Here’s another cake option for birthday celebrations, I’ve also given an option for a loaf cake without icing for everyday eating. This raspberry walnut loaf is quickly made, deliciously light and fluffy in texture, it’s gluten-free fluffy crumb is light.

The fluffy coconut topping is made from whipped Coyo, a pure coconut yogurt. It’s best to whip the coconut icing just prior to serving so the icing is chilled when served. Vary fruit toppings like using raspberries or mango slices for summer, peach slices for late summer and crunchy persimmon for autumn or soft poached pear halves for winter.

Cakes are for special occasions, a time when I sometimes waver the “no sugar” rule for unrefined sugar. Scientific research proves all sugar, regardless of its “exotic” name, is sugar and it’s a myth that one is healthier than the other. If you choose to use sugar, realise the ‘natural’ and wholesome-sounding language used for sugars are still added sugars, the packaging is just more exotic.

Health benefits:

·       Natural coconut yogurt is gluten free, lactose free, soy free and dairy free. A 170 gram serve contains 75 calories and provides calcium, magnesium and B12. Coconut yogurt contains fibre which descreases the risk of constipation and aids digestion. The lauric acid, a fat in coconuts, is helpful to the cardiovascular system by lowering blood pressure and heart rate.

RASPBERRY WALNUT COCONUT LOAF

Use a loaf tin

PB, V, DF, GF option

2 cups (240 g) white spelt flour or GF flour

1 tsp (3 g) baking soda

2 tbsp (20 g) flaxseed meal

¾ cup (165 g) unrefined sugar

pinch of sea salt

4 tbsp (36 g) poppy seeds

1 cup (250 ml.) plant milk

¼ cup (62 ml.) grapeseed oil

zest of an orange

2 tbsp (30 g) apple cider vinegar

1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract

Add for loaf w/o icing:

2 cups (250 g) fresh raspberries + plus 1 cup (125 g) extra for topping

½ cup (70 g) walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180’C. Cut a piece of baking paper the size of the loaf tin and wet it under tap water, squeeze out the excess water and line your cake tin. Add the flour, baking soda, flaxseed meal, unrefined sugar, poppy seeds and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix into a smooth cake batter. Gently mix in raspberries and walnuts. Pour the batter into the lined cake tin. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the cake is spongy to touch in the centre. Set aside on a wire rack to cool. If not icing the loaf, cook the raspberries in a saucepan on medium heat for 5 minutes. Cool and pour over the top of the loaf before serving.

COCONUT ICING

200g Coyo coconut yogurt, refrigerated overnight

1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract

Whip the coconut yogurt using an electric beater until it becomes thick, about 10 minutes. Once it’s thick and holds its shape, drizzle in the vanilla extract and continue whisking until the mixture is quite thick.

Seasonal fruit toppings:

spring - fresh raspberries

summer - mango slices

summer - peach slices

autumn - crunchy persimmon slices

winter - poached pear halves

Assembling - spoon the cream or icing over the top of the cake and spread with the back of the spoon. Top the cake with fresh raspberries either hapasardly or with uniformity like soldiers in a row, bottoms down.