Latest Recipes
Raw Vegan Neapolitan Cake
Watch the video for this recipe:
Last week we celebrated both my birthday anniversary and our eight's wedding anniversary :) Wow.. I can't believe how fast years can fly. For my birthday I received my best gift ever, my husband surprised me and didn't tell me till the last moment that I was about to experience my first skydiving.. it was totally out of order and definitely took me out of the routine. Taking my adventure out from the kitchen to a different new area, will definitely be a memorable experience for my entire life..I hope will do this again sometime.
For our wedding anniversary I really wanted to make a cake, a really special one, something I've never done before. I've always wanted to try a raw vegan cake, and found this anniversary a perfect time for it.
This Raw Vegan Neapolitan Cake turned out really great. I've made it already for two times in no more than a week.. is that good. A perfect chocolaty crust, chocolaty smooth layer, strawberry and vanilla layers follow after.. and topped with some cocoa nibs which bring a nice texture and taste to the final cake. It looks so good with all these layers and tastes absolutely divine.
There are some popular trends in diet right now, like being vegetarian, raw-vegan, paleo, gluten-free ... I don't want to consider myself in any of these categories. I don't eat meat very often, and when I do it's mostly organic poultry and fish, but don't want to ever become a vegetarian. We all eat raw or vegan dishes sometimes, but wouldn't like to restrict myself to only raw or vegan dishes. And this can apply to gluten free or paleo recipes as well.
I simply like good food and this cake is simply good, no matter the category is included. You don't have to follow a raw or vegan diet, paleo or gluten free to enjoy this cake, though for those concerned this cake can be included in all of these diets. This Neapolitan cake is simply a decadent delightful dessert that everybody is going to love.
Related Posts:
Oatmeal Bars
Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Mini Walnut Tarts With Homemade Ice Cream
Recipe slighted adapted after Gluten-Free Vegan Love
- Makes one 6 inch round cake, about 8-10 servings
- Crust
- 1 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Filling - Vanilla base
- 1 1/2 cups (240g) raw cashews, soaked in water 4-6 hours then drained
- 1/2 cup liquid sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave nectar, raw honey if not vegan)
- 5 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1 large lemon)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Additional Ingredients for Chocolate Layer
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp liquid sweetener of your choice
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Additional Ingredients for Strawberry Layer
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- Chocolate Topping, optional
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp liquid sweetener of your choice
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Garnish, optional
- cocoa nibs
-
Prepare the crust: Place dates, ground almonds, cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor and blend until crumbs form. Add coconut oil and process some more until the mixture is well combined and stick together when squeezed between your fingers.
-
Press well the crust mixture into the bottom of a 6 inch springform pan using your fingers or the back of a tablespoon or even the bottom of a glass. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
-
Prepare the vanilla base: Add all ingredients for vanilla base, presoaked cashews, lemon juice, liquid sweetener, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt into the bowl of a blender and process until creamy and smooth.
-
Remove one third of the mixture into a bowl for the vanilla layer, and another third of the mixture for the strawberry layer, in another bowl.
-
Add the additional ingredients for the chocolate layer over the remained cashew mixture into the blender and process until smooth and creamy. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the crust using a rubber spatula to spread it out. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set before adding the next layer.
-
Meanwhile rinse the blender and prepare the strawberry layer. Add the vanilla base mixture from one of the bowls that were set aside into the blender, add frozen strawberries and blend until smooth and creamy. Remove the pan from the freezer and gently pour the strawberry layer evenly over the chocolate layer. Freeze for another 15 minutes or until set before adding the next layer.
-
Remove the pan from the freezer and gently pour the remaining third of vanilla base from the bowl that was set aside over the strawberry layer. Smooth out evenly again using a rubber spatula.layer. Place in the freezer to firm up for 15 minutes while you prepare the chocolate glaze if desired. If not just let it freeze for at least 2 or 3 hours. I let it overnight.
-
If you want to decorate the cake with some chocolate start preparing the chocolate topping by combining the ingredients into a bowl. Cut the corner of a small plastic bag making a 1/8 inch or even smaller hole, and place the mixture into the bag. Remove the pan from the freezer and create a chocolate spiral or drizzle it anyway you desire over the cake. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.
- Store the cake in the freezer, but leave it out for 15 minutes to thaw out before serving. Decorate the cake edges with cocoa nibs for a wonderful look and texture.
Thank you Jess.. yes.. it's gluten free too.. but the best thing is that it tastes soo good..and I'd say it's quite elegant too
Thank you so much for stopping by:) I am so glad you like my version of this cake.. for me was pretty hard as it was my first attempt of making a raw-vegan cake. Didn't really know what to expect. I really like the taste and look and surely will make it more often. I am really happy you like my crescent rolls recipe as well. seems we will be following each other more from now on :) Sorry about the broken link.. didn't notice.. now it's fixed.
Cashews are the perfect nut for making creamy raw desserts, when soaked in water for few ours and processed get a wonderful smooth cream with a subtle taste. I've been searching for the best substitutes to raw cashews and it seems that pine nuts, soaked as well, may have a similar behavior and subtle taste as cashews. Hope you can find pine nuts. Let me know if any other questions.
Thank you Gina, I am glad you like it. Hope you will try it out, it is delicious. What about using walnuts instead of almonds, I have used walnuts before in crusts and loved it. Wow, I can't believe you made your first skydiving at 50 :) You are so cool :)
I am really glad you liked this dessert:) it is wonderful - I didn't want to say that vegan diet is restrictive, as I know there are so many delicious ways of preparing vegan dishes, I was just trying to say I don't want to restrict myself to a specific diet. I like to taste from everything so I can have different culinary experiences even if I have a tendency to prefer vegetarian dishes.
Hmm.. I don't know, did you add more vanilla extract? Maybe from the vanilla.
You can try raisins, or even figs. I would probably use raisins if I didn't have dates on hand.
I just grounded up some almonds, this is what I usually do. I rarely buy almond flour which is actually the same thing, but I like to control how finely grounded my almonds should be. Sometimes I like to feel the texture more.
I am so glad you like this recipe. I think it is one of the best I've made too :) I think it will work if used only strawberry layer, and frozen will keep really well. It's a good idea serving strawberry cashew cream in chocolate cups. It will be delicious. I think the cashew cream is delicious on other desserts as well. but I am not sure if it keeps it's shape so good. Let me know if you give these ideas a try. You made me curious. :)
I don't really know.. it doesn't contain refined sugar but it is sweet from all the fruits inside and sweetener (dates, strawberries, honey or maple syrup)
You are right, it can be done without crust too, and still have a great taste.. though I really love the texture the crust brings. I understand that for people with diabet it might be better without, that's for sure
You just have to increase everything with another half for each.. where it says 1 cup you should just use 1 1/2 cups.. 1 tbsp will be 1 1/2 tbsp.. and so on.. hope is clear. Let me know if any other questions:)
yes.. you can definitely use simple honey.. will be as good:) sorry for the late answer.. hope you will give this recipe a try.. it's so delicious
I'am glad to hear that, Thais,!
Post a comment