Advertisement

Celebrate 2015 with Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake

 
Celebrate a new year with Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake. Ring cakes are a symbol of good luck.
Celebrate a new year with Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake. Ring cakes are a symbol of good luck.
Published Jan. 9, 2015

Ring-shaped cakes are a symbol of good luck, making them especially popular for celebrations of a new year. The ring expresses the full circle of a year in some cultures, and Asian cultures regard it as a symbol of eternity. Bundt cakes can be a healthy addition for any celebration.

Honey-sweetened Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake can be made with organic whole wheat flour or organic brown rice flour. Both versions are seen in the accompanying photo. (The one with walnuts on top is made with rice flour.)

Some claim gluten-free foods offer no nutritional advantage, but that's not always the case. A comparison of flours for my 2008 book Living Gluten-Free shows that brown rice flour has significantly more vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), magnesium and manganese than others.

The cost can be higher, in part because products like rice flour don't enjoy the kind of federal subsidies wheat products do. But gluten-free foods are important for people with gut sensitivities. Healthy fats, less sugar and easy-to-digest rice protein can mean better digestion and increased energy.

If you do go gluten free, don't take that as a license to eat all you want. Portion control and healthy lifestyle habits make for better weight management than changing from wheat to rice flour.

If you are afraid of using rice flour in your Bundt cake because of arsenic concerns, choose organic. California rice used by organic producers has significantly lower inorganic arsenic than Texas rice. Processed rice dishes are usually made with rice from India and Pakistan, so California basmati rice is the best choice. Coconut flour can be used as a substitute if brown rice flour is not available.

One nutritional pearl to remember is that all grains contain some gluten. In the United States, a food can contain up to 25 parts per million and still be called gluten-free. Some people with gluten sensitivity need strict adherence to gluten-free food choices: wild rice and brown rice. Some people can only tolerate amaranth, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa and teff, stated as gluten-free, in small quantities, while others may not tolerate them at all.

The truth about whole grains and gluten does not make for sexy reading but consumers deserve to be educated. Enjoy this symbolic cake with whatever flour you choose.

Betty Wedman-St Louis is a licensed nutritionist and environmental health specialist in Pinellas County who has written numerous books on health and nutrition. Visit her website at betty-wedman-stlouis.com.