If you’re into real, honest, wholefood then I suspect the person I am about to talk about today will come of no surprise to you at all, especially if you are from or happen to live in Australia. Jude Blereau has been one of the leading voices in wholefoods throughout Australia and the world for over 18 years, she’s a natural foods chef, author of four books, food coach, cooking teacher and real food activist. Basically she’s one of my food hero’s! I first got in touch with Jude hoping to meet-up a few years ago when we first arrived in Perth from NZ (she’s a long-time Perth local you see). Even through our emails I could tell straight away what a kind and caring soul she was. Due to the busyness of life for both her and I, two years down the track we still hadn’t met up in person! Emails went backwards and forwards again recently as we made plans to finally catch up once our lives both settled down in a few months time and then Jude had a brilliant idea, inviting me to her new book launch right here in Perth!
This was a first for me going to a book launch, but I’m guessing something I should really get used to as it will be me holding them very soon myself (!). Thankfully Si was home that weekend so I could frock up and head out for a lovely afternoon tea, minus the rug-rats. Jude was everything I knew she would be, warm, bubbly, positive and encouraging. I hope she doesn’t mind me saying this, and I mean this only as a compliment, but in person she reminds me of my mum. Jude, just like my own mother chose to go against the grain and carve out a healthy life for herself and her daughter in a time when most people were flipping out about buying ready-made meals and nuking them in microwave. It takes a certain strength to do such things (I know first hand, trust me!) and I admire her greatly for the choices she has made and the knowledge she is so willing to share with us all.
Her latest book Wholefood Baking carry’s on from her other three books and I suspect there’s a lot of you out there who will adore this book as much as I do. It’s all about celebrating sweetness, but not in the traditional manor. There’s rapadura sugar, maple and brown rice syrup galore. Spelt flour, almond milk and wholegrain gluten-free flours too. While this book is not exclusively gluten or dairy-free, many of the recipes are just that and others use spelt flour which many people with gluten intolerance can actually include in their diets. I got to sample a few of them at the launch (the one pictured above sadly contained spelt so I just drooled over it instead!) and the recipe I’m sharing with you today has quickly become one of our families all time favourites. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cake disappear so quickly! And because there’s no sugar or nasties in it I really felt no shame packing the rest of the cake for Si’s breakfast on the plane the following day as he flew back out to work!
rhubarb, candied hazelnut + buckwheat cake
I know we are in the middle of autumn here in Australia (and NZ) and rhubarb is a spring thing, but it actually grows year round in most places and my local farmers market always has it. If you can’t find any however, I reckon some peeled and diced apple would work a treat too. Jude’s weights for her gluten-free flours seem to be way off what I usually go by per cup. So to be safe I weighed the flours for this recipe instead of using cups, to be exact. There is quite a huge difference (40g for the brown rice flour) between our weights so if you usually use cups to measure and my recipes work well for you, you might want to weigh the flours out for this one to be on the safe side too.
Serves 10-12
80g unsalted butter, softened
125ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
60ml (1/4 cup) cultured buttermilk or yoghurt
rhubarb
8 stalks rhubarb (about 400g), washed and cut into 1-1.5cm pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
nut topping
75g (1/2 cup) lightly roasted hazelnuts* (skins removed), roughly chopped
2-3 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
dry mix
160g (1 cup) brown rice flour (I suggest you weigh it, see headnotes)
35g (1/4 cup) buckwheat flour
75g (1/2 cup) roasted hazelnuts (skins removed), roughly ground*
2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it’s gluten-free)
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 24cm (9 1/2 inch) springform cake tin with baking paper.
For the rhubarb, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
For the nut topping, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
For the dry mix, place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk through to evenly distribute ingredients and break up any clumps.
Place the butter and maple syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until creamy, scraping down the sides from time to time. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Add the dry mix, milk and buttermilk/yoghurt and fold together with a spatula. It will look quite moist, which is as it should be. Leave for sit for 1-2 minutes and you will notice it will thicken up. Turn the mix into the tin, top with the rhubarb — I like to press some deep into the batter, and make sure some pieces are on the sides as they caramelise even more during the baking process — and sprinkle all over with the nut topping.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then release the springform side of the cake tin. Slide onto a wire rack (still in the paper) and leave to completely cool before cutting.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 4 days, or in the fridge if the weather is hot.
