Even Debbie can eat this - All Spices Cake

Vegan - Grain and Gluten Free - sugar free

This recipe is inspired by my dear friend Debbie, who, after courageously overcoming a life long eating disorder and losing over 10 stone in weight, does not tolerate; grains, dairy, eggs, sugar, almonds, coconut flour and several other foods very well, but would really like to eat cake!

She's a tough challenge when it comes to things for treats, unless they are fruit based. This recipe is an adaptation of the Medical Medium Spice Cake, although I had to adapt 80% of the ingredients to make this so 'Even Debbie can eat this." therefore I guess it's mine now.

This came out a moist dense sponge texture, almost gingerbread like, and smelt so delicious I immediately devoured a slice warm, followed by a second cold slice taste test - which I may, or may not, have had with butter - just as yummy.

Even Debbie can eat this - All Spices Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Cassava Flour

• 1 cup of ground pecans, macadamias, almonds or other nut (use a nutribullet or similar to grind)

• 1/4 cup of dessicated coconut

• 1tsp Cardamon powder (optional)

• 1 tsp Cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground Nutmeg

• 1 tsp ground Ginger or 1 tbsp fresh grated Ginger

• 1/2 - 1/4 tsp of ground Cloves depending on personal taste

• 1 tbsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla powder

• 1/4 cup ground flax seed

• 1 tbsp flax seed

• 20 stoneless medjool or other sticky sweet dates

• 1 cup raisins

• 1 400ml TIN of coconut milk

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple or pear sauce

• 1 and 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or juice of half a lemon (activates baking soda)

• Dash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (activates the baking soda)
  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C and grease or line baking tin of approx 19cmx22cm - I used a pyrex dish this size, but you can make this any shape.

2. In a small bowl mix ground and whole flax seed with 1/2 cup of warm water to make a gloopy paste - you may need a little more water, it should slightly resemble the texture of wallpaper paste - put to one side.

3. In a food processor add: flour, dessicated coconut, spices, vanilla - if using a powdered, pecan/nut flour, salt, baking soda and blend for 30 - 45secs to mix well

4. In a nutribullet, or similar, blend the raisins, dates (make sure there are no stray stones left in the dates) and 1 and half cups of coconut milk to make a smooth paste

5. Add all the wet ingredients to the food processor except the excess coconut milk, to the food processor: Flax seeds, sweet paste mix of raisins and dates etc, apple or pear sauce, vanilla essence, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Blend on medium high for 1 and half mins or until well mixed.

6. Add the remaining coconut milk and blend for a further 30 secs to a minute to make a smooth batter. If your mixture already seems quite smooth and runny omit this step, if seems a little too thick still add a couple of tbsp of warm water, and blend again.

7. Transfer into your baking dish and cook for 20 mins at 170°C, check to make sure it is rising slightly and not burning and bake for a further 10 mins at 170°C.

8. Check again, and turn oven down to 165°C and bake for another 20 mins. Cake should be firm to touch and when you insert a knife or skewer it should come out clean. If it needs more time use 7-10min increments until cooked through.

   
   
   
   

Variations:

You could make this as muffins - just use a muffin tray and bake for 20 - 25 mins at 170°C - checking after 10 mins.

You could top this with an icing of some kind - it would go well with something citrus, like a cashew lemon or orange icing - oodles of those recipes on internet.

Eat with a coconut yoghurt, vanilla ice cream, or sliced as I did with some butter..... Nom Nom

Enjoy!