Clean orange cake: Sugar-free, whole wheat and low fat!

While cake tends to signify celebrations and indulgence, it usually also comes with its fair share of guilt, and a sugar crash. But it doesn’t have to!

Springtime calls for a fresh and healthy recipe that will fuel you for the day and keep you in bikini-ready shape. This cake is whole-grain, high in protein and completely sugar free – it’s also surprisingly moist considering that it’s low fat. It makes a great birthday cake and can be decorated pretty much any way you like. Eat with friends over a cup of tea, have a slice for guilt-free dessert, or pack as a healthy pre-training snack.

Ingredients:

• 150ml fresh orange juice
• 15 ml zest
• 1 large orange (or 2 smaller satsumas)
• 4 eggs
• 250ml xylitol
• 600ml wholegrain flour
• 10ml baking powder
• 50ml coconut

• 600ml Greek-style or full cream yoghurt
• 1.5 scoops (60g) vanilla protein powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C, and grease two round cake tins (or a loaf tin).
2. Slice the orange segments into small pieces. Heat up the orange juice in a small pan, adding the zest and the segments. Keep on a low heat.
3. Separate the eggs and beat the whites of the eggs until they are at stiff peak stage.
4. Gradually add the xylitol and then the yolks of the eggs, beating until just mixed. (Try not to eat all of the egg white / xylitol mixture – it’s delicious!)
5. Slowly fold the flour into the egg mixture with a metal spoon, alternating with the coconut and the warm orange mixture (being careful not to squash the eggs, and folding the ingredients in until just  mixed)
6. Transfer the cake mixture to the greased tins, and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown on top (you should be able to insert a skewer that should come out fairly cleanly).
7. While the cake bakes, mix the yoghurt with the vanilla flavoured protein powder.
8. Ice the cake and sprinkle with coconut, xylitol and decorate as you wish!

Serve with unsweetened lavender and applesauce for afternoon tea.
Sarah Laurence: Teacher, traveller and a student of self-development, health and happiness. For inspiration of how to find meaning in the mundane, make every day beautiful and find inspiration to build the happy life you want, visit www.sarahevelyn.co.za.