Reduced-fat hummingbird cake Recipe

Photography by Cath Muscat

We've tweaked your favourite cafe cake for minimum guilt and maximum flavour!

Serves: 10

Time to prep: 15 minutes

Time to cook: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 440g can crushed pineapple in natural juice, undrained
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut

Cream cheese icing

• 80g extra-light cream cheese
• 30g reduced-fat margarine spread
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup icing sugar mixture

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 22cm (base) round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.
• Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice into a bowl. Add sugar. Using a large metal spoon, stir to combine. Stir in eggs, banana, oil, vanilla, pineapple and two-thirds of the walnuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make icing Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, spread, vanilla and icing sugar mixture until smooth. Spread icing over cake top. Sprinkle with coconut and remaining walnuts. Serve.

Reduced-fat Vegetable Quiche

A low-fat vegetarian quiche - what could be better?

Serves: 4

Time to prep: 15 minutes

Time to cook: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 sheets Pampas Reduced-Fat Puff Pastry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 125g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 small carrots, grated
• 2 small zucchini, grated
• 350g broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 1/4 cups grated reduced-fat cheese

Method

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a baking tray into oven.
• Line a 3.5cm deep, 23cm (base) loose-base fluted quiche pan with pastry. Trim. Prick base with a fork. Place a sheet of baking paper over pastry. Half-fill with dried beans. Place pan onto hot tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beans. Bake a further 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes. Add remaining vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes. Cool.
• Whisk eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture over pastry. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour over egg mixture.
• Reduce oven to 180°C. Return quiche to hot tray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

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