Sunday, April 22, 2012

Triple Berry Triple Layer Cake


Today starts my 28th year on earth. Yes, it is my 27th birthday- that seems so old when I say [type] it out loud. But the truth is, I believe I am young. I am. And I hope I always believe that.

Today is also 'earth day'. A day to be aware of our place of inhabitance. To be aware of our Creator's mark on every tree, plant and blade of grass. For me, today is a reminder of life and how we are called as bearers of God's image to care and sustain all that He has given us.

Today I celebrate life.
My mantra this year is to "Be Brave".

To be brave to wake up each day and thank God for all His gifts. 

To be brave and not let discouragement and pain get me down. 

To be brave and pursue emotional, spiritual, and physical healing and health with reckless abandon.

To be brave and not let bitterness, grief, and struggle win.

To not give up. To keep going. To try again tomorrow. To strive for better.

You have to be brave when you are a sensitive soul like me. Sensitive inside and out. 

Being brave means that I have to make the choice to think positive when the negative is seeping in.

To be brave I have to dust my hands of and try again when I feel like giving up.

Being brave means you have to dream big and being willing to have faith to follow those dreams. 

Being brave for me relates yes to my life as a whole, but also it is a good application to the gluten-free life too. Especially for beginners. Gluten-free friends- you have to be brave. You have to stay the course, don't give up. Don't let the people [or your own voices] around you get you down. Surround yourself with hope and good ideas for success. 

Especially ideas revolving around gluten-free cake that involves three layers and pink frosting! YUM!
 
Triple Berry Triple Layer Cake
1 1/4 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour
1 cup of tapioca flour
2 TB of ground chia seed meal
1 TB. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar or sucanat
2/3 cup of warmed coconut oil
1 TB of lemon zest
2 ts. of pure vanilla

*buttermilk mixture*
3/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I use So Delicious coconut milk)
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice

*date mixture*
1 cup of dates
1 cup of boiling water

1 1/2 cups of mixed fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries and blackberries

Grind the buckwheat flour out of buckwheat groats and then mix the rest of the dry ingredients with flour and whisk together well. Then add the wet starting with the milk mixture (put milk and lemon juice in separate bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes). Then add the date mixture (boiling water and dates soaked for 10 minutes and then blended in blender or magic bullet). Then add the warmed coconut oil and the rest of the wet stuff. Grease three 9 inch pans with coconut oil and then put about a heaping 1 cup of the batter in each pan. Spread thin over the whole pan and then press about 1/2 cup of the mixed berries over each cake and press into the batter with a rubber spatula. Then put the 3 cake pans in a preheated 350 degree oven (on the same shelf if possible because they will bake the same). Bake for 30 minutes and then pull from the oven and let cool for 1-2 hours before layering with the raspberry cream frosting. 

Raspberry Cream Frosting Recipe
1/2 cup of room temperature organic coconut oil
1/3 cup raw local honey (or agave or maple syrup could sub)
1-2 ts. of raspberry juice and puree 

Whisk all together in a small bowl with a rubber spatula. Whisk till smooth and then top the cooled cakes. Start with the first layer by placing one of the cakes on a cake plate, spread 1/3 cup of the frosting over the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top. I chose to place the barry side of the cake on the top each layer so I basically just stacked all of the cakes on top of each other. Then repeat with the second cake and place the third cake on top. I saved the prettiest cake for the top. You can either decorate the top with a little of the frosting or you can leave open without frosting because the berries are pretty as well. I used a Wilton star point size 32 to make these little stars on top of the cake.  I wanted to use raw local honey in this recipe, but you can easily use agave or maple syrup too. They all have a distinct flavor, so just be aware of how that will affect the frosting. If you are a strict vegan- stay away from honey. I personally have been in love with raw honey lately and loved it on top of this berry and lemon cake as just perfect!
I made a berry cake this year because it is one that I have been dreaming about for months. I have dabbled in experimenting, but I came back to this simple recipe with lots of sweet lovin' from the berries and the cute pink raspberry frosting. I love this cake! It's perfect and adorable in every way. 
Super moist and sweet from the dates. And the honey based frosting is the perfect touch! The cake is gluten and dairy free, but because of the honey it is not purely vegan. I am not a strict vegan and enjoy local raw honey when I can, especially in spring to combat local seasonal allergies. For me, this cake celebrates life's sweetness. And, I don't need to tell you that it is actually very healthy too :) Almost like eating pancakes or a bowl of fruity porridge. But I didn't say that. You would never know :)
And a slice of cake to celebrate a great year and another year to come. 
I love cake and this this ones just for me.  
I hope you find ways to celebrate your own life and continue to be brave with your life. 
Step outside your box, and dream big. Don't loose heart, friend. 

Much love and light to you today

16 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! I hope you have a marvelous day on this Earth Day. Your recipes always inspire me and are delicious. Cheers to a fantastic year ahead!

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    1. Thanks for the comment Laura! Yes, cheers to a great year!

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  2. I think you should come and make me that cake for your birthday = )

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    1. LOL you are hilarious Joelle! I wish I could! :)

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  3. Happy Birthday! Your cake is gorgeous. And you ARE young, but you're right - you should ALWAYS believe that! :)

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    1. Thanks TEAH- young at heart and a new day tomorrow!

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  4. I can't tolerate the bean flours and potato in Bob's Red Mill product. Do you have any experience making this cake or a similar one without those products? This cake looks and sound delicious! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

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    1. Trish I have not experimented with this yet, but I plan too. I think I would start with either subbing with rice flour, millet flour or sorghum flour. Start with 1 cup and see how the batter looks and then add if it is too soft and wet... I want to experiment myself so I will touch base back here when I do!

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  5. What a beautiful post and a beautiful cake, Stephanie! I've so enjoyed getting to know you better as you've shared more of your life this year. You are an inspiration and a gift to the healthy food community. You are so right; it takes courage and bravery to live and cook and eat this way, but we can do it! :)
    Happy birthday! I pray this next year is full of God's best for you! -Emily

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    1. Emily! Thanks for your kind words! Yes, we can do it! And may we both enjoy the process too :) May you and your family be blessed as well! <3 Stephanie

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  6. I love this post, Stephanie. Beautiful sentiments and a Beautiful cake on top of it all. Happiest Birthday Wishes!

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  7. My frsoting isnt fluffy like yours. Its a liquid. :o(

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  8. My frosting isnt fluffy like yours. Its liquidy. :o(

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  9. Hey Stephanie!
    Preparing to make this with last summer's frozen berries & just wondering if you could recommend how much maple syrup to use instead of sucanat? Also if I don't have 3 cake pans of equal size - could I make this with 2? Or use 1 9 inch springform pan? How greatly would that affect the baking time do you reckon?
    Thanks so much!!!
    P.S. How awesome to have a birthday coinciding with Earth Day!!!

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    1. Hello! Yes you can sub in the maple syrup- use 1/2 cup to start and then if you want to taste and see and then add an additional 1/4 cup if you want more.... and yes you can fit the batter into 2 9inch baking pans. I would bake almost the same, maybe 5 minutes longer.... just keep checking with a toothpick to make sure! Thanks

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