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honey olive quinoa cake recipe whole grain no refined sugar olive oil nuts almonds spelt einkorn whole wheat raisins healthy

Honey Olive Quinoa Cake

By Kimberly Killebrew
A wholesome and delicious cake you can enjoy without all the guilt!  It's 100% whole grain, made without refined sugar, made with olive oil, and packed with nuts and quinoa.  And the best part of all: You'll never guess it's "healthy"! 
5 from 51 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups spelt or einkorn flour (can use whole wheat instead)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup honey (the raisins also impart sweetness so you can reduce the honey if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (can substitute 1/2 cup milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar stirred in, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cup golden or regular raisins , or dried fruit of choice (e.g., apricots, prunes)
  • For the Syrup:
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

Instructions
 

  • To cook the quinoa, thoroughly rinse about 1/3 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve (this removes the saponin, a natural coating on quinoa's outer layer that is bitter and soapy tasting). Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with double the amount of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit another 5 minutes, still covered. Fluff with a fork.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8x8 inch square baking pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the olive oil, honey, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and almond extract and use an electric mixer to blend just until combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the almond flour and quinoa followed by the raisins.
    Pour the cake batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean but moist.
  • For the syrup: Bring the honey and almond extract to a gentle boil in a small saucepan then remove from heat.
    Use a toothpick to poke holes throughout the cake. While the cake is still warm, slowly pour the syrup over the cake, using the back of a spoon or a knife to guide the syrup to prevent it all from rushing to the edges. Let the cake sit a few minutes before cutting into squares.
    Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 165mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
Course Breakfast, Dessert
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