BLACK FOREST BIRTHDAY CAKE

I know it's probably pretty obvious, but I love to bake. I especially love to bake birthday cakes. People really love it when you bake them a birthday cake too. It's a win-win situation. It's also pretty obvious that I am no vegan, but when I make chocolate cake I always use this recipe, which just so happens to be vegan - and seriously moist and delicious. It adapts really well to a black forest theme too when you slather it with coconut whipped cream and cherries. Yum.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

(makes one 6” layer cake)

¾ cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup organic cocoa powder, sifted

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup organic unsweetened coconut beverage

½ cup avocado oil

1 ½ cups local maple syrup

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp pure organic vanilla

Method: Preheat oven to 350*.  Prepare two 6” round cake pans by greasing them with some oil and then lining with parchment paper cut into rounds.  Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl.  Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, and then stir in the cocoa powder until dissolved.  Whisk the oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla into the cocoa mixture.  Stir the wet ingredients into to the dry.  Pour into prepared cake pans and bake in 350* oven for 45-60 minutes in cake pans and for 22 minutes in the cupcake pan.  Allow to cool on a  baking rack for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans.  Cool completely before icing.

CHERRY FILLING

 5 cups frozen organic cherries

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup

2-3 Tbsp organic corn starch

Method: Place the cherries and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water and then stir into the hot cherries. Stir until it thickens to desired consistency. Cool and refrigerate.

WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

1-2 14 oz cans full fat coconut milk

1/4-1/2 cup organic icing sugar or a bit of maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

Method: Chill cans of coconut overnight in the fridge. Chill a large mixing bowl in freezer. Remove just the solid coconut cream on the top and leave the liquid behind for use in a smoothie or something. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer then add sifted icing sugar and vanilla. Use immediately or refrigerate.

To assemble the cake: Use a serrated knife to trip the domed top off of each cake. Pour 3/4 of the cherry mixture on the bottom half and then top with some whipped cream. Place the second layer on top. Use the rest of the whipped cream to ice the cake, then pour the rest of the cherry mixture in the centre of the top of the cake. Sprinkle with shaved dark chocolate and gently press some on the sides of the cake too. Refrigerate to harden the icing a bit. 

 PRINT RECIPE

CUCUMBER, APPLE, KALE, AND FENNEL JUICE

Fall is the time to get your veg on!  All the crops are being harvested and so there is no better time to eat lots of raw veggies and fruits.  This week at the market I stocked up on cucumbers, beets, fennel, carrots, apples, and lots of other fresh produce so I could make delicious fresh juices.  This morning I decided to pour the juice into a wine glass thinking it would make my husband more likely to drink it if it reminded him of his favorite beverage.  It took a little encouragement, but he drank it.  

CUCUMBER, APPLE, KALE AND FENNEL JUICE

2 organic apples, seeded

2 small organic pickling cucumbers or 1/2 of an english cucumber

3 leaves organic kale (great way to use up the kale in the garden that the slugs have been munching on)

1/4 -1/2 small organic fennel bulb

Method:  Juice all the vegetables and drink up!

RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

Every now and then I like to flip through one of the many cookbooks on my shelf for inspiration and ideas.    Over the years I've dabbled in raw cuisine, testing out recipes from books now and then.  For the most part I've really enjoyed the recipes I've tried, especially the desserts!  A really lovely raw "un"cook book that I bought a while ago called "I am Grateful" by Teres Engelhart has some really yummy desserts.  Today, I decided I had to make the cashew lemon cheesecake.  It is so simple to make and incredibly delicious.  I ate two pieces and can't wait to go back for more tomorrow.  (By the time I got around to photographing this the light wasn't so great, so I apologize for the crappy photo!)

RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

adapted from "I am Grateful" by Teres Englehart

makes a 9 1/2 cheesecake

For the crust:

2 cups organic almonds

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 - 1/2 cup organic dates (I used about 16)

For the filling:

3 cups soaked organic raw cashews (soaked 8 hours in water)

1 1/2 cups homemade organic almond milk

1 cup organic lemon juice

1/2 cup local honey

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tbsp organic non-gmo lecithin granules

3/4 cup raw unscented coconut oil

Garnish:

Top with organic lemon zest and/or slice and wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method:  Make the crust first by finely chopping the almonds, vanilla and sea salt in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the "S" blade until finely crumbled.  Continue to process while adding the dates in small amounts until the crust sticks together.  Press crust into the bottom of a 9 1/2" spring form pan.

     To make the filling, blend all the ingredients except the lecithin and coconut oil until smooth.  Add the lecithin and coconut oil and blend until well incorporated.  Pour onto the crust and sprinkle with the blueberries.  Set in the fridge or freezer until firm (about an hour).  

Hello Vitamix

I did it.  I finally ordered myself a Vita-Mix Blender.  I'm the type of person who will yearn for a high ticket item for about 3 years and then one day just realize I am never going to want to spend the money so just get it over with and do it.  So tonight I made Raw Maca Vanilla Ice Cream with Unraw Chocolate Chips in it.  So I guess I don't need to tell you that this recipe requires a high powered blender like a Vita Mix and an ice cream maker.

Maca Chocolate Chip Vanilla Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups organic cashews

1/3 cup agave 

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups organic almond milk

3 Tbsp maca powder

2 tsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

1/2 cup organic chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Method: Turn the blender on low and pour in chocolate chips.  Blend until nicely chopped. Remove.  Then blend all the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Pour into an ice cream maker.