Cooking with gluten/dairy/fat free recipes can sometimes be a little depressing. As much as I love to eat cake, sometimes these 'everything free types' can be a bit on the heavy side and not have much flavour. Well, do I have something for you... an extremely light sponge cake that can be sliced up and devoured without all the guilt of a heavy, sugary sponge cake.
INGREDIENTS:
4 large organic free-range eggs separated
160g coconut sugar with all lumps removed/broken up
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g gluten free self raising flour
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice (warmed slightly)
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan
Line a loaf tin with baking parchment allowing enough paper up the sides to lift the cake out easily
Beat the egg yolks, lemon zest and the coconut sugar in a mixing bowl for 6 to 8 minutes with an electric whisk or free standing mixer (start gently, it looks like it's all clumping together but it will soften, give it time). Then add 2 tbsps of warm water and 2 tbsps of lemon juice and continue to beat for a further 8 minutes until light and pale. Fold in the vanilla extract.
Sift the flour into a bowl and lightly fold into the egg mixture a few spoonfuls at a time.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form and then fold these into the mixture - be gentle!
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until the sponge springs back when gently pushed and is golden brown
Place on a wire rack to cool and then finish by dusting with icing sugar
You could make this a little more indulgent by splitting the mixture into 2 greased and lined sandwich tins (maybe swap the 2 tbsp of lemon juice for warm water and leave out the lemon zest). Bake them for the same time and layer them up with some Coyo yoghurt and freshly sliced strawberries in the middle - delicious!