Luberry cake

Good morning!

And so we start another beautiful month! March 🙂

Today’s recipe is exceptional, so let me just share a little story so we can all be on the same page. I am from Nicaragua (a gorgeous country in Central America) but I’m currently living in Spain doing my PhD. I am a friendly person but also timid when I am around new people. I first traveled to Spain about a year and a half ago to start my masters degree and at some point I needed to start working on my research project, and the fact to come to the Lab and meet new people terrorized me for weeks. Surely was not because people was bad or mean (I didn’t even knew them by then) it was just my anxiety of being new again, having to meet new people.

Once I started going every day, I realized they were kind human beings, strong, intelligent and friendly women. Nothing to be worried about.

So as I was working there everyday, I started to get to know them better. We talked a lot, they helped me with my research, tried (almost) all my recipes and gave me feedback. They were with me during difficult times (As I don’t have my family here with me I never felt alone) and we even traveled together last summer.

These women (See picture at the end of text, there are a couple of them missing though) I refer to in this text are my friends and, in my very own way I love them and I’m overjoyed and grateful that God put them on my path. They are from different places (Spain, Mexico and Peru) and have done incredible things. They are hard-working people, smart, kind, funny and very good-looking 😉 haha its true. For all these things I already mentioned about my friends, I decided I was going to dedicate a special recipe for one of them (Occasionally I will do one for each, but I need inspiration to come again to me). Her name is Lucia, she is from Galicia, Spain and one of the best people I have ever met.

Now, going back to the topic! Cake! Luberry cake (is inspired in my dear friend) is gluten-free and made entirely using chickpeas flour. When I started it, I didn’t know if it was going to be tasty or even edible but, It totally was! I hope you like it and try it sometime!

Ingredients

150 g plain Greek yogurt
2 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons of Orange juice
Zest of one medium orange
1 1/2 cups chickpeas flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil extra light
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C. Line baking cups if you are making muffins or grease a 9×5” loaf pan with nonstick spray or oil.
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, chia seeds, orange juice and zest and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
With an electric mixer on high-speed, beat olive oil and sugar in a large bowl until well combined (3-4 min). Add vanilla and eggs one at the time, and mixing in between each one.
Add the dry ingredients (beating with lower speed) in three batches, alternating with two batches of the chia yogurt mixture.
Pour batter evenly in loaf pan.
Bake for about 20-23 min and for the complete cake 40-45 min. Insert a toothpick, if it comes out clean your cake is done. Take out and allow to cool for about 10 min, then transfer to a cooling rack.