Guest blog – Ellie Bullen from Elsa’s Wholesome Life (she’s wearing the Fleetwood Lace Romper)
With these crisp blue, lWinter skies we’ve been getting, it’s the perfect weekend to get “baking” and picnicking! We’ve been drooling for sometime over Ellie’s amazing Instagram feed, so we asked her if she’d create a special raw cake for our blog! This Mandarin, Lemon & Pomegranate recipe had us at ‘peanut butter choc fudge chunks’!! Perfect for a late afternoon delight to take down the beach!
Find her e-book here
MANDARIN, LEMON & POMEGRANATE RAW CAKE
INGREDIENTS
base
2 cups raw pecans
2 cups coconut flakes
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
pinch of salt
filling
3 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight)
1 cup coconut cream (solid portion)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut nectar (or any liquid sweetener)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon rind
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp mandarin rind
1/3-1/2 cup mandarin juice
peanut butter choc fudge chunks
¼ cup cacao powder
5 medjool dates
2 tbsp coconut nectar
¼ cup natural peanut butter
pinch of salt
HOW TO MAKE!
- To make the peanut butter choc fudge chunks, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scoop out and press mixture firmly into a small container lined with baking paper, place container in freezer to set for at least 1 hr.
- To make the base, add the pecans and coconut flakes to a processor and blend, add the dates and process again, transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the cacao powder, coconut oil, and salt. Press base mixture tightly into the bottom of a circular spring form cake pan (~20cm diameter or as I’ve used, 2 small 10cm pans). Set pan in freezer to set.
- To make the filling, drain soaked cashews and add to high powered blender with coconut cream, coconut nectar, lemon juice and lemon rind. Blend until smooth and creamy, then add coconut oil and blend again.
- Remove half of the filling mixture from the blender (set aside in a bowl), add the mandarin juice and rind to the blender with the other half of the mix and blend again (this makes the bottom yellow layer).
- Remove base and fudge from the freezer. Chop the fudge into 1-2cm cubes, and spread them out over the base.
- Pour the yellow filling over the base/fudge (this layer should cover the chunks of fudge). Place pan back in the freezer to set. To get perfect level layers you may want to leave this layer to set in the freezer for 2 hrs before starting step 7.
- Rinse out the blender and add the other half of filling mixture that was set aside earlier. Add the pomegranate seeds and blend again (if you cant find pomegranates in season you can find dried pomegranate in some supermarkets, or swap for ½ cup frozen raspberries). Pour the pomegranate layer over the top of the yellow layer, and return cake to freezer to set overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove cake from the freezer, remove from cake pan, and top with melted raw chocolate, chopped pecans, pomegranate seeds, and mandarin slices. (allow cake at least 20 minutes to defrost)