MIXED NUT AND LENTIL CAKE

  Time: 2 hours
  Difficulty: easy
  Serves: 8 people

  INGREDIENTS

• 150 mixed raw nuts, about half of these walnut kernels

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar, preferably demarara

• 1 teapspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon mixed spice

• 150 g canned green lentils, preferably Puy or Umbrian, drained

• 100 g granulated sugar

• 90 ml vegetable oil

• 3 eggs

• 120 g self raising flour

• 125ml plain yogurt, preferably fat free

• pinch of salt

• 1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• nonstick spray for the baking pan

METHOD

Coarsely chop the nuts and mix with the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice. 

In a separate bowl, combine the green lentils with the sugar and oil, then add the eggs and mix in the flour and a pinch of salt.  Stir in about half the nuts and spice mixture, and add the vanilla essence. 

Grease or spray a springform cake pan (ø 23 cm) with oil and sprinkle it with the a little bit of the nut and spice mixture.  Pour half the cake batter into the cake pan, level it, sprinkle the with a little more mixed nuts and spice, then pour the rest of the batter over it, and finish with the rest of the nuts and brown sugar.

Bake at 180°C in a pre-heated oven for 45- 50 minutes.