Fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, vegan coconut-berry cake


Hello, my lovely friends. Would you like to have a slice of this beautiful, tender cake studded with raspberries and happiness? Oh, you do? Hah - I have eaten it all.

Sorry. 

I have just began school, and thus cake has never been so needed. 

Yesterday was Friday, thank the gods, and I faffed around for like 2 hours in the kitchen making this cake!! Don't worry, though: it actually takes about 10 minutes for a normal person. I'm just a very slow (words like annoyingly sloth-like have been thrown around) human in the kitchen. It was so worth it, though! I'm pretty sure this cake is my favourite thing, like, ever. I used rice flour because that is what David from Green Kitchen Stories used, and he is awesome, but I'm pretty sure you could sub with wholewheat. The texture is so tender and moist, and while remaining light and fluffy, the ground almonds give it a substantiality and a delicious nutty flavour. Along with the light coconut undertones, and just a smidge of lovely cardamom, I am in heaven. The NO SUGAR (what??) element and the bites of juicy red berry you get in the cake are just too much. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) my littlest sister refused to try it on account of it "looking like burned porridge." But I think all porridge should get love. So behold the beautiful burned porridge cake!



Berries are excellent for your body, as they have an incredibly low sugar content (plus, they're so pink and purty). They're also full of antioxidants that can help you relieve stress (I'm not sure if this is somewhat lessened by the fact that they have been dunked in cake batter). Also, since only dates, banana, and berries sweeten the recipe, there is no added sugar. When we have such beautiful, sweet fruits surrounding us, why do we need to eat sugar that we have processed ourselves? I'm not talking cut out ketchup (mmm), and go on a sugar detoxification rampage, because being too crazy about not eating extra sugar is just exhausting, and when you're exhausted you won't want to continue! It's our lifestyles that we need to change. Sugary drinks (the #1 obesity contributor), chocolate bars, anything processed; that's where the problem lies. To be honest, as long as you're making your own cakes, meals, and more cakes, you are so on the right track! Anything made at home is way better than what you'll find at the supermarket. You don't have to freak out and start making vegan, no-sugar stuff (though I do support this! :). Just focus on whole foods, that make you feel GOOD after you eat them. 

Like this cake. 


Look at that face! That is the face of joy. AND I got to eat her berries (she is averse to anything moist). A win-win situation, my lovelies. 

Can I please mention the labour of love that went into this? My kitchenaid blender (DO NOT buy one) released a firework show of sparks into my peach smoothie the other day, and thus I had to grind almonds with only a marble rolling pin and a little hand blender. But it totally worked. 



 Delish texture shots. 




What more can a girl ask for? 




Only someone to share it with. 

But before you get any ideas, those two slices were for me. 



Peace out, my lovelies! Have a fab weekend xo 

VEGAN COCONUT BERRY CAKE (adapted from the lovely Green Kitchen Stories, Elsa's cupcakes) 

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup almond 'butter'milk (3/4 almond milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice) 
14 dates (if dried, quick-soak in hot water for 15 mins and then de-pip) 
1 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut 
1 ripe banana
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
3 chia eggs (3 tablespoons chia + 11 tablespoons water) 
Handful raspberries

Method: 
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. 
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
3. Whizz the dates to a paste. Using some of their soaking water can help, and doesn't dilute flavour too much!
4. Add in your peeled banana and coconut oil to the dates. 
5. Add the date mixture and the chia eggs to the dry mixture. I know my chia egg recipe is a bit off from the norm, but I find it to be a much looser egg that works better in baking. 
6. Stir it all together!
7. Put in a 12-inch circle pan and stud with raspberries. 
8. Bake for 27 minutes, or until golden, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
9. Try to wait for it to cool, and then devour!! 

Note: this would taste lovely if topped with banana + peach ice cream. Oh man. 

xx




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