C: Is for cakes of a healthy sort

BabyCakes, is the new vegan, gluten-free, semi-sugar-free bakery on the LES. With a brand-new, secret-spilling cookbook, you can guiltlessly satisfy your sweet tooth at home. It’s just as adorable as the bakery, with lickable photos of every single recipe, anecdotes, testimonials from famous fans, and a section explaining allergen-free ingredients (so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into). Here is one of those recipes to lure you back on your way to health.

Lemon-Raspberry Teacake

Ingredients
2/3 c. rice milk
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½ c. rice flour
¾ c. Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1½ tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
½ c. coconut oil
¾ c. agave nectar
1/3 c. applesauce
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. pure lemon extract
½ c. raspberry preserves

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly oil a 7-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan.

2. Pour the rice milk and vinegar into a small bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.

3. Add oil, agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, zest, and lemon extract to dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. Add milk/vinegar combo and combine just until blended.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Swirl raspberry preserves through batter and bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180° after 18 minutes. The teacake will be golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

5. Let the teacake stand in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto cake stand. Serve warm with preserves on top.

For more from Erin McKenna, get her cookbook, BabyCakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free, (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked About Bakery, go online at amazon.com.

Being healthy is no longer a chore, especially with these recipes and that is a F.A.C.T.