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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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