Today I bring you an 80’s throwback updated. I bring you rock cakes with a twist. That twist being not kale. Oh no. Not quinoa. No. Not bacon jam. No. I bring you the double whammy of coconut flour and goji berries. Fear not, if you don’t have them you can simply swap for good old fashioned, regular, bog-standard flour and our friend the raisin.
But first let me tell you about last night. Now I love my boys. I adore them. One of my favourite things to do after a few glasses of wine is sit down with my husband and bore on about how amazing they are. Luckily he is in agreement but we endeavour to never do this in the company of other parents. There is nothing attractive about singing the praises of ones own offspring in the presence of another breeder.
Anyway, last night started off well. I went to bed reading a wonderful Muriel Spark book. I snuggled up with my feet under the stroke-able alpaca blanket I lugged all the way back from Peru in 2003. I was in for a lovely, delicious nights sleep. And then I heard a cry. And the cry got worse. So I went to investigate. And little Lawrence seemed a bit spooked. Not poorly, just out of sorts. So I picked him up and brought him into bed for a cuddle.
Big mistake. Miraculously as soon as he was safely under the duvet he magic-ed a Thomas book and began to ‘read’ it in the dark. I have no idea where the Thomas book came from. I can only assume he stashed it under our pillows at story time. Then there were songs. Then chattering. Then rolling and laughing. This carried on all night. At 6am he decided the charade of laying in bed was no longer necessary, so he climbed over us both, off to explore, still in his sleeping bag.
All I have to say is, you co-sleepers out there – I don’t know how you do it. Really. You are amazing. I feel 10 years older. I look 10 years older. I am not used to broken sleep anymore. There’s only one thing for it. Baking and investigating vasectomies. Bet you thought you’d never see that combination in the same sentence.
So here are my rock cakes spiked with coconut flour and goji berries. I know, I know. Why gild the lily? Rock cakes are perfect just as they are (except when they are Easter rock buns), but sometimes one wants more than a batch of simple rock cakes. Sometimes one wants super food rock cakes. And if that is what you’re after, then these reader are the rock cakes for you. Enjoy.
Lots of great recipes like this in my books, Recipes from a Normal Mum, (available on Amazon, at The Works, Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets) and The Power of Frozen (available through Amazon).
One year ago: Homemade Oreos and Ombre cake and Lemon and coconut cake and Jaffa cakes and All my weaning recipes in one place
Two years ago: Carrot & almond layer cake and Pecan & hazelnut granola and Banana & toffee muffins and Lemon drizzle loaf
Three years ago: Lemon animal biscuits and Oatmeal & fudge cookies and 5 ways with the humble Victoria sponge
Four years ago: Octonauts cupcakes and Walnut, fudge and fleur de sel biscuits
Five years ago: Mutter paneer and Hot cross biscotti
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 - 12
- 200g self raising flour
- 50g coconut flour (add more SR flour if you can't find it)
- 90g soft, dark brown sugar
- 90g salted butter
- 70g goji berries (or swap for any other dried fruit)
- 60g raisins
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6 and line two baking trays with non stick baking parchment. Stir together the flours and sugar, then rub the butter into the dry mixture using your fingertips. Stir through the goji berries, raisins, mixed spice, and then the egg – all using a blunt knife. Use your hands to squash together the mixture until it holds well. Don’t add any other liquid; it will come together! Squash together a handful of the mixture to form a ball about the size of a large golf ball. Place onto the prepared trays, spacing them a rock cake apart and bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack and keep in a tin for up to 3 days. These freeze well for up to a month too.
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Holly Bell 