Every May in Winston-Salem, the Greek Orthodox Church puts on a huge Greek Festival. Almost everyone I know goes, admittedly, for the FOOD. As a person who eats a plant-based diet, there isn’t much there for me. BUT I can always bend the rules a bit for a piece of baklava or something similar. Last week I came across a recipe for a cake with a nutty orange honey drizzle, and I knew I had to make a healthful version of a dessert with those wonderful Greek flavors. The result was surprisingly delicious! In fact, my daughter’s first bite of my Greek Orange Honey Cake made her eyes bulge with delight!
This honey cake starts with a simple oil and grain-free, vegan almond cake containing almond flour, flax, and natural sweeteners. While the cake cools, combine honey, orange/lemon juices, and vanilla on the stove until syrupy. Stir in chopped pistachios and sliced almonds, then spoon the syrup over the cooled cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
This Greek orange honey cake is
gooey
crunchy
sweet
and SO GOOD!!!
It’s almost better the next day, after the orange honey has had plenty of time to soak into the cake.
As far as desserts go, this Greek orange honey cake is pretty good for you! In addition to being oil-free and grain-free, it contains a hearty dose of flax seeds, almond flour, citrus juice, and nuts.
Aside from the honey, this cake is totally vegan. If you don’t want to use honey, you could try maple syrup or agave, or even just squeeze orange juice over the cake and nuts for a lighter option.
- ½ cup nondairy milk
- ¼ cup milled flax seed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or cane sugar (increase to ⅓ cup if not adding the honey drizzle)
- 2 tsp. vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Optional: ½ tsp. almond extract (I recommend it!)
- --------------------
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup starch (tapioca, potato, arrowroot, or corn)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- Optional: ½ tsp. ground cardamom or cinnamon
- --------------------
- Orange Honey Syrup:
- ½ cup runny honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Zest of 1 small orange
- Juice of 1 small orange
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pistachios (roasted, unsalted)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8x8" cake pan with parchment paper.
- Stir together the nondairy milk and flax in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk together the maple syrup, coconut sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and almond extract in a small bowl.
- In a larger bowl, whisk the almond flour, starch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom until no clumps remain.
- Add the flax mixture to the wet ingredients, whisk, then pour into the dry ingredient bowl and stir until completely combined.
- Pour batter into the lined cake pan and spread evenly with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 30 mins, then allow to cool in pan.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the orange honey syrup. Stir together the honey, juices, and orange zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow to boil for 2-3 mins, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and nuts.
- When the cake has cooled, poke the top of the cake several times with the tip of a knife, fork, or toothpick to help the syrup seep into the cake. Then spoon the hot syrup with the nuts over the cake until evenly distributed. You do not have to use all of the syrup.
- Cut the cake into squares and serve warm, or allow to chill in the fridge overnight to let the flavors meld.
This cake stays good in the fridge up to 4 days.
Serve this Greek orange honey cake to your friends as a pretty dessert, or keep it in your fridge and eat a few bites for breakfast with a cup of coffee (my preference!). My kids LOVE it. I wish you could hear my 6-year-old rave over it as she eats it! “Mommy, this cake is sooooooooo good!!!!! I wish I could eat it every day!” Picky husband really liked the almond cake without the honey syrup because he doesn’t like fruit flavors in his dessert (*eye roll*).
If you like honey, orange, and almonds, you’re going to love this cake! Seriously, I was shocked by how delicious it was. I found myself “evening out” the cake with my fork throughout the day. And you don’t have to feel guilty about eating it (although it IS a sweet treat), because it’s packed with nutrients!
Try this cake and let me know what you think! Tag me (@maryrossf) in your Instagram photos. 🙂
♥  ♥  ♥
Also try my Mediterranean Power Bowl!
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