Agave Almond Slice- vegan and sugar-free


I bought a bottle of agave nectar today, and as I've never used it before I thought I'd try it in cake... with very pleasing results, I might add. I think agave will now become a regular in my storecupboard. Many of my old sugar-free recipes contain crystalline fructose, which has now been found to be harmful to health, so agave may just be the perfect substitute.
Here's the recipe (makes 18 rectangular slices):
400g self-raising flour
175g ground almonds (I grind the almonds myself because they are fresher that way and I quite like getting the odd larger piece)
4 tsps baking powder
400ml soya milk
150ml sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla/ almond essence (almond essence gives a more intense flavour)
150 ml agave nectar
50-75g flaked almonds
  • Oil and flour a medium-sized deep baking tray/ roasting tin and preheat oven to 180C
  • Mix all dry ingredients except the flaked almonds
  • Mix all wet ingredients in a separate container
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well, beating for at least a minute.
  • Put in the tray and scatter the flaked almonds on top. 
  • Bake for about 20 minutes. or until the top is browned and a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool and cut into slices.
Possible tweaks: This is a new recipe that I have only made the one time, so I'm now thinking of ways to change and improve it. Almond essence instead of vanilla essence would be good- this was my original intention until I discovered I had run out. I definitely would have used it otherwise. It would be healthier to use a wholemeal self-raising flour if you can find one.Or you could make them wheat-free by using all almonds and/ or another type of flour, you could make them soya-free and use rice milk, or maybe you could find an alternative to the sunflower oil...
What about a "Bakewell tart"? make a pastry case, line with sugar-free jam, and fill with the mixture topped with the flaked almonds.




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