*To roast the nuts for both the topping and the cake, place all the hazelnuts on a baking tray and place in a 180C/350F oven. The 1/2 cup for the topping will only need a few minutes, keep an eye on them and remove that 1/2 cup as soon as you see the skins loosening. Leave the other 1/2 cup until the skin is well cracked and they are lightly golden, about another 5-6 minutes.
When both are cool enough to handle, rub each batch separately (this way you wont get them mixed up). Those that are very lightly roasted can be roughly chopped in half and mixed with the maple syrup and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside for the topping, and the well roasted ones can be ground into a rough meal and set aside to add to the cake. Don’t grind the hazelnuts for the cake too finely, as a rough meal gives a lovely texture to the cake.
Printed with permission from Wholefood Baking by Jude Blereau. Published by Murdoch Books 2013.
Notes and little changes that I made when cooking this cake…
* I just used regular salted butter in my cake
* I used rice milk in place of regular cow milk
* I used unsweetened homemade yoghurt not buttermilk
* I always use a fine brown rice flour in my baking.
* I used a 23cm/9 inch springform cake tin instead of 24cm. No biggy.
* If like me you don’t own a stand mixer, simply beat the soft butter until light and creamy using a hand beater, drizzle in maple syrup and continue to beat until creamy.
* I folded half of the rhubarb through the cake batter before turning it out into the tin and topping with the remaining fruit. It was lovely. I wasn’t sure what to do with the maple/juices from the chopped rhubarb, so I just poured it over the batter before baking.
* I dusted the cooled cake with a little raw sugar that I blended in my upright blender until powdered. Pure icing sugar could also be used.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Wholefood Baking courtesy of Murdoch books and was a guest at Jude’s book launch (without there ever being an expectation that I would write about it). As always my views are my own and I only write about people and books I believe in and those that I feel my readers will love too.
77 Responses
Hi Emma
I would love to win a copy of Jude's Wholefood Baking cookbook. I was distraught that I missed out on Jude's latest cooking classes in Brisbane – all sold out!
I'm a coeliac and have 2 toddlers with mild allergies and eczema so always looking for tasty wholesome recipes.
Fingers crossed for Sunday ๐
Claire Harrison
Ah yes I can imagine they sell out super fast! Good luck xx
I feel like I really HAVE to make that cake pictured !! it looks like coffee cake ? and you are right Em its hard to be good like you I'm certainly not ๐ but it takes all sorts and we're all standing side by side on the same scale at the end of the day x loves to you
Right back at ya love xx
Emma, everything about the book, the post and Jude sounds amazing! I want to know everything – and of course, would love to try the book; if I don't win it, I will go out and buy it. Always looking to support our fellow Perth (and Australian) talents.
Courtney
You'll love this book! xx
Your photography is a total inspiration for me – definitely something to aspire to! And I would LOVE to be in the draw! Can't wait to read your book. ๐
Thanks Sarah xx
That is one really tasty-looking cake. You are a real gem. So is your blog ๐ Thanks for sharing.
Aw thanks love xx
What a magnificent book and a beautiful story. Those combined with the photography = magic. I'd love to win a copy xx
Meg
Melbourne, Australia
Thanks Meg xx
I recently was told by my doctor to go gluten free for at least 6 -8 weeks. I also recently liberated my rhubarb from underneath the pumpkins which had grown way beyond their allotted space, and now have huge amounts of gorgeous rhubarb as it rejoices in its freedom. What to do? Well, now I know. Am going away for a few days but will be making this cake on Monday – nomnomnom – Thank you ๐ (The book sounds great, but sadly I'm in NZ – near Raglan – think I may have met you a few years ago at Wendy's yoga classes at the Town Hall?)
Yes I remember your face from around town ๐ Happy cake making! xx
Hi Emma,
I am student at university and one of my greatest procrastination methods is to cook for my friends! Unfortunately, baking is not one of my strengths as I am ALWAYS trying to make baking slightly healthier – and just ask my friends, I've had some serious disasters.
