I consume a lot of milk and cheese, and although I am not dairy intolerant, I am trying to cut down. I’ve tried various alternatives, including soya milk and rice milk but I either found them too thin or too sweet.

My latest experimentation is with oat milk. I’ve been using Oatly’s dairy free alternative to milk on muesli and in hot drinks and I’m quite impressed. I expected a distinctly oaty flavour, but to my pleasure, it’s not as strong as I thought it would be.

Oatly also do a chocolate flavour and an alternative to cream, which, by the way, is really, really good, tastes like cream and pours just the same. My sweet tooth is in overdrive at the moment and I’ve been craving cake, so it made sense to try out the dairy alternatives in this luscious recipe…

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Serves:10

3 unwaxed lemons
300g plain flour (I used Doves Farm’s gluten-free flour).
3 tsp baking powder
300g caster sugar
175g sunflower margarine or butter
2 large eggs
250ml carton Oatly Cream
50ml of Oatly Dairy free alternative to milk (only required if using gluten free flour as it is absorbs more liquid).

Lemon Glaze:

100g golden granulated sugar
Juice from the 3 lemons above

1. Grease a 30×23cm/12×9in shallow baking tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) gas mark 4.
2. Finely grate the rind from the lemons, squeeze the juice and reserve for glaze.
3. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl, stir in the sugar than add the margarine. With an electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
4. Beat together the lemon zest, eggs, Oatly Cream and milk alternatives, then add to the flour mixture and beat together.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and makes several pricks with a cocktail stick over the top of the cake.
6. Mix together the lemon juice and sugar for the glaze and spoon evenly over the warm cake. Leave to cool in the tin. When cool cut into 24 squares.
7. Either serve with fresh fruits as a dessert or simply enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Tip, store in an airtight tin for 3-4 days

If preferred grease and line a 20cm/8” round spring-form tin and bake the mixture for 50-60 minutes.

Yes, a classic but scrumptious all the same! It’s very moist, partly due to the lemon glaze which seeps lusciously all the way through the cake. I think you could probably add some lemon liqueur or vodka for an ‘adult’ version. Oh, and did I mention, the house smelt absolutely amazing whilst it was baking.

I really am impressed with the Oatly dairy free alternatives and their website is full of info on the health benefits of oats and really lovely recipes, so take a look if you want to know more.

The more I research into food intolerance and specialised diets; whether it be gluten, dairy or anything else ; the more alternatives I discover and I’m pleased that you really don’t have to miss out completely when controlling your diet. I’m always on the look out for more alternative foods, so let me know your trieds & tested.

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