Hot Cross Cakes

60 mins

easy

Serves 24

Introducing a scrumptious Easter treat: Hot Cross Cakes! Made with wholesome ingredients like wholemeal flour, spices, butter, and sweetened with coconut sugar, these cakes are perfect for your morning or afternoon tea celebrations. Gather your loved ones and enjoy the delicious flavours of Easter with every bite of these delightful treats!

 

DIETARY: VEG, NF

ALLERGENS: Wheat, Eggs, Dairy

AGE GROUP: 12 months+

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Beginner

SERVES: 24

PREP: 25 mins

COOK: 30-35 mins

EQUIPMENT: Stand mixer or Hand-held mixer, High-speed blender

 

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Ingredients

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Multiply the recipe to prep extras for the week.
140g sultanas
250g unsalted butter
150g coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp molasses
3 eggs
250ml buttermilk
160g wholemeal spelt flour
70g arrowroot
3 tsp baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
Icing
60g cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
20ml fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1.
Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 20x30cm baking tin
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2.
Soak sultanas in warm water for 10 mins.
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3.
Add butter, sugar, spices and molasses into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 3 mins or until fluffy.
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4.
Add eggs one at a time and mix to combine.
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5.
Pour in buttermilk then flours and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
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6.
Drain soaked sultanas and fold into batter.
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7.
Fill cake tin and bake for 30-35 mins or until golden brown and a cake tester or knife comes out clean.
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8.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
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9.
To make the icing, place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
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10.
Fill icing into a piping bag and pipe a raster onto the cooled cake then cut into small pieces.
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11.
Alternatively, cut the cake into small squares first and then pipe the crosses onto each cake.
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Notes

STORING LEFTOVERS: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
Allergies: For a dairy-free version: Swap butter with coconut oil, buttermilk with coconut yoghurt and use a vegan cream cheese or omit icing. For a gluten-free version: Swap wholemeal spelt flour with a gluten-free flour blend. For an egg-free version: Swap egg for a store-bought egg replacer or use a flax egg (1 egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water) or chia egg (1 egg = 1 tbsp chia seed meal + 3 tbsp water).
Easy ingredient swaps: Swap wholemeal spelt flour for wholemeal flour. Swap arrowroot for tapioca.
For fussy eaters: Leave out sultanas. Sweeten further with an additional ¼ cup coconut sugar.