I made Seasonal Rhubarb & Orange Crumble Cake a little while ago. I was quiet happy with it, especially the texture. So I thought I could adapt it for further use! I have to apologise though- there are pics of the sorbet but the cake pictures are not up to par. I thought I took a picture of my berries- nope. I thought I took a picture of the cut cake- showing the crumb and melted berries in it- nope…I just ate it. So I will put a pic of the Rhubarb cake in so you get an idea of the cakes texture at least! 😦

It has a creamy caramel colour due to the coconut blossom sugar.* It has a lovely fruity flavour, as one would expect, what with it having berries in it. It is the fruit puree that gives it an overall … fruity almost summery taste. I used some defrosted organic mixed berries I had, but fresh ones would of course be great too. Lots are in season here now, we had such a lovely spring there seems to be a bounty crop this year! This cake would make lovely faery cakes (cupcakes). Just reduce your cooking time by five or six minutes.

Dark Vanilla Berry Summer Sponge Cake

• I cup of apple and strawberry puree (200g)
• Three and a half dessertspoons of melted coconut oil
• A quarter cup of xylitol
• A quarter cup of coconut blossom sugar
• A third of a cup of hot water- for right near the end
• A third of a cup of buckwheat flour
• Half a cup of ground almonds
• Two thirds of a cup of fine maize meal
• An eighth of a teaspoon of himalayan pink salt or sea salt
• One teaspoon of vanilla powder- two pods/ teaspoons of extract
• One teaspoon of gf & aluminium free baking powder
• Half a teaspoon of gf & aluminium free baking / bread soda
• One teaspoon of gf cornstarch
• Two/ three dessertspoons of defrosted or fresh berries
• I used a mix and chopped the strawberries so everything was the same size

* If you would prefer it the more traditional pale colour you can use all xylitol or replace the coconut sugar with agave and increase the dry ingredients by a few dessertspoons.

Method:

You will need a 7.5inch/ 20cm cake tin, if using a metal one be sure to line the base.

Preheat your oven to 170C/340F/ or 180C/350F if not a fan oven.

There are lovely sugar free mixed organic fruit purees you can get here by Clearspring. If you cannot get your hands on something similar then just sugar free apple puree will do.

Grab a perspex bowl and pop in your fruit puree and coconut oil. Put them into your preheating oven, this is so your coconut oil melts and your puree warms. Add in the xylitol and coconut blossom, stir stir stir and you will find the sweet stuff melts into the mixture.

In another bowl and throw in your flours, salt and vanilla powder. Sieve in the baking powder, soda and cornstarch. Mix and make sure there are no lumps.

Now for the fast bit. Ensure your cake tin is at hand. Add your hot water to the wet ingredients, mix through and pour into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until there are no dry lumpy bits and toss in your berries and give a quick stir. Pour into your cake tin and put straight in the oven. The hot water starts to react with the soda so it can’t be left sitting about the place.

It takes about 25 minutes. It is done when coming away from the sides of the tin, the top has little cracks and if you stick a skewer or knife in it  comes out dry.

Enjoy with vegan vanilla ice-cream (suggestion not an order). OR with….

Strawberry Mint Sorbet

• About two and half cups or 250g of frozen strawberries
• Two dessertspoons of organic dark raw agave
• Four big mint leaves

Soo I took the leaves off my Irish strawberries, washed them and popped them in the freezer over night. I advice chopping the berries before freezing, as even in the crazy strong jug blender the whole ones were like little rocks bopping about the place. They took ages to blend.

This is so easy. Put the CHOPPED frozen berries, agave and mint in your blender/ food processor and blend them to a liquid. Put in a freezer safe container and put in the freezer for at least three hours. Or use an ice-cream sorbet maker!

If you are good at quenelle-ing you can do that..or pop it in a ramekin like I did!

Hope you enjoyed the berry fest! Xs Aissa