I created this recipe for a Spell live cooking workshop which can be viewed on their IGTV. If you make this recipe, please let me know how much you enjoyed it by either commenting down below or tagging me on social media. @natural_harry For more delicious recipes like this one, check out my 2 easy plant based whole food recipe/coffee table books here I have included a 'cook along' with me video at the end of the post for you too! Enjoy! X Harry Makes approx 19cm diameter, 4cm high cake Prep time: 20-30 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Equipment: Blender or food processor Cake: 10 medjool dates, pitted 1 cup almond meal 1/2 cup brown rice flour pinch salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup coconut milk fresh or from a can 1 medium/large ripe banana, peeled Icing: 1 1/3 cups raw cashews 1/4 cup thick coconut milk or coconut yoghurt 65 ml lemon juice (of 1 - 2 lemons) 1 teaspoon fresh miso paste (1/2 amount if not fresh) 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional but worth it!) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I used powder) Optional toppings + ideas: Baked blueberries - put in oven on baking paper for 10-15 minutes Rose petals Crushed pistachios Sliced figs Fresh passionfruit
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celcius, fan forced Place your pitted dates and cashews in 2 separate bowls and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, add the almond meal, brown rice flour, pinch of salt and baking powder. Stir to combine.
Drain your dates and add to a food processor or blender with the coconut milk and banana. Pulse a few times and blend until smooth.
Add this mixture to your dry indredients, fold in and mix until evenly combined.
Line your cake tin with baking paper and spread the mixture over the bottom. Place this in the oven to bake for 45 minutes or until browned and a skewer or knife comes out clean.
While that bakes, make your icing. Drain and rinse your cashews and add them to a blender with all of the other icing ingredients. Pulse a few times to evenly combine and blend until super smooth. Pour into a bowl or jug and place in the freezer to cool while your cake finishes cooking.
This is also when I would put some frozen blueberries in the oven to roast (10-20 mins will do! )
Once your cake is cooked, place it on a cooling rack to fully cool before icing.
Tip** If you do not need to ice your cake right away, instead of placing the icing in the freezer, store it in a container in the refrigerator until it is needed. Ice your cake. I find this cake looks very rustic and real. Don't get too carried away trying to even up the icing or you will go crazy!
Top with your choice of toppings.
I dont think I need to give the last direction, but I will any way... Slice, serve and enjoy! SWAPS: I am asked often for other options to swap some of the ingredients out for. Here are some I suggest that will not compromise the consitency of the cake. Almond meal - sunflower meal or other seed meal Brown rice flour - Buckwheat flour ( any flour will work ) Cashews - it will not taste the same as this however, you could use coconut butter (same qty) Banana - Applesauce Dates - Maple syrup or date paste/more ripe banana Maple syrup - Coconut sugar, date paste Coconut milk - coconut yoghurt, almond yoghurt, plant based milk, coconut cream Coconut yoghurt - coconut milk
Would this cake work as individual muffin size cakes?
Hi Deb,
I would think so. I have not done it myself. Enjoy
Hi Harriet, thank you for your absolutely amazing books that you have created. They’re on my top use each week. Also, I keep coming back for this recipe all the time. Cheers for the good times and all of the amazing plant based recipes out there x
Thank you Elisa!
That is so kind of you to take the time. Super grateful! I am hoping to have some more recipes to you soon! xx