Feb 18

Feb 18 Raw Vegan Chocolate Caramel Cake

I started working on this post Sunday evening, but didn’t get to finish due to toddler interruptions. Then, Monday, an ice storm hit, allowing me to stay home from work. So, you’d have thought I’d get to finish my post, right? Yeah, me too. But I came down with a terrible sinus infection, and my motivation went to zero. After two unexpected days off from work, both spent blowing my nose and downing raw garlic like it was going out of style, I finally found some energy to finish my post...

If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a raw cake, I feel sad for you. The guiltless indulgence in chocolaty, sweet, nutritious goodness is something to love. I tossed this together on a whim Sunday when I had a little down time, and Charlotte was in a particularly helpful mood. With my birthday coming up, I thought it was a good time to play around in the kitchen. (Yes, I make my own birthday cake. That’s what happens when you choose not to partake of sugar and flour-laden desserts. I truly love making food and have a passion, in particular, for raw food, so I don’t mind one bit!) This cake turned out very tasty, and I decided to share it with the masses. I hope you enjoy.

RAW CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE

CAKE BASE

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup walnuts

1 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat (rolled oats would work, also)

1 cup medjool dates

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cacao powder

Pinch of sea salt

Nut milk, just enough to moisten the “dough”

CHOCOLATE CREAM LAYER

2 avocados

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)

Optional: stevia for extra sweetness

CARAMEL LAYER

1 cup dates

1 cup coconut water (or water)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Unsweetened coconut flakes

To make the cake base, add the first three ingredients to a food processor and process until reduced to a fine powder. Next, add the dates and vanilla, and process until they are incorporated with the flour and make a sticky dough that can be formed into a ball. I found that my mixture wasn’t sticking together, so I left the processor running and dripped in cashew milk until it became sticky enough, maybe 1-2 tablespoons of milk. Depending on the freshness of dates, you may or may not need the milk. Once you have formed the dough, add the cacao and pinch of salt, and process until mixed well. Remove the cake base and press into a pie pan or spring-form pan. I used a 9” spring-form.

For the chocolate cream layer, add the meat of the two avocados to a blender with all other ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste the cream, and add more sweetener if you’d like. I added a few drops of stevia to kick up the sweetness of the maple syrup. Once you’ve reached the desired sweetness, pour the cream onto the cake base and smooth it out. (If you want a more mousse-like pie, double the cream recipe.) Put the cake/pie pan into the freezer for about an hour to set.

Lastly, for the caramel layer, add all ingredients except for the coconut flakes to the blender and blend until smooth. If you need to add more water, do it a tablespoon at a time. You want a creamy texture, not soupy. Once the caramel is done, pour the desired amount onto the chilled cake. I only used about half of my mixture and saved the rest for a fruit dip, but using it all is totally acceptable. This is YOUR cake, so do what you like. ;-) When you’ve smoothed the desired about of caramel onto the cake, sprinkle coconut flakes on top and refrigerate for a few hours, if you can wait that long.