Celebration Cake.

I have just finished a week of sheer madness: hello home renovations! Lots and lots of painting, shoving, cleaning, sorting, storing, etc. But today I am done. Phew! So, to celebrate, I baked a cake, of course :)

Chocolate-y Cake with Honey Lavender Cashew Cream
This cake is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.

Cake

1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1/2 cup carob or cocoa powder
1 cup dried dates, soaked in 1.5 cups water
1/2 cup melted coconut oil or other veg oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt

Combine dry. Combine wet. Mix wet into dry. Pour batter into a lined cake pan (round or square will do). Bake for 35 minutes at 350F. Makes 10-20 pieces of cake (depending on size desired). Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cover the cake with icing of choice or serve each piece with a drizzle/dollop of cream (recipe below).

Cream

1 cup cashews
2-4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lavender buds
1 teaspoon vanilla

This is the cashew recipe I served with apple crisp earlier in the Summer; however when I made it this time I added too much water so it was more like a drizzle than a "cream". I like it either way.

Start with less water to get a thick cream and add more if you want to drizzle the sauce on (or to the side) of the cake. Blend all ingredients in a blender. Refrigerate before serving about 30 minutes (this will chill it and thicken up).