I’m really proud of this cake. We do love dessert, but often skip due to the high sugar in most recipes. A successful sugar-free cake can be really hard to come by - something is usually off. I use only whole foods ingredients in my baking recipes and skip processed sugar substitutes. This one is delicious and I deem the healthiness factor makes this easily a substitute for breakfast or even dinner! Enjoy

**if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice substitute: 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 brazil nuts

1 1/8 cups buckwheat flour (or other gf flour)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

2 large carrots

1 large apple

1 very ripe banana

1/2 cup pitted dates

zest 1 orange & juice

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs (*2 eggs separated, 1 whole)

Icing:

1/2 cup cream cheese or soft sheep or goat cheese

Drizzle freshly squeezed orange

Method:

1. Preheat oven 350F/180C or with convection fan: 320F/160C. Line a 9” springform pan or cake pan with parchment paper and brush generously with oil.

2. In a food processor, chop the walnuts and Brazil nuts until they are finely chopped.

3. Place the nuts into a cold frying pan over low heat and toasted until fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour through salt. Set aside.

5. In the food processor, finely grate the carrots and apple. Set aside.

6. In the food processor blend the banana, dates, orange zest, juice from 1/2 the orange (save other 1/2 for after baking) grated ginger, vanilla, 1 whole egg & 2 egg yolks until the dates are finely chopped.

7. In a second mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

8. Pour the wet mixture (banana & dates) into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix until combined.

9. Fold in the shredded carrots and apple until combined.

10. Fold in the egg whites until combined, being careful not to over mix the batter.

11. Evenly spread the batter into the baking pan.

12. Bake approximately 35-40min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.

13. Insert a knife to release the cake around the edges. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

14. Poke the cake with a wooden skewer and drizzle the remaining orange juice (from 1/2 an orange) over the cake. Cool completely.

15. Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, add as much orange juice as you would like to sweeten and thin the cheese just a bit. If you prefer, you can add powdered sugar, but then it’s not a completely sugar-free cake. Spread the optional icing over and enjoy.