Vegan Jaffa Cakes

Before my eldest daughter, Ruby, chose to become vegan, she adored Jaffa Cakes. They're quintessentially British biscuit-sized cakes offering an irresistible pairing of chocolate and orange. Thankfully, making a vegan version is relatively simple and she loves them just as much as the original, as do the rest of the family! Being healthier than the original treats, it also means we can over indulge with less guilt!

First, make the jelly:

Put the following ingredients in a saucepan and stir:

¾ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges will usually give you this amount)

1½ tbsp agave or maple syrup (I like to use Biona Organic Maple Agave Syrup, which is a combination of both)

1 tbsp grated orange peel

1 tsp orange oil (I use Simply Organic Orange Flavour. If you can't find orange oil, use triple the amount of grated peel)

1 tsp agar agar

Place the pan over a low heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiled, pour this mixture evenly into a 12 cup silicone muffin pan. Allow to cool, and then put the pan in the fridge.

Then make the cake mixture:

Put the following ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until smooth:

¾ cup of oats (use gluten free if necessary), blended into flour in a vitamix/food processor

½ cup of almonds, blended into flour in a vitamix/food processor

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp seat salt

4 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil

4 tbsp of agave/maple syrup

6 tbsp of vegan milk (I make my own...recipe to follow)

Divide this mixture evenly into a 12 cup, lightly greased muffin pan. Then place the pan in the oven, preheated at gas mark 4, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate:

Put the following ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth:

6 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder

½ cup of coconut oil

3 tbsp agave/maple syrup

Once the cake mixture is cooked, remove from the oven and set aside until cool. The cakes are much easier to remove once the pan has cooled down.

Then assemble the Jaffa Cakes:

Place the cakes on a tray.

On top of each cake, place one of the jelly rounds, upside down.

Place a heaped tsp of chocolate mixture on top of each cake. Smooth it over the jelly and down the sides until it covers half of the side of the cake (the set chocolate will help to secure the jelly top to the cake).

Put the cakes in the fridge for half an hour to allow the chocolate to harden. Put the kettle on for a cup of tea or coffee while you're waiting!

Enjoy!