Orange and poppy seed cake

This gluten-free cake was made in a 5.5 litre slow cooker. If your slow cooker is larger or smaller than this, the cooking time may vary, so keep an eye on your cake for the last hour or so.

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 3¾ hours (slow cooker) 1¼ hours (oven)

Ingredients:

200g almond meal (ground almonds)

120g quinoa flour

2½ tsp baking powder

4 tbsp poppy seeds

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges – you need 250ml juice

125ml light olive oil

130g Greek-style yoghurt

185ml honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Candied oranges and syrup

Juice of 1 large orange

4 tbsp honey

1 large orange, thinly sliced

Method:

In the slow cooker

1. Grease the slow cooker and line with baking paper. Cover the lid of the slow cooker with a clean tea towel, securing the corners around the knob with string or an elastic band – this is to prevent condensation dripping onto the cake as it cooks.

2. Combine the almond meal, flour, baking powder and poppy seeds in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, oil, yoghurt, honey, vanilla and eggs, then gradually whisk into the almond meal mixture to make a batter.

3. Pour the cake batter into the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

4. Turn off the slow cooker but leave the cake in it for another 30 minutes.

5. For the candied oranges and syrup, put the orange juice and and honey in a small, non-reactive pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the orange slices and cook for 5 minutes each side until the oranges shrink and caramelise.

6. Carefully remove the cake and top with the candied oranges and syrup.

In the oven

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and grease and line a 24cm cake tin.

2. Combine the almond meal, flour, baking powder and poppy seeds in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, oil, yoghurt, honey, vanilla and eggs, then gradually whisk into the almond meal mixture to make a batter.

3. Pour the cake batter into the tin and bake for 55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil if it browns too quickly.

4. For the candied oranges and syrup, put the orange juice and and honey in a small, non-reactive pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the orange slices and cook for 5 minutes each side until the oranges shrink and caramelise.

5. Carefully turn out the cake and top with the candied oranges and syrup. 

Whole Food Slow Cooked by Olivia Andrews (Murdoch Books, £14.99) is out now

Photograph: Steve Brown