup and any left over is lovely on porridge or sprinkled with cinnamon and eaten as a dessert.

Nutrition Information

Calories 260kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 38mg (13%) Sodium 114mg (5%) Potassium 133mg (4%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin A 1075IU (22%) Vitamin C 12.4mg (14%) Calcium 44mg (4%) Iron 1.1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 260

% 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.