ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS CAKE

SHOP-BOUGHT CHRISTMAS CAKE: 388 calories, 57.8g sugar (14½ tsp) ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS CAKE: 387 calories, 2.7g sugar (less than 1 tsp) SERVES 10

Ingredients:

100g xylitol 2 large eggs 200g almond flour (or grind some almonds in a blender to make a fine flour) 1 ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk 60ml coconut oil, melted 150g grated carrots 2 tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp mixed spice Optional: sultanas

For the frosting:

20g xylitol, ground to a fine powder

40g unsalted butter, softened

70g full-fat cream cheese

Optional decoration:

SET the oven to 180c or 160c fan. Whisk together the xylitol and eggs for around eight minutes until thick and voluminous. Add the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and milk and whisk until just combined. Pour in the coconut oil while whisking. Fold in the carrots, chia seeds and mixed spice. (You can add in a handful of sultanas at this stage, but this will raise the sugar content.) Line a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof or baking paper. Pour in the batter and level it out with the back of a spoon. Bake for around 35 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes (until a skewer comes out clean). Turn it out onto a wire rack to cool. To make the cream cheese frosting, process the xylitol to the consistency of icing sugar (a coffee grinder is best, but any good food blender should work). In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the xylitol a little at a time to avoid clouds going all over the kitchen! Speed up the mixer and keep whisking for a minute or two. Refrigerate until ready to use. Spoon the frosting over the top of the cake and neaten up with a spatula or knife. Optional extra: sprinkle cinnamon and flaked or whole almonds over the top. The cake will keep for 2 days in the fridge. Take it out around 15 minutes before tucking in.