Desserts
Raw Fruit Cake
Looking for a totally raw, gluten-free fruit cake to make for your family's healthy holiday dinner? Here's one that disappears as fast as you can make it!
1 cup dates
1 cup raisins
1 cup prunes
1 cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
Honey
Place the dates, raisins, and prunes in a food processor and mix until combined well. Finely chop the nuts and then mix them along with the coconut, by hand. Add enough honey to moisten then place into a cake pan or mold of your choice. Turn out onto a cake plate and serve
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Summer Fruit Cake - Gluten-Free
· 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
· 1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar (use lower amount)
· 1/4 cup Agave nectar
· 2 tsp vanilla
· 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
· 2 cups Gluten-free flour mix
· 2 tsp xanthan gum
· 2 tsp baking powder
· 1 tsp baking soda
· 1/2 tsp cinnamon
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
· Summer fruit (I used 4 medium-to- large nectarines, peeled and sliced)
· Optional: a light sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar for the top
Grease or spray a 9" or 10" cake pan (I highly recommend a springform pan). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat well.
2. Add the Agave, vanilla, and yogurt and continue beating (don't worry if the batter looks clumpy - it will smooth out after you add the dry ingredients.
3. Mix together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add flour mixture to batter and blend well.
5. Add the eggs, and mix until blended well.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and spread to cover the entire bottom using a knife or spatula.
7. Arrange the fruit on the top of the batter.
8. Optionally sprinkle lightly with sugar-cinnamon mix.
9. Bake for about 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool a bit before cutting. Eat warm or at room temperature. I'm thinking I need to go fill that empty coffee cup. Now! :-)
Karina's Jewish Apple Cake Recipe with Sour Cream
Almond meal gives this gluten-free wheat-free apple cake a satisfying chewy texture. Both blanched and regular almond meal works. Blanched almonds produce a slightly softer flour.
5 medium apples, room temperature, peeled, cored (I use a mix of both tart and sweet apples)
A little lemon juice for spritzing the apples
Wet ingredients:
3 large organic free-range eggs
1 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract [or use Kosher vanilla powder , to taste]
3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
Dry ingredients:
2 cups almond flour aka almond meal
1/4 cup rice or sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch or tapioca starch
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder* see notes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon McCormick Apple Pie Spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
To assemble:
Organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10-inch Springform pan with greased parchment paper. Note: Springform pans are deeper than average cake pans.
Chop the apples and toss them into a bowl; spritz with a little fresh lemon juice. Toss to coat.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, oil and sour cream; beat to combine.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add them into the wet mixture and combine well.
Drain the apples, if necessary (you don't need any extra lemon juice). Toss them in a light sprinkle of cane sugar.
Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Add the drained sugared apples into the batter. Shake the pan a bit.
Add half of the nuts.
Pour the remaining batter on top of the apples; shake the pan again to distribute the batter around the apple pieces.
Add the rest of the nuts to the top and lightly press in.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven. The cake should be done in about 60 to 70 minutes. Test for doneness with a small thin knife. If the cake begins to over-brown before it is done, cover the edges loosely with pieces of foil.
Cool on a rack for ten to fifteen minutes. Loosen the cake gently from the sides of the pan with a thin spatula. Release the clasp and remove the pan ring. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Wrap up leftover cake slices individually in foil; seal in a freezer bag, and freeze. To thaw, unwrap and allow the cake to reach room temperature.
Servings: 8 - 10
REALLY GOOD!!
Flourless Carrot Cake (from NYT) 1 1/2 cups (1/2 pound) unsalted toasted almonds
1/4 cup raw brown (turbinado) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
4 large eggs
1/3 cup organic white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 10 ounces)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Oil a 9-inch springform pan, and line it with parchment. Lightly oil the parchment.
2. Combine the almonds and the turbinado sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Blend until the almonds are finely ground. Add the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest, and pulse together.
3. Beat the eggs until thick in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with an electric beater. Add the organic sugar, and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and forms a ribbon when lifted from the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Add the almond mixture and the carrots in three alternating additions, and slowly beat or fold in each time.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place in the oven, and bake one hour until firm to the touch and beginning to pull away from the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and carefully remove the spring form ring. Allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic.
Yield: Serves 10 to 12.
Advance preparation: This cake is a good keeper if wrapped well. Refrigerate for up to five days.
