any nice vaguely healthy cake recipes?

[nylonmeals]

Our little boy is 2 this week and whilst I am getting a proper cake for his party, my parents are coming down for birthday tea on his actual birthday. I want to make a nice cake but maybe one that is vaguely healthy.

Any tips fron you guys of cakes like this that you cook for your kids?

Thank you!

[womanofdulwich]

As long as you make it yourself it will be far healthier than any of that other rubbish with additives in. Can't beat the old 444 2 victoria sponge really - or 666 3 if there are 8 of you.Use Tip Tree "sweet tip " raspberry jam. ALways a winner.

or try this:orange and almond cake

[Knomester]

I agree wholeheartedly with womanofdulwich - a little slice or two of a homemade cake will be far healthier than anything you can buy!

I have to admit that if I'm baking I don't tend to worry about what might be 'healthy', I just let baby knomester have a small amount straight after his meal. Are you thinking healthy in terms of recipes with less sugar in them? I find jam tarts are quite good for this - a simple shortcrust pastry (no added sugar) filled with a small amount of one of the low sugar jams, or a spoonful of homemade fruit compote. Or scones always go down well - there's only a tablespoon (1oz) of sugar in the recipe I use and I sometimes reduce that when I'm adding dried fruit like sultanas or figs which are naturally sweet to the mixture.

[srisky]

How about banana cake, using 3 over ripe bananas?

By adding a generous handful of sultanas/raisins I have managed to cut down the amount of caster sugar by 50g without losing the 'sweetness'.

I also use margerine instead of butter.

Delicious straight from the oven or sliced and warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds.

[Knomester]

That's a good point about banana cake srisky. My usual recipe (for quite a large cake) has 85g soft brown sugar, but I normally reduce that to 50g or less, even without adding sultanas (I usually add pecans or walnuts, but not suitable for a little one).

[ladywotlunches]

After being given a glut of parsnips by my father in law yesterday, I tried this parsnip cake: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12983/catherine-berwicks-parsnip-and-maple-syrup-cake

I replaced the pecans with ground almonds, and the orange with lemon (as that's what I had). As its not for a party I've kept it as two cakes - one with a dusting of icing sugar for the little one, and one with some low-fat philly/syrup topping.

Its YUM! And both the children agree too (5 and 17 months)

[nylonmeals]

Great suggestions and exactly the kind of recipes I was hoping for. I often do River Cottage "veg patch" where you add courgette, parsnip or pumpkin. They are fab and vaguely healthy to my way of thinking :))

http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/veg-patch-gnome-cakes/

[mrs f]

nigella lawson's flourless chocolate orange cake is lovely & has actual oranges in it so it must be healthy!