Guilt free Orange Sourdough bread-cake

There I was, with one cup and a half of starter I've been collecting from my feeding routine. I wanted to use it (I hate to throw it away) and an idea started to take shape in my mind: initially, it was the idea of an orange quick bread. I had seen before citrus cake recipes that boil the fruit, be it lemons, oranges, clementines, etc., for an hour and then use all the fruit in the batter. I also wanted to achieve the miminum amount of fat and sugar ever used in a sweet batter. I have a son of 1 year and a half, and he happens to love these fruit breads, but I would feel remorseful if I gave him (and us) a quick bread loaded with sinful ingredients. It seems to me that wherever you look for a recipe there is this "sugar cult" that wants you to cover the natural tastes of fruit with an overload of sugar. As a disclaimer, I must clarify that this was an experiment and given that I have eaten with zesty delight two pieces of the final product, I feel daring enough to post it.

For the applesauce (yields 1 cup)

2 large apples (I used a tart apple and a sweet one, both big, otherwise, you might use 3 medium)

Juice of a lemon

Dash of cinnamon

For the cake

3 sweet oranges

75 grams dried apricots

75 grams currants

1 cup dessicated coconut

1 1/2 cups starter

1 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 cup cake flour (or as I did, a mixture of white and cornmeal)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

6 tablespoons of brown sugar (this is up to you -you can add the amount you feel comfy with-, I was afraid it was going to lack sweetness, but I found it more than enough)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Vanilla or rum essence or whatever essence or spice you feel like or have at hand.

Cut the apples in chunks, cover them with the lemon juice, dash'em with the cinnamon, put'em in an oven dish, cover it with foil and pop it in a preheated oven (175 Cº) for 1 hour. Puree them. The aim with the applesauce is to have 1 cup: you will use 3/4 of a cup in the batter and the rest (or more if you want) for serving with the cake instead of whipped cream or ice cream, unless you want to go that way.

At the same time, bring to the boil the 3 oranges and then simmer for 1 hour. Puree them and let them cool down - (and remember to take out the seeds from the oranges).

Add to the still hot applesauce (3/4 of a cup) the butter until melted and the olive oil. Set the fruit aside to cool down.

Mix dry ingredients (flour, chemical leavenings, sugar, salt, coconut). I sifted the flour.

When the fruit is cold enough, mix with eggs, starter and essence.

Mix dry ingredients with fruit mixture.

Fold the soaked dried fruit. I soaked it in some limoncello I had at hand.

It made quite a lot, so I used an oven dish and a bread tin.

I baked at 175Cº for 1 hour (My oven is not so reliable, and no, I haven't been able to buy the oven thermometer...mea culpa...)

The cake is very moisty and with a very orangey taste. I thought also of substituting some wholewheat with oat flour.

Serve with applesauce, whipped cream, ice cream, etc.

I wanted to add some sunflower seeds but I held it back. I might, next time. I had the temptation to add chocolate chips but I wanted it freakly healthy so I didn't do. Variations are endless.

I wanted to take a picture but my husband took the camera with him. I might, later, if the cake is not gone.

I hope to have given a good recipe. So far I've had 3 (!!!) pieces, LOL