Lea Hogg

This cake is one of my usual all-in-one, just folding in the liquids with the dry ingredients, barely mixed using a large metal spoon. I use no added sugar or butter and the cake is ready in no time at all. Result: looks great and tastes even better than it looks. All those Mediterranean flavors mingled together in a light and fluffly consistency.

You will need:

3 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup walnuts
1 cup sultanas
1 cup tahini with honey, I used prepacked
1 cup stevia
1 tablespoon orange liquor
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
a pinch of allspice
a pinch of cinnamon
a few drops good vanilla extra
grated zest of an orange
4 eggs
Enough water to add to the batter for dropping consistency, keep aside
1 spoon sesame seeds to sprinkle on the surface before baking

Sieve the flour in a large bowl and the bicarbonate of soda. Add the stevia, walnuts (keeping 10 walnut halves aside to decorate the top), nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt. Give is a good stir to mix in the ingredients to an even consistency.

In a separate bowl place the eggs, tahini with honey (I use a shop bought mix) orange liquor, fresh orange juice, vanilla extract, orange zest and sultanas. Use a hand blender to make a puree.

Add the liquid mix into the dry ingredients and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add 2 spoons of water at a time until the mixture achieves a dropping consistency (a thick consistency that drops off the spoon).

Pour the batter into a 23cm springform cake dish with a film of non stick baking spray. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the surface and decorate with the walnut halves. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 35 minute. Check the center by piercing with a skewer. Brush the surface with teaspoon of warm honey.

Allow to cool before serving.