Steve Haywood Health & Fitness

This is a low-fat, low-sugar version of the old favourite. Serve with healthy option maple syrup or vanilla-flavour Swedish Glace ice-cream (low fat creamy ice-cream made from soya beans).

Ingredients

• 75g wholemeal or spelt flour (spelt gives a much lighter result)
• 100g plain flour
• half tsp baking powder
• half tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g dates
• 50ml olive oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon ginger
• 1 tsp cinammon
• 100g brown sugar
• 150g grated squash or carrot

Method

• Soak the dates in about 150ml of boiling water for about 20 minutes until soft.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the olive oil.
• Grate the squash or carrot into the bowl.
• Chop the soaked date, reserving half the soaking liquid, and add to the bowl.
• Mix the dry ingredients and add to the bowl.
• Using a hand-held blender (usually utilised for soup) blend the mixture for 1-2 minutes (it doesn’t have to be completely smooth unless you prefer it that way).
• Pour into a deep seven inch cake tin and back at 150°C for about 30 minutes or until the cake “bounces back” when touched.