(have not tried this one, but sounds really good)Watermelon Peach/Nectarine Salad
Fiesta Fruit Salad
(makes 5 quarts)
5 large mangoes
6 firm peaches
1 medium watermelon
1 medium pineapple
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup lime juice
1 tbsp cayenne
· 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
· 1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar (use lower amount)
· 1/4 cup Agave nectar
· 2 tsp vanilla
· 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
· 2 cups Gluten-free flour mix
· 2 tsp xanthan gum
· 2 tsp baking powder
· 1 tsp baking soda
· 1/2 tsp cinnamon
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
· Summer fruit (I used 4 medium-to- large nectarines, peeled and sliced)
· Optional: a light sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar for the top
Grease or spray a 9" or 10" cake pan (I highly recommend a springform pan). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat well.
2. Add the Agave, vanilla, and yogurt and continue beating (don't worry if the batter looks clumpy - it will smooth out after you add the dry ingredients.
3. Mix together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add flour mixture to batter and blend well.
5. Add the eggs, and mix until blended well.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and spread to cover the entire bottom using a knife or spatula.
7. Arrange the fruit on the top of the batter.
8. Optionally sprinkle lightly with sugar-cinnamon mix.
9. Bake for about 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool a bit before cutting. Eat warm or at room temperature. I'm thinking I need to go fill that empty coffee cup. Now! :-)
Karina's Jewish Apple Cake Recipe with Sour Cream
Almond meal gives this gluten-free wheat-free apple cake a satisfying chewy texture. Both blanched and regular almond meal works. Blanched almonds produce a slightly softer flour.
5 medium apples, room temperature, peeled, cored (I use a mix of both tart and sweet apples)
A little lemon juice for spritzing the apples
Wet ingredients:
3 large organic free-range eggs
1 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract [or use Kosher vanilla powder , to taste]
3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
Dry ingredients:
2 cups almond flour aka almond meal
1/4 cup rice or sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch or tapioca starch
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder* see notes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon McCormick Apple Pie Spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
To assemble:
Organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10-inch Springform pan with greased parchment paper. Note: Springform pans are deeper than average cake pans.
Chop the apples and toss them into a bowl; spritz with a little fresh lemon juice. Toss to coat.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, oil and sour cream; beat to combine.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add them into the wet mixture and combine well.
Drain the apples, if necessary (you don't need any extra lemon juice). Toss them in a light sprinkle of cane sugar.
Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Add the drained sugared apples into the batter. Shake the pan a bit.
Add half of the nuts.
Pour the remaining batter on top of the apples; shake the pan again to distribute the batter around the apple pieces.
Add the rest of the nuts to the top and lightly press in.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven. The cake should be done in about 60 to 70 minutes. Test for doneness with a small thin knife. If the cake begins to over-brown before it is done, cover the edges loosely with pieces of foil.
Cool on a rack for ten to fifteen minutes. Loosen the cake gently from the sides of the pan with a thin spatula. Release the clasp and remove the pan ring. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Wrap up leftover cake slices individually in foil; seal in a freezer bag, and freeze. To thaw, unwrap and allow the cake to reach room temperature.
Servings: 8 - 10
REALLY GOOD!!
Flourless Carrot Cake (from NYT) 1 1/2 cups (1/2 pound) unsalted toasted almonds
1/4 cup raw brown (turbinado) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
4 large eggs
1/3 cup organic white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 10 ounces)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Oil a 9-inch springform pan, and line it with parchment. Lightly oil the parchment.
2. Combine the almonds and the turbinado sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Blend until the almonds are finely ground. Add the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest, and pulse together.
3. Beat the eggs until thick in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with an electric beater. Add the organic sugar, and continue to beat until the mixture is thick and forms a ribbon when lifted from the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Add the almond mixture and the carrots in three alternating additions, and slowly beat or fold in each time.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place in the oven, and bake one hour until firm to the touch and beginning to pull away from the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and carefully remove the spring form ring. Allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic.
Yield: Serves 10 to 12.
Advance preparation: This cake is a good keeper if wrapped well. Refrigerate for up to five days.
(have not tried this one, but sounds really good)Watermelon Peach/Nectarine Salad
Fiesta Fruit Salad
(makes 5 quarts)
5 large mangoes
6 firm peaches
1 medium watermelon
1 medium pineapple
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup lime juice
1 tbsp cayenne