When I was little, whenever my Mom would make desserts that were usually just plain vanilla flavored, she would add a bit of almond as well, making them all the more fragrant. Especially in things like cakes or frosting. It was not a proper birthday cake without almond and vanilla. So now, as an adult, when I think of my Mom's favorite flavors, almond always makes the top of the list.
So this year for Mother's day I thought I would add a bit of almond to the cake I was making, since it makes me think of Mom. A few years ago, I made a blueberry almond lavender layer cake for Mother's day and I thought this year I would make a raw version of it...but better.
That was a vegan layer cake with more cake than filling but the cake I was making this year would have more creamy filling than cake. I did start off with a layer of vanilla almond cake, but I then topped it off with a layer of blueberry and lavender creams, almond cream and fresh blueberries. It was heavenly!
A beautiful cake, inspired by my beautiful Mother! I am so thankful to have her in my life. She is a best friend, a recipe tester and critic, and someone I look up to. I owe a lot to her, and I could not ask for a better Mom! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's day!
Raw Blueberry Almond Lavender Cake
Makes one 6 inch cake
Cake:
1 cup raw almond meal
2 cups raw
coconut flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
12 medjool dates, pitted
2 cups coconut meat*
1/4 cup coconut water
2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar
Cream topping:
2 cups raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
2 cups fresh young coconut meat (or 1 3/4 cups soaked cashews if coconut meat is unavailable)
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar, or your choice of raw liquid sweetener
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds of a vanilla bean
1/2 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
1 tsp pure almond extract
1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers
2 drops du Terra lavender essential oil (optional)
1/2 cup organic blueberries
blueberries for topping the cake
Combine almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt, in a bowl and whisk together until and set aside. To a food processor, add the dates, vanilla, coconut and coconut water, and nectar to the processor and process until pretty smooth. Add the dry ingredients back and process until smooth and well incorporated. Place the batter on a teflex lined dehydrator sheet, in slightly larger than a 6 inch circle and dehydrate for about 8 hours, until dried but still moist in the center. Once dried, trim into a 6 inch circle, place in the bottom of a 6 inch springform pan (greased with coconut oil), and set aside.
To make the cream topping, combine the cashews, coconut, coconut water, coconut nectar, sea salt, vanilla, vanilla bean, and process until smooth. Add the coconut oil with the processor running to incorporate it completely. Once blended, divide the cream mixture into 3 bowls. Whisk1 tsp almond extract into the first and set aside in the freezer. Allow the almond cream to set in the freezer for about 45 minutes or until the consistency of whipped cream. To the second bowl, add the lavender and lavender oil, as well as the natural purple food coloring and stir well. Add the third bowl to the food processor along with 1/2 cup berries and process until smooth and well blended. place back into the bowl.
To assemble the cake, pour the blueberry cream over it and smooth it out to the sides. Pour the lavender cream over that, and smooth the top to the sides. Place in the freezer and allow to set until firm, about 3 hours or so.
Once set, place the almond cream in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively around the sides and the top of the cake (I tinted half of mine purple with more blueberries). Fill in the top of the cake with blueberries. Serve! Store the cake in the fridge.
*If you cannot get fresh coconut meat, soak 2 cups dried coconut for 4 hours then drain. Continue with the cake recipe.
26 Comments
Where do you get the dried lavender leaves from? (if not from your own garden?) This looks amazing!
I buy them in the bulk section at a health food store. Thank you :)!
Oh My Goodness! This looks BEAUTIFUL AND HEAVENLY!!! You just keep amazing me, and it never fails! Thank you for your never ending inspiration!!!! Hugs! ;)
Thanks so much Miliany :)! I try to keep it interesting ;)! Hope you have a wonderful week!
As I was looking at your cake, my own mommy just walked by and said, "that's beautiful!" That makes two of us! As always, lovely job . . . my goodness!! :)
Thank you so much :)!
Goodness gracious that is beautiful! Great job :)<br /><br />Happy Blogging!<br /><a href="http://www.happyvalleychow.com/" rel="nofollow">Happy Valley Chow</a><br />
Thank you :)!
SWEET JEEBUS, that's gorgeous!
Thank you :)!
Before discovering your blog, I had never even considered it possible to make a raw, vegan cake. Now I am in total awe. Everything here is amazing!!
I had the same thought last year before I became raw vegan ;). I am so happy you are enjoying my blog, thank you so much :)!
Do you ever sell? If not, would you? I'm very interested!
Unfortunately not at this point. I do not have the time or the resources.
Is there anything that could be used in place of the almonds and cashews? We are nut free here.... but this looks amazing!
Well, you can use additional coconut flour in the cake, and additional coconut meat in the cream if you do not mind cracking a bunch of coconuts. If you do not mind it being green avocado is also a good option, but you may need a tad more coconut oil to help it set up. Thank you :)!
Hi Amy, I love your cakes! One of the problems I usually have with raw cakes (or the main problem!) is that I need to dehydrate (part of) them. I don't have a dehyrator and I'm not sure If I want to buy one, since I already have so much stuff. Isn't it possible to make those cakes without dehydration? <br />Thank you for answering!<br />Sophie
Well, you can either make the cheesecakes that need no dehydration (which there are plenty of on this blog) or you can use your oven at a low temp. Two options right there ;)!
I am determined to try this beautiful delicious-looking cake but there are some things that I'm unfamiliar with: am I making my own almond flour (or meal) and coconut flour? Just do that in a food processor? I infer that you use fresh coconuts for the coconut water and flour? And please, what is coconut nectar (i.e., how do I make it)? How many coconuts did you use for this all together? Thanks lots! I'm gonna need to get both a processor and a dehydrator, but I imagine it'll be worth it since you have lots of great recipes!
You can click on those 2 ingredients or go to this link: http://fragrantvanillacake.blogspot.com/p/helpful-things-for-recipes-on-this-blog.html, either way there are directions on that page. Yes, I use fresh coconut water. The flour is actually dried finely shredded coconut. I used 4 cups of coconut in this cake, so that is probably about 6 coconuts worth. But if you do not want to mess for that I give substitutions above (or if you cannot get fresh coconut). Thank you :)!
Would it hurt the recipe if I cannot find any lavendar flower? And if I do find them, am I just using the flower part...no stem? Thanks, other than this I have every thing in the cupboards.
Of course not. It will just be a blueberry almond cake which will also be delicious :)! If you want you could add something like a little lemon zest in place of the lavender, that would be good too. If you do find dried lavender, it will just be the flowers, not the stem.
You should be on Food Network TV show. your recipes are amazing! and presentations superb!
Thank you :)!
I've never made a raw cake before. And all of your recipes look and sound amazing. Would you consider doing a video of one of your cake recipes? For us newbies who would love a tutorial on it? Thank you I love your blog and always share it with my friends and family.
I am not doing videos at this point. I do not have the time or the video camera ;). But this might help you: http://www.fragrantvanilla.com/making-the-perfect-raw-cheesecake/