Scented dessert without eggs and dairy products
Every time I make this cake, my kids run into the kitchen before it’s even fully baked. The aroma of oranges, dried apricots and cardamom spreads throughout the house in such a way that it is impossible to resist.
This lean cake is a real find: it does not contain eggs, milk, or butter, but at the same time it is incredibly tender, fragrant and sweet. Ideal for Lent, for vegans or just for those days when you want something tasty without heavy ingredients.
I also like this recipe because it is quite simple and quick to prepare. In 40-45 minutes, you will have a beautiful, bright cake with a golden crust and juicy filling on your table. And the combination of dried apricots and orange is simply magic: a sweet-sour, slightly tart and very sunny taste palette.
Cooking time:
- Preparation – 20 minutes
- Baking – 15-18 minutes
- The total time is about 40-45 minutes
Calorie content:
About 250 kcal per 100 g
Ingredients
- Apricots – 150 g
- Fresh oranges — 2 pcs. (medium size)
- Brown sugar – 2 tbsp. l. for filling + 1 tbsp. l. for the dough
- Hazelnuts – 50 g (can be replaced with walnuts or almonds)
- Cardamom — 3–5 boxes (or ½ teaspoon ground spice)
- Wheat flour – 150 g (higher or first grade)
- Vegetable oil (sunflower or olive without odor) – 1 tbsp. l.
- Warm water up to 40 °C — 70 ml (add if necessary)
- Pinch of salt
Step-by-step cooking recipe
Step 1. Preparation of the dough
In a deep bowl, sift 150 g of flour – this is important so that the dough turns out to be soft and airy. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar, a pinch of salt (if using) and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Gradually pour warm water, starting with 60 ml, and knead the dough with your hands or a spoon.
The dough should be soft, elastic and pleasant to the touch, but not stiff. If it still sticks to your hands, don’t panic. This is the most common problem with lean dough. Add literally ½ teaspoon of flour and continue to mix. Lubricate your hands with a small amount of vegetable oil – it helps a lot.
If the dough is too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time. The main thing is not to overdo it with flour, otherwise the cake will be tough.
When the dough becomes homogeneous, wrap it in cling film or put it in a bag and leave it to “rest” for 10-15 minutes at room temperature. During this time, the gluten will relax and it will be much easier to roll it out.
Step 2. Preparation of the filling
While the dough rests, let’s start with the filling. Pour boiling water over 150 g of dried apricots so that the water completely covers them, and leave to infuse for 10–12 minutes. Dried apricots will become soft and juicy.
Wash two oranges well (preferably with hot water), peel them and cut them into thin slices or half rings. Do not pour out the juice that was released during cutting – we will still need it.
Dry 50 g of hazelnuts a little on a dry pan or in the oven (2-3 minutes) and chop with a knife or grind in a blender. We need small pieces, not flour – they will give a nice crunch.Cardamom (3-5 boxes) open and extract the seeds, then crush them in a mortar or grind them with a coffee grinder to a powder state. The aroma will be simply incredible.
Now drain the water from the dried apricots (leave 2-3 spoons of infusion) and beat it in a blender until a smooth paste-like mass. If the mass is too thick, add a little infusion or orange juice. I sometimes add a teaspoon of honey to this paste instead of some sugar – the taste becomes even deeper and more natural.
Step 3. Forming the pie
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (top + bottom heat).
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a thin layer (approximately 3–4 mm thick). Transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet. The edges can be made a little higher so that the filling does not leak out.
Spread apricot paste evenly over the dough. Arrange orange slices beautifully on top. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ground cardamom. If you like a juicier cake, pour 1-2 tablespoons of the remaining orange juice on top.
Step 4. Baking
Put the cake in a well-heated oven on the middle level and bake for 15-18 minutes until a beautiful golden crust. The dough should rise well and turn brown. Do not overdo it, because the oranges can dry out.
Take out the finished cake, let it stand for 5-7 minutes on a baking sheet, and then transfer it to a cooling rack.
This cake is great both warm and completely chilled. I like to eat it warm with a cup of herbal tea or matcha latte.
If you want to make the presentation festive, sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar or add a few fresh mint leaves.
Tips:
If you don’t want to add sugar, replace it with a sweetener or honey. For example, instead of 3 Art. l. sugar, take 2–2.5 tbsp. l. liquid honey
Instead of dried apricots, try a mixture of dried apricots with prunes or figs.
And if you don’t like cardamom, replace it with 1 tsp. cinnamon + a pinch of nutmeg.
Storage
This cake keeps well at room temperature under cling film or in a closed container for up to 2 days. In the refrigerator – up to 4 days. Before serving, I recommend heating it a little in the microwave (10-15 seconds) or in the oven at 80-100 °C — it will become soft and fragrant again.
It can also be frozen: cut it into portions, wrap it in film and put it in the freezer. The shelf life is up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave. aromatic.