Gem avocados are extra creamy, making them perfect for keeping this zesty cake super moist – don’t worry, it won’t taste like avocado. Make it gluten-free by swapping out the flour for ground almonds and sandwich the light sponges together with indulgent cream cheese icing for a winning afternoon treat.
Ingredients
- 300g ripe Gem avocado flesh (about 2)
- 300g ground almonds
- 300g caster sugar
- 2 lemons, zested, 1 juiced
- 4 medium eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds, plus 1 tsp to decorate
- 125g soft cheese
- 50g butter
- 300g icing sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins with nonstick baking paper.
- Blitz the avocado flesh, ground almonds and sugar in a food processor until you have a thick green paste.
- Transfer to a bowl and add the lemon juice and half the zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring the mixture well between additions. Mix in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the poppy seeds and stir until the seeds are evenly distributed. Split the mixture between the cake tins and bake for 35-40 mins until the cakes are just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the tins on a wire rack.
- When the cakes are cool, beat the cheese and butter in a bowl to soften, then – working quickly – whisk in the icing sugar. Use a palette knife to spread half the icing over one cake, top with the second cake and spread the remaining icing over the top. Decorate with the remaining poppy seeds and lemon zest. The cake will keep, covered, in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to a week.
Freeze the un-iced cakes only. Make the cakes as above, then cool completely. Wrap well in baking paper and clingfilm and freeze. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food,
