Healthy Cakes and Baked Goods to Make for Any Special Occasion!

Enjoy time baking? Why not make some interesting confections for you, your family, and your friends in the coming Holidays? Make everyone’s tummies ready for healthy perfection! Here I present you a list of healthy cakes and baked goods to make any time anywhere!

Why eat healthily?

Eating healthily will help keep your teeth, skin, and eyes healthy. It will boost your immunity, strengthen your bones, support your muscles, decrease the risks of cancer and diabetes, and so much more!

Healthy Cakes

1. Date, banana, & rum loaf

A deliciously moreish cake with no added fat or sugar – you have to try it to believe it. It's easily made gluten-free. Compiled with mixed spices, sweet sultanas, raisins, and dates, along with a good splash of dark rum, this will be at the top of the list on your menu.

Steps

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper, using a little oil to make it stick. Put the dates into a small pan with 200ml boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the liquid into a jug, then put the dates into a food processor. Add the bananas and 100ml of the date liquid and whizz until smooth. Mix the nuts, dried fruit, polenta, spice, and baking powder in a bowl, then add the date puree and rum, and stir until combined.
2. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the cake mix. Tip into the tin (it will be quite full), then top with the remaining pecans and the banana chips, and sugar, if using. Bake for 1 hr until golden and crusty and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into slices.

2. Vegan carrot cake

Do you enjoy the lovely flavor of homemade carrot cake? Make this lightly spiced, healthy carrot cake similar to the classic carrot cake, for any occasion! This is a guaranteed favorite recipe!

Steps

1. Start by making the icing first. Mash the coconut cream with 2 tbsp hot water and the lemon juice until smooth. Add the cashew butter, then whisk in the icing sugar, followed by the oat milk. Continue to whisk until fully combined, and set aside in the fridge until needed.
2. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins with a little of the melted coconut oil and line the bases with baking parchment. Whisk together the oil and sugar, then add the vanilla and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices, and orange zest in a separate bowl. Add these to the wet mixture and stir well. Finally, stir in the carrot and the nuts. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing then cover the top with the remaining icing (add a splash of oat milk if the icing feels too firm). Scatter over the nuts and dust the cake with a little cinnamon and decorate with edible flowers.

3. Lighter lemon drizzle cake

One of the most popular cakes and also the ultimate healthy cake! Enjoy the soft texture combined with sweet lemon juice, calling it a favorite treat for any food lover!

Steps

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 20cm round x 5cm deep cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. For the cake, put the flour, baking powder, ground almonds, and polenta in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and sugar, then make a dip in the center. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the yogurt. Tip this mixture along with the oil into the dip (see step-by-step number 1), then briefly and gently stir with a large metal spoon so everything is just combined, without overmixing.
2. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top (step 2). Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil for the final 5-10 minutes if it starts to brown too quickly.
3. While the cake cooks, make the lemon syrup. Tip the caster sugar into a small saucepan with lemon juice and 75ml of water. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat, and boil for 4 minutes until slightly reduced and syrupy, then remove from the heat.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool briefly in the tin. While it is still warm, turn it out of the tin, peel off the lining paper and sit the cake on a wire rack set over a baking tray or similar. Use a skewer to make lots of small holes all over the top of the cake (step 3). Slowly spoon over half the lemon syrup (step 4) and let it soak in. Spoon over the rest in the same way, brushing the edges and sides of the cake too, with the last of the syrup.

4. Healthy Christmas Cake

Christmas feels early, doesn't it? Celebrate this festive season with the ultimate healthy, gorgeous Christmas cake blended with dates, bananas, spices, and vanilla.

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C or 350°F. Grease an 18cm round cake tin. A spring form pan or a cake tin could also be used.
2. Place the zest, juice, raisins, currants, cranberries, and almonds into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat until the juice starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover. Simmer for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Place the almond meal, banana, dates, spices, vanilla, and salt in your processor. Blend at high speed until the mixture resembles a smooth, thick batter. Stir through the raisin mixture. Spoon the cake mix into your prepared tin and use damp hands to smooth over the top of the cake.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 30 minutes. If you are using a spring form pan, remove the sides and allow the cake to cool completely.

Baked Goods

1. Pumpkin Brownie Bites

Have any leftover canned pumpkins? Why not make these beautiful pumpkin brownies this Christmas? Easy and fast, made just for the foodie inside you!

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat thirty-two 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper bake cups.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, oil, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture; stir just until combined. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds to three-fourths full. If desired, sprinkle with nuts and/or chocolate chips.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in a pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or remove from pan and cool completely.

2. Key Lime Pie

This creamy, tart-sweet Key lime pie has long been a favorite dessert of restaurant-goers. But if your dining-out days are few and far between, and you don't want to go long stretches without this delightful dessert, it's easy to make at home.

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the eggs and egg whites with a whisk or a mixer until blended.
2. Stir in the juice, zest, and milk, and beat until well-blended.
3. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake on the center oven rack for about 20 minutes, until the center is set but still wobbly.
4. Allow the pie to cool on the counter, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before eating, spread the whipped topping evenly over the filling.

3. Cinnamon-Orange Lava Cakes

Lava cake is everyone's favorite, right? Bake these puffy lava cakes sprinkled with orange zest and cinnamon, serving as a mouth-watering treat.

Steps

1. Combine the butter, oil, and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set above a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate almost fully melts, stirring gently with a spatula. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Stir until the chocolate fully melts.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of orange zest, and eggs. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Set aside 3 tablespoons of the melted chocolate mixture. Gradually, pour the remaining chocolate mixture in a thin stream over the egg mixture, beating at medium speed.
3. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Spray 8 (6-ounce) ramekins with nonstick spray. Divide the batter among ramekins. Working with one ramekin at a time, spoon a generous teaspoon of the reserved chocolate mixture into the center, pushing the teaspoon toward the center of the batter. Repeat with the remaining ramekins and chocolate mixture. Arrange ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Let ramekins stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until the cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top (centers will not be set). Transfer each cake to a plate. Sprinkle with orange zest and cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Enjoy these delicate, delicious, and decorative recipes on any occasion!

Source: BBC foods, ETNT

To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art!