Both myself and my friends would be thankful if I won this book!
Fay Edwards.
You're in the draw! Good luck xx
Hey Emma,
How could I NOT enter this. She is awesome huh? (although I'm biased and I reckon I'll like your book just a tiny bit better ๐
I've been super quiet on the blogging front lately – got another bub due in less then two months so it's been all hands on deck for THAT bit of creativity instead. I;ve been reading your blog though – as always. And cooking from it!
Lx
Hi Leigh! So lovely to hear from you and huge congrats! All the best for the arrival of your new bubs. Maybe once life settles down for us both we can try for another catch up at the beach? Lotsa love xx
That, would be great!
I feel a bit teary reading this – her Wholefood for Children has been such a revelation for me and now as my son heads to school (started this week – no wonder I'm teary!), I'm filling his lunchbox with all sorts of healthy treats to keep him fueled for the day but also to hopefully make sure he doesn't feel left out because he doesn't have the chippies & processed food that the other kids seem to have! But also as I can imagine how wonderful it was for you to meet one of your food heros!
Wish you'd included a photo of you in your frock!
Aw, hang in there love! My son just started school this year too, it's hard. He's lucky to have a mum like you filling his lunchbox with all the good stuff.
p.s the down-side (or up-side depending on how you like to look at it!) to always being the one with the camera… you're never in the photos! Maybe next time ๐
Hi Emma,
I was just reading about Jude Blereau today! I am only new to the wholefoods way of living (including only recently finding your site) and am very keen to learn more. Would love to be in the draw for this book. Thanks for a lovely recipe again today.
Alicia
I have loved Jude's recipes for years now! Id love a copy to of her new book, with a house full of health nuts to try the recipes on x
Hi Emma – can't wait to try this recipe (I love anything rhubarb). Might even give the school fair cake stall a treat and make it for them this weekend too…
Alicia Walsh
Yes please !! I recently missed one of her workshops because I couldn't afford it…this would be a great start !
Hey Emm,
Candied hazelnut – yuumm! That cake looks and sounds amazing. I'm fortunate to be going to Jude's class on Sunday about nourishing children with gluten and dairy intolerances, for my wee boy. I'd love to win a copy of her book, it looks like a real gem. (Looking forward to yours too!!)
Paula xx
this looks too delicious! I love Jude's words about cookbooks each having their place.
Wow, what a lovely giveaway. That cake is to die for. ๐
This book sounds wonderful. I want to introduce more syrups, wholewheat flours etc into my baking but am never 100% sure about substituting so this would be perfect.
I know this competition isn't open to UK readers so may just have to buy a copy. Can you confirm that the measurements come in grams as well as cups? I find cups so confusing!
Yep all the recipes come in grams too ๐
Emma that book looks absolutely stunning and Jude is right….you shouldn't worry about yours, I'm sure it will do really well.
I'm currently in the midst of giving up fructose and i would LOVE some gorgeous recipes like this where I can substitute rice malt syrup or glucose syrup.
Please do enter me into the running to win a copy ๐
I am super excited about this book and I would love to be making all kinds of delicious goodies from these recipes! I adore rhubard and will be making this regardless ๐
Melanie
I have never been a baker. My mom isn't one, so I never got a feel for it. As I get older, I'd like to start.
This book looks so amazing and a good place to start. I can read a recipe, I just like to improvise, and with baking you really need to play by the rules, and actually understand why there are such precise rules!
Yum, that cake looks incredible. I have often borrowed Jude's books from the library but would love a copy of my own. Although I regularly haunt health food shops and markets I have never seen brown rice flour for sale. Do you buy yours or make it yourself? Cheers Hilary in Melbourne
I hate to promote supermarkets, especially the big names… but the only really finely ground brown rice flour I've come across here in Australia is a Coles brand one, found in the healthfood section. xx
I'd love to win a copy. I love baking but would really love some options for a healthier result!
Please enter me, this looks really amazing! Thanks for the giveaway! My email is hyperactive0gal@gmail.com and my name is April!
Yum yum! I can't wait to make this cake! I'd also love to get my hands on that book ๐
Joanna
I want one!!! And oh WOWOOOOOW that cake looks so good. Beautiful photography. Love your blog!!!
