Hairy Bikers blueberry mini loaf cakes are light, olive oil sponges made with ground almonds, live yoghurt, honey and cinnamon, topped with fresh blueberries. They make 12 at just 216 calories each and bake in about 20 minutes.
This comes from The Hairy Dieters’ Eat Well Every Day (2021). Si and Dave call blueberries “the healthiest of all berries” and designed these as portion-controlled treats. The mini loaf shape means you eat one cake, not a thick wedge from a large tin.
The detail that makes these work is placing the blueberries on top of the batter rather than folding them through. They sink slightly as the cakes rise around them. This keeps the berries concentrated at the surface instead of scattered thinly through the crumb.
Hairy Bikers Blueberry Mini Loaf Cakes
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings20
minutes20
minutes216
kcal40
minutesA Hairy Dieters bake from Eat Well Every Day (2021) that uses olive oil instead of butter and ground almonds for a moist, gluten-light crumb. The batter is deliberately runny so it pours easily into a 12-hole mini loaf tin. Si and Dave say these are perfect for lunch boxes.
Ingredients
75ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing
125ml live yoghurt
75g well-flavoured honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
75g golden caster sugar
125g ground almonds
100g plain flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
150g blueberries
Directions
- Preheat: Set the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Lightly grease a 12-hole mini loaf tin with a little oil.
- Make the wet mix: Put the olive oil, yoghurt, honey, vanilla extract and eggs into a large bowl and beat together until smooth.
- Combine: Put the sugar, ground almonds, flour, cinnamon and baking powder into a separate bowl with a generous pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly, then add to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine. You will end up with quite a runny batter.
- Fill and top: Spoon the cake batter into the 12 holes, then divide the blueberries evenly between them, leaving them sitting on top.
- Bake: Bake for about 20 minutes until the cakes are well risen around the blueberries and have turned a rich golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Calories: Olive oil 75ml (~600) + yoghurt 125ml (~76) + honey 75g (~228) + vanilla (~12) + eggs ×3 (~234) + caster sugar 75g (~290) + ground almonds 125g (~800) + plain flour 100g (~364) + cinnamon/baking powder (~5) + blueberries 150g (~86) = ~2,695 kcal total ÷ 12 = ~225 kcal per cake. Official site states 216 kcal. Used 216.
FAQs
Why use olive oil instead of butter?
Olive oil keeps these cakes moist without the saturated fat that butter brings, which is how Si and Dave keep each one under 220 calories. It also gives a lighter, more open crumb than creamed butter would.
You won’t taste the olive oil once it’s baked, since the honey, cinnamon and vanilla carry the flavour. Use a mild olive oil rather than extra virgin, because fruitier varieties can taste grassy in sweet baking. The yoghurt works alongside the oil, adding moisture and a slight tang.
Why leave the blueberries on top instead of mixing them in?
Folding blueberries into a runny batter causes them to sink straight to the bottom and burst during mixing, which turns the crumb purple. Si and Dave place them on top so they sit at the surface as the cake rises around them.
This gives you a concentrated layer of fruit on each cake rather than the odd berry scattered through the middle. It also looks better, since you see whole blueberries when you take them out of the tin. The berries soften during baking but stay mostly intact.
Can I use a cupcake tin instead of a mini loaf tin?
Yes, Si and Dave say you can bake these in cupcake tins. Use paper cases and fill each about two-thirds full. The cooking time stays roughly the same at 20 minutes, though check a minute or two early since cupcake cases are shallower.
The mini loaf shape is just for portion control and presentation. If you’ve tried the Hairy Bikers cinnamon swirls, you’ll know Si and Dave like individual portions that look more considered than a slice cut from a big bake.
Why is the batter so runny?
The combination of olive oil, yoghurt, honey and three eggs creates a wet batter with no solid fat to hold it firm. Si and Dave note “you will end up with quite a runny batter,” so don’t panic if it looks thin. Pouring it into the tin holes rather than spooning gives neater results.
The ground almonds absorb moisture as the cakes bake, which is why they come out with a proper crumb despite starting so liquid. If the batter were thicker the cakes would be dense and heavy. The runniness is what makes them light.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
You can, but don’t defrost them first. Frozen berries release juice as they thaw, which makes the batter wet and can turn the tops soggy. Drop them on top of the batter straight from the freezer and they’ll work well, especially in winter when fresh blueberries are expensive.
Frozen blueberries are slightly smaller once baked and won’t look as plump as fresh, but the flavour is the same. If you’re making these for lunch boxes during the week, frozen berries are cheaper and available year-round.
How do I store these cakes?
Si and Dave say to turn them out and keep them in an airtight container. At room temperature they’ll stay fresh for 2–3 days. The olive oil and yoghurt in the batter help keep them moist longer than a standard butter sponge.
They freeze well in individual freezer bags for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature for an hour before eating. If you’ve made the Hairy Bikers spicy fruit loaf, that keeps even longer at 2 weeks, but these are better suited to freezing in portions.
