A Mineral-rich Cake you really should bake!

[shelley]

In my effort to get more minerals in my diet, I bought a bottle of organic blackstrap molasses. But I just couldn't figure out how to use it. I didn't want it in the Cleansing Drink, the taste just got too annoying somehow. Switched to Stevia and went totally off sugar for 2 weeks, which felt GREAT. Now I'm back on sugar, but wanting to do sugar right - the safest, most nutritious way possible.

So I found this cake recipe and made it last night, and oh my gosh is it good! It comes out dark, looking a lot like a chocolate cake and every bit as satisfying. If you gave it to someone without telling them what it is, that's what they'd assume. The spices make it easy to digest - I didn't have any tongue coat this morning after having a nice sized square with a glass of milk for dinner last night. And as it bakes, the spices permeate the house with wonderfully homey scents.

So if you want to eat cake and not feel guilty, this is the one to go for. Rich in iron and other essential minerals, it will help with your efforts to get more minerals in your diet, seriously!

Molasses Spice Cake
1 cup butter at room temperature - nice and soft.
1 cup sugar, preferably dehydrated cane juice or baking Stevia.
3 eggs
1 cup molasses, preferably organic
2 cups all-purpose flour, either wheat or an alternative like quinoa/flax

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Allspice, OR 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I actually used a bit more nutmeg)

1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda

confectioner's sugar (optional, makes it look really pretty but the cake doesn't need any icing at all)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar, beating for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses and blend well.

In another bowl, combine flour, salt, spices and stir well. You don't have to sift it, just combine. Slowly add to the butter mixture, beating at low speed.

Combine water and baking soda. Add to cake batter. The batter will be thin.

Pour into baking pan and bake for about 35 minutes. Test the center. If a toothpick comes out clean it's done. Let cool a bit, cut into serving-size squares, serve while still warm but not too hot and steamy. If desired, sprinkle the squares with confectioner's sugar.

Makes about 9 servings.

[AgnesT]

Sounds delicious! Guess it's not part of the candida diet, right?

[shelley]

not until the third month, then if you use baking stevia and non-wheat flours you might not suffer too much from a single serving.

[AgnesT]

Well, the temptation was too great. I made this cake, and it was utterly delicious! My family went ga-ga over it!!!!

[caper]

thanks shelley i bought the black strap molasses as well, i will try this cake. I had gastro last night and actually had some molasses on organic spelt bread this morning as i needed something in my tummy.

[shelley]

Hehheeheheehhe! Now your family can't complain that you've gotten bitten by the health bug.

I just recently did a sugar-free diet for several weeks and my family was SOOO disappointed that they had to go back to store-bought cakes, they were really glad when I trotted out this one!

Now if I can just find the time to shop for a bag of baking stevia and learn how to bake with it, I can be even more sugar-free for longer periods of time...

[Invincible]

WOW! This sounds like MY sort of cake

Now, I'm pretty sure I am gluten intollerant so am avoiding wheat and feeling really good for it. I have quinoa in the cupboard, so I'll try this soon!

Is this cake meant to rise? Will it rise if I mix rice and quinoa flour?

[shelley]

It does rise a bit thanks to the eggs and baking soda, but it's still a pretty dense cake. The texture is about the same as a devil food's cake. If in doubt of what the heavier flours will do, toss in an extra half teaspoon of baking soda.

[Invincible]

Thanks Shelley. I can't wait to make this, have to go off and buy more mollasses later. By the way, I bough some Organic Sorghum Mollasses from an American site - cost $32, of which $23 was for shipping ... but it's so worth it! It's much lighter than the blackstrap but apparently has as much mineral content. What do you think? It's so yummy!

[shelley]

oh fun!

sorghum is actually a different plant. Regular molasses comes from the pressing of sugar cane. I don't think it has quite as much iron but it's tasty and makes a pleasant change, still a much better sweetener than table sugar!

[Invincible]

I actually got round to making this last night

I used buckwheat (which is gluten free) flour. I ONLY used mollasses (no sugar) and it turned out really well!

[shelley]

Neat! I'll have to try using just molasses and no sugar.

[Leehaa]

The sorghum molasses has an incredibly high potassium content as opposed to being used for iron. Very good for you!!

[christihzlwd]

Why cant candida people have this in the 1st 3 months?

[h0ppy]

Probably because of all the simple sugars (molasses) and flour/alternative grains.