Ooooh, delicious! I would love to win a copy of that book!!
Lauren
Hi there good luck all I would love to win.this book to mske wonderful food for.my.boys one who has chronic kidney disease so great good food for him is a must as it should be for all. :*)
Is it possible to be TOO excited about this? Heheee. Loved your post, the recipe and of course Jude. She really is inspiring. Natalie x
Lovely looking cake indeed, and the recipes sound amazing too. I have about 8 rhubarb plants and manage to pick most of the year too- lucky me!
I am trying to be the type of Mum that is remembered for her great cooking skills or at least one classic dish. Alas I am not even close yet. I my mother's day card from school yesterday my son described me as a 'creative cook'. Hmmmmmmm. Thanks for the chance to win one of Jude's sensational books.
I discovered Jude's work when i was researching how to feed my 6 month old baby and have been using "wholefoods" for children" as my core text for feeding my now 2 year old. He is the strongest, fittest most active and well behaved child in his circle. Her work has helped me create a human with qualities that all human SHOULD have. It's quite astounding how much the right diet can have. I really hope Em that Judes work with soaking flours will inform your recipes, as it's something i struggle with converting my own & would love to see more of your fabulous recipes using soaking. My Darling Lemon Thyme is a site i often use too, but Jude's work makes me realise why paying for cook books will always be something I spend my money on!
I'm not familiar with Jude's soaking of the flours and sorry to say but this book makes no mention of it at all…
Oh, I do love Jude! She is such a talented woman. I cook from her books at least twice a week, and I would so love to get my hands on Wholefood Baking! It looks amazing! I have always had a sweet tooth, even running my own cupcake business for a few years, but now my daughter and I are wheat, dairy and refined sugar free I struggle with baking cakes that suit our requirements but still look and taste great. Thank you for the opportunity to win this lovely giveaway! x
Beautiful photos and the cakes look absolutely delicious! I think I will try this recipe for Mothers Day!
I think I will have to hunt those books down ๐ That is one delectable looking cake!
Love love love please pick me random.org :-)) – that's my double chin after eating all these yummy cakes
I absolutely ADORE Jude!! I had the pleasure of working alongside her a couple of times over the last year or so and she was the first person to really instil in me that I had to stick with what I believed in. I initially studied dietetics (to become a dietitian) and I really struggled with what I was taught, as it went totally against what I was brought up to believe. I since made the decision to not work as a dietitian and to teach others about what REAL nutrition should be i.e NOT margarine, NOT diet softdrinks, NOT low fat dairy, NOT rice cereal for infants. And Jude was the first person who I heard speak that gave me that real 'uh-huh' moment, changing my life from hiding away in the corner, to being proud and sharing my knowledge and beliefs, even if it goes against mainstream health information. Such a knowledgeable, warm and inspiring woman.
Jude has something for everyone, for parents, for people with any form of dietary restrictions, for those just wanting to get back their love of REAL food.
Thankyou Emma for this beautiful post, and for you, yourself, to be a constant inspiration for those wanting to go down the wholefoods path.
Big love
x
Thanks so much for your lovely words Rhiby xx
I had the privilege to hear/meet Jude on friday on the Sunshine Coast, she is such an inspiration. I would love to win her book for my daughter who loves baking and has a 2yr old with allergies. Happy Mother's Day to ALL mum's Robyn MacKay.
I love your blog Emma. I am very fortunate to live on a farm and have lovely rhubarb growing. This cake looks amazing in your photos and I am also a big Jude Blereau fan. I would love to win the book!
Hi Emma,
I'm trying to follow a strictly gluten/dairy free diet so I love your blog and am looking forward to your book too. In the meantime I hope I win Jude's!
Cath x
Miss Emma, i actually have all the ingredients for this cake, so guess i am ditching the planned apple crumble and going for this one instead for mothers day ! Another great blog ! Hayley W xx
What a beautiful cake, Emma! And thanks a lot for the wholefood baking inspiration – I did not know neither the autor nor the book yet but as I am very interested in baking with whole flour I will keep it in mind. The lucky winner will surely be excited about it (as I live in Europe I won't take part in the giveaway).
