Recipe: Moist date and almond cake topped with strawberries and pine nuts

Moist date and almond cake topped with strawberries and pine nuts. Photo / Eleanor Ozich

Each Thursday Eleanor Ozich of Petite Kitchen will share her thoughts on healthy eating, with recipes and more.

This incredibly moist and delicious gluten-free cake is naturally sweetened with soft and decadent medjool dates, giving a wonderful caramel taste.

I was excited to finally see New Zealand-grown strawberries at my local store today, and decided that they would make the perfect topping for this beautiful, nourishing cake.

I have baked it in a loaf tin, as I find it easier to slice for the kids' lunches, but it will work perfectly in a regular cake tin, or as six medium-sized muffins. Enjoy!

MOIST DATE AND ALMOND CAKE TOPPED WITH STRAWBERRIES AND PINE NUTS.

Makes one loaf or cake, or 6 medium-sized muffins.

Ingredients
• 4 free-range eggs
• 1 cup medjool dates, pitted
• ¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil, or butter
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups ground almonds

To decorate
• a punnet of strawberries, each strawberry cut in to quarters
• cup pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 160C, and grease a loaf, cake or muffin tin.

2. Add the eggs, dates, coconut oil or butter, baking soda and vinegar in to a food processor or blender. Process for a minute or so, until the batter is smooth and creamy.

3. Place the ground almonds in a large mixing bowl then fold the wet mixture in until well combined.

4. Spoon into the prepared loaf, cake or muffin tin, then decorate with the strawberries and pine nuts.

5. If making a cake, bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. For muffins, bake for 25-30 minutes.

Will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

*gluten free
*dairy free (if using coconut oil)
*refined sugar free

- VIVA