Vegan cakes encore!!

The best thing about dessert is...that it can be healthy too! I know too much of a good thing is not always good, but in this case... France is coming up to speed on living healthy, even though the French lifestyle of croissants, espressos's and cigarettes can beg to differ. I have found some pretty amazing Bio stores lined with all the goodies that my heart desires. For those who loves a good juice burger, chewy chocolate brownie and a glass of dry rose...you'll hear no argue from me! Good food has to be enjoyed, right? Healthy can be just as scrumptious and I guess that the debate between healthy and good food can go on for ages! You'll just have to try one of these cakes to know what I am talking about already!

Matcha and lime cheese cake

Ingredients

Base:

1 cup of buckwheat/oats

1 cup of almond flour or cashews

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 banana

8 dates

1/3 cup almond milk

Pinch of salt

Filling:

3 cups soaked cashews

1 cup whipped coconut cream

1/2 cup honey/agave/coconut sugar (or any other sweetener you prefer)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup almond milk

1 tbsp matcha green tea powder (more if you'd like)

Pinch of salt

1 packet of Agar-agar (If necessary)

Matcha syrup:

1 tsp matcha powder

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/3 cup honey/agave

Decoration:

Shredded coconut

Roasted buckwheat

Method:

1. Place the banana, dates, peanut butter and almond milk in a blender and blend till smooth. Remove and add the rest of the base ingredients, till fully combined.

2. Press the dough flat in to a parchment paper lined cake baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 180°C. Remove to cool.

3. Place the cashews, agave, lemon juice, almond milk, matcha green tea powder, salt and agar-agar in a blender. Blend till smooth.

3. Fold in to the mixture the whipped coconut cream and pour on to the base of the cheese cake. Let it set in the fridge for 30 minutes before adding the matcha syrup and let it set further for a few hours.

4. Remove from the cake tray and decorate with the roasted buckwheat and shredded coconut.

5. Keep refrigerated till it's all gone!!

Cinnabun cake

Ingredients:

3 cups of gluten-free flour(like buckwheat/soy)

1 cup shredded coconut

1 banana

1/2 cup dates

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Caramel filling:

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey or agave

pinch of salt

Cashew cream cheese frosting:

3 cups soaked cashews

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Decoration:

Peanuts

Coconut flakes

Golden cake powder

Method

1. Mash the banana and add the flour, coconut, salt and baking powder.

2. Place the peanut butter, dates and coconut oil in a blender and blend till smooth, or in the microwave for 1 minute. Add to the flour mixture.

3. Add almond milk if the dough is too dry. Roll the dough out in to a rectangular form (slice off the uneven edges) and mix the filling ingredients so long. Place the filling in the microwave for 30 seconds on high to make it more pliable. Smear on to the cinnabun dough and roll it in to a long sausage.

4. Slice off the uneven edges at the ends and start slicing the dough in to circles, about 3 cm in diameter. Until you have about 8 equal cinnabun cookies.

5. Place the cinnabun cookies in a parchment paper lined baking tray squashed closely together.

6. You can make another mixture of honey and coconut oil to pour over the cake to let it set more tightly together and to add a bit off a crispy bake. (1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup coconut oil). Or you can take some peanut butter and smear this in between the cookies to make them stick together beter.

7. Place the soaked cashews, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a blender. Blend till smooth and have a taste to decide whether you would like it more tangy. Add a bit more lemon juice.

8. Remove the Cinnabun cake from the oven to cool, or add the peanuts, frosting and coconut right away and serve while it's hot.

Espresso cake with honey peanut brittle

Ingredients

Cake dough:

3 mashed bananas

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup Peanut butter

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/3 cup almond milk

1/3 cup honey/agave

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

Coffee syrup:

1-2 tsp Instant espresso coffee powder

1/2 cup boiled water

1/2 cup honey/agave/coconut sugar

1. Mix all together and place aside.

Cashew coffee cream:

3 cups of soaked cashews

1/3 cup almond milk

5 dates

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp instant espresso coffee powder

Pinch of salt

Coconut cream:

1 can chilled coconut cream

1/3 cup honey/agave/coconut sugar

Pinch of salt

Peanut brittle:

1 1/2 cup salted peanuts

1 cup honey/agave

Decoration:

Espresso coffee powder

Cocoa powder for decoration

Method:

1. Place the bananas, peanut butter and honey in a bowl. Combine well before adding the melted coconut oil and the dry ingredients. Add a bit of the almond milk if necessary.

2. Pour in to a parchment lined cake baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C.

3. Let it cool down a bit before poking a few holes and drizzling over the coffee syrup. Let it soak up!

4. Place all the cashew coffee cream ingredients in a blender/food processor. Blend till smooth and remove. You can add a bit of agar agar if the consistency is a bit runny.(place in the fridge before assembling the cake).

5. Whip up the chilled can of coconut cream in a bowl. Let it reach the soft peak stage before adding the honey/agave or coconut sugar and the salt. Place in the fridge till assembling the cake.

6. Place the salted peanuts on a baking tray. Pour over the honey/agave till all the peanuts are covered and then let them bake for 10 minutes at 180°C. Once hot and boilling, remove from the oven and then immediately pour onto a parchment paper lined tray, flatten out evenly and place in the fridge to set.

7. Start by assembling the cake by adding the cashew coffee cream to the base then the coconut cream layer, peanut brittle and lastly decorating with the extra Espresso powder and cocoa.

8. This cake can be served at room temperature, but it's safe to leave it in the fridge till serving time.

Kiwi caramel cheesecake

Ingredients

Base:

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup buckwheat or buckwheat flour

8 dates

1 mashed banana

1 tbsp coconut oil

Pinch of salt

1 bar of green almond marzipan (optional)

Salted cashew layer:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey or agave

1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted cashews

1 tsp coconut oil

Filling:

3 cups of soaked cashews

2/3 cup almond milk

1/2 cup coconut cream

1 packet of agar-agar

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup honey/agave

2 sliced kiwi's

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

Decoration

5 sliced kiwi's

coconut

1. Place the dates, coconut oil and mashed banana in the microwave for 1 minute till boiling. Mix well till all is soft and add the coconut, buckwheat and salt.

2. Press the dough flat on to a parchment paper lined cake baking tray. You have the option to bake this base for 10 minutes at 180°C or you can leave it raw.

3. Roll out the marzipan layer and then slice an exact circle size of that of the cake pan. Place on to the cooled cake base.

4. Mix together the peanut butter, honey, chopped cashews and melted coconut oil together.

5. Smear this layer on to the marzipan layer and place in the fridge.

6. For the filling, place all the ingredients (except the coconut cream) in a blender and blend till smooth.

7. Whisk up the chilled coconut cream till it reaches the soft peak stage and then fold in to the cashew cheese cake mixture.(don't over mix these 8. two together)

7. Pour the cashew mixture on to the base and place in the fridge till it is set.

9. Remove from the cake pan and add the sliced kiwi's and shredded coconut just before serving time.