Raw lemon and turmeric cake

This raw cake here is my all-time favorite. It is so fresh and flavorful. Not to mention beautiful with this bright yellow color! Usually the people that come by for a visit get a piece of this one, since I usually have it stocked up in the freezer and I even served it on my son’s first birthday, where it was a hit.

Lemon and turmeric raw cake

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

2 hours

 

Recipe type: raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free

Ingredients

• Base
• 100 g cashews
• 100 g almonds/walnuts/pecans
• 260 g soft (or pre-soaked) dates, pitted
• lemon zest from ½ a lemon
• ¼ tsp sea salt
  
• Filling
• 300 g cashews
• 1,5 dL lemon juice
• 0,5 dL water
• 1 dL + 3 tbsp agave
• 1 dL coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• zest of 1 - 1 ½ lemon (depending on size)
• zest of 1 orange
• Spirulina coconut cream (optional)
• 1 can full fat coconut milk or cream*
• ½ tsp vanilla essence, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp icing/powder sugar, optional
• pinch (or ⅕ tsp) of spirulina powder, optional

Instructions

1. If possible, soak the cashews for 30 minutes - both for the base and for the filling - then drain and rinse afterwards before use.
2. For the base: Put the nuts in the food processor and process for about 1 minute. Then put the dates, the lemon zest and the salt in and process until it forms a nice and thick paste.
3. Find your cake pan and put either a baking paper or plastic wrap on the bottom (so it covers the whole tin on the inside), add the paste in and smooth it evenly out with either your fingers or a plastic wrap. Put it in the freezer while you make the filling, and wash your food processor to continue.
4. For the filling: Put the cashews in the food processor and process for about 1 minute. Then put the lemon juice, agave syrup, turmeric powder, coconut oil, lemon zest, orange zest and water in and process for about 15-20 minutes, or until the filling becomes silky smooth and bright yellow. It’s a good idea to stop and scrape down the sites few times during the process.
5. When the filling is ready, pour it into the cake pan, on top of the base layer. Freeze for at least two hours or preferably overnight. Enjoy with a little whipped coconut cream - but feel free to skip it since they cake is just as good on its own.
6. For the coconut cream: Take the coconut cream from the refrigerator, without shaking it, and scrape out only the thickened cream (not the liquid) it in a large mixing bowl. (You can reserve the liquid for e.g. smoothies or soups). Whip the cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the cream is thick enough.
7. Add in the powder sugar, the vanilla extract and the spirulina powder and mix for about an additional minute or two. Taste and adjust as needed.

Notes

- I recommend using a 23 - 25 cm cake pan (9 - 10 inch)

- If you decide to make this one, and possibly freeze it, I would recommend freezing it without the coconut cream. It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 weeks

- When I make it as a birthday cake, I use a 23 cm/9 inch diameter cake pan and sometimes increase the recipe by ⅓ to make the cake even taller

* I usually store my few cans of coconut milk or cream in the fridge, to make it easier to whip up some coconut cream. To make the cream it is essential to use only the hard white part of the coconut, otherwise the cream gets too liquid. Also, I sometimes prefer using coconut cream since it yields more coconut whipped cream than using full fat coconut milk, because it contains more cream and less liquid.

| Allergens - nuts |

Nutrition Information

Serving size: the whole cake is approx. 16 servings | Calories: 314 kcal | Fat: 20 g | Trans fat: 0 g | Carbohydrates: 31 g | Fiber: 3 g | Protein: 6 g

3.5.3251

Cashews are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats. Cashews are very energy-dense but they are great to use for non-dairy and creamy desserts, sauces, smoothies or dips because of their texture. They are also great for snacking, both raw and roasted, as a topping or to make either nut milk or nut butter with.  They are mildly anti-inflammatory and contain vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zink and vitamin K.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant chemical that detoxifies carcinogens and calms inflammation, making it useful for easing auto-immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and allergies. Curcumin helps to prevent the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, and so may protect against conditions like Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Turmeric has also been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even the small amounts can help alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Chron’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Recommended for help with – inflammatory bowel syndrome | rheumatoid arthritis | coronary artery disease | atherosclerosis

Lemons are super versatile and tasty. And if you squeeze a little lemon juice over e.g. banana, apple or avocado before serving it, it will stop them from turning brown, due to a reaction called enzymatic browning. They are an excellent source of the immune boosting vitamin C, which is also vital for healthy skin and gums – among few other vitamins and minerals like folic acid, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Recommended for help with – immunity | colds and illnesses | strong bones | digestive health | easing constipation | reducing risk of cardiovascular disease | blood health | enhanced brain function

Oranges are one of the top sources of the antioxidant vitamin C, which is crucial for strong immunity. They also contain beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that has been shown to help prevent tumour formation and to lower blood cholesterol. Additionally they contain a lot of diatery fiber as well as vitamin B3, B5 and folic acid, to name a few.

Recommended for help with – immunity and fighting colds and illnesses | energy | digestive health | heart health | strong bones and muscles | skin and eye health | tissue regeneration | enhanced brain function