Orange Loaf / Cake with Nuts & Oats - His Cake

I am a wife and a mom, but i have to confess that most times the role of mom is given prominence and so to an observer, i would come across as a mom and a wife. How many of us err in this matter?? We were blessed with our son first year of marriage, and so the role of wife took a beating right from the start. I was just getting into the role of being a wife, when pregnancy and its demands took over and then along came the baby and so between sleep deprivation and breast-feeding, the wifey-hat was tossed into the corner. I am now, working towards being a better wife and not let the mom in me override every role i need to play. Why am i gibbering about this??? 

Because i made an Orange Cake....for my son, son did not like it BUT hubby l-o-v-e-d it :). He said, "ummm...cake like this i don't mind. But not carrot and beetroot and other veggies." To that i responded, "those were meant for your son." (see!!!!;)) It's not that i don't make things he love, i do, but it's just that my son's needs and wants cloud my mind and hubby dearest gets my leftover energy most days, and that definitely is not fair. I decided that i will be more conscious about how i divide my time and energy between the two people who mean the most to me. 

About the cake: firstly, it is a very moist cake, and so this can be had for breakfast like my hubby did :). Secondly, healthy and guilt-free, because it is made with cooking oil (i used canola oil) and bits of almonds and cashews and oats. Thirdly, this is a real fruit cake with strong orange flavor because i used the whole fruit, by that i mean skin, seed, pulp, juice...basically the whole fruit. Finally, it is yummy with a stamp of approval from the Man- my Man, who is indeed Black ;).

Ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 Cup - Orange paste made from i whole orange

1 Tbsp - Oats (i used quakeroats)

1/2 Tbsp - Cashew nut

1/2 Tbsp -Whole Almonds 

1 Cup (scant) - Plain Flour

1/2 Tsp - Baking Soda

1/2 Tbsp - Baking Powder

1/4 Cup - Milk

1/2 Cup - Canola oil ( any neutral cooking oil will do)

1 Tsp - Vanilla Essence

1/4 + 2 Tbsp - Sugar

2 - Eggs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170 degree C, Grease a loaf pan and keep aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder into a bowl and keep aside.

Cut the orange into four  and put it into a food processor and run it to make a paste. To this add the cashews and almonds and oats and milk and run the food processor to make a puree. Now add the oil and sugar and run it again to make sure it is well combined. 

Add the vanilla essence and then crack the eggs one at a time and blitz once or twice, or till it's well combined. Pour this wet ingredient into the dry and using a spatula mix to combine, very gently. 

Pour it into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Once done, cool for 10 to 15 minutes, transfer to a serving plate, cut into slices and enjoy. Dust some icing sugar if you want to pretty it up further :).

Happy Baking!