The Recipe Room

This sugar-free gingerbread is just as rich and delicious as the one Grandma used to make, but without the guilt!  I recommend using agave nectar as a sweetener, but if you can’t find it, you can go ahead and use any other fruit sweetener, or even regular sugar if you prefer, although it obviously won’t be sugar-free then.  The gingerbread freezes very well, so you can double or triple the recipe if you like and freeze the rest for another occasion. (Also try this spicy pumpkin cake.)

You Need:

• 250g  pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
• 250ml  agave nectar
• 65ml canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 375g brown rice flour or sorghum flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 250ml unsweetened applesauce

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC.
2. Spray a 23cm square pan with a non-stick spray and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the agave nectar or fruit sweetener and the oil.
4. Beat with an electric blender on high speed until thoroughly blended.
5. After you have mixed the oil and the sweetener, add the eggs, one at a time. Make sure to beat well between additions.
6. Add the orange rind and the vanilla extract and continue to blend together for another minute. Set aside.
7. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.
8. Add the nuts to the sifted dry ingredients.
9. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a little at a time, alternately with the applesauce, blending well after each addition.
10. Continue until you have added all the ingredients.
11. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre of the gingerbread comes out clean.  Alternatively you can press lightly on the centre of the gingerbread. If it leaves a dent, it’s not done.  If it springs back after touching, it’s done and you can move it to a cooling rack.
12. When cooled, slice and serve.

Ready In:  30 minutes

Serves:  8-10

Difficulty:   2 out of 5