Your photos of the launch are so beautiful! So glad I got to goo too, meet Jude and get my signed copy! The cakes were so amazing and I can't wait for some spare time to get my bake on!
Hello Emma, such gorgeous pictures !!! Wow, you did a better job than me on the cake ๐ With regards to the weights, I weighed all the grain flours over a year, and averaged them out. But really, it doesn't matter what weight you arrive at, as long as you stick to it. They vary wildly – that is 1 cup of brown rice flour may this time weigh 200gm, another 250gm another 185- if you are measuring by cup, that extra (or less) will impact hugely. Weighing, helps you manage your variables. Keep a little book, average out the weight of a cup for each new batch and keep a record. Then settle on a weight that you are happy to stick with. That is what I have done and why they differ to yours.
With regard to your book – what I did say was that they are all like CD's in a way – each songwriter has their own song – their own voice, cookbook authors have their own song too, and there is always room for many songs in ones library – I love Beth Orton, Natalie Merchant, Alicia Keys – they are all singers, but each has a different voice. Your song,Emma will be beautiful too, and welcome. x Jude
Thanks again Jude! ๐ xx
perfectly said Jude!
I am so excited to see the inside of this book!
I'm sure, as with all Jude's work, it will be DELICIOUS
๐
Natasha
I am passionate about feeding my family wholesome, healthy foods. And yes, it has been a battle in a world where many people's perceptions of foods differ so much from mine. No matter what, I have stuck to my beliefs and have taught my children to respect food and appreciate how it can benefit their health and the environment. As a consequence they love growing their own food in the garden and have become quite adept cooks, to the point where they can serve up a very decent meal for our family of 6, and my eldest is still only 10. We have Jude's 3 other books and love her recipes, it would be great to own her latest creation. And boy those cakes look delicious, I can almost taste them!
Lovely cake and post on your admiration for such a wonderful person, Jude. I already have her Wholefood Baking cookbook and it's wonderful. I would however like to win a copy of the book for my dear friend, who always does lovely things for everybody else. She has recently taken on a role reversal, going to work full-time while her husband studies his passion and looks after their family of 5. She is watching every penny and I'm sure this book would bring a huge smile to her face.
Karina
I would love to win a copy of this book ! it would complete my set ๐ I attend a class every time Jude is in Melbourne! She might start to think Im stalking her! I just love her passion and knowledge for all things delicious!
Would you believe I've never had rhubarb?
This is how I want to try my first taste!
This looks amazing. I bet rhubarb and those whole grain flours taste phenomenal together… thanks so much for the recipe and beautiful photos!
How do you cope with not having a stand mixer? Mine just blew up and I am struggling with my old hand mixer until I can get a replacement. It's driving me nuts!
Haha, I'm old school I know but when I learnt how to cook it was all by hand. A hand mixer is a step up from a wooden spoon ๐
i suppose it would also work with white rice flour? ๐
Yes but I'd weigh the flour instead of using cups as white and brown rice differ in weight. xx
Hi Emma
thanks for sharing this recipe. I haven't enjoyed rice flour in cakes so I did 1 cup buckwheat and 1/4 cup rice flour and it was really good. I haven't used buckwheat before so I was impressed with how it turned out. My rhubarb was not sweet enough for the kids so next time I will cook the rhubarb in the syrup first to sweeten it and not lose it through the cake. I am back on your page to remake your rhubarb and strawberry compote which was delish, to have on porridge tomorrow and I LOVED your red lentil/carrot soup, yum yum. Lots more of your recipes to make yet, and already redoing some! Love your blog and taste in music ๐
๐ So great to hear Julie, enjoy xx
I like the way you use rhubarb, I've tried it in combination with nutmeg and cinnamon, and I'm happy to try it in your version.Thank you for recipe.
I've just been bought this book and I can't wait to start explore it. Your cake looks so rustic and lovely.
Oh you will love it, it's such a beautiful book! xx
This looks delicious – I don't often bake gluten-free as none in my family have gluten issues, however I do like baking with wholefood. I have this book and haven't yet made anything out of it but your post has inspired me to get it down off the shelf. I also have my eye on your cookbook.