Today is Elsa’s birthday! She turns two. It seems like a decade ago that we celebrated her birthday last time. As you probably can imagine we have had our hands full this week, with the launch of our new iPhone app and planning a small birthday party for Elsa (we held the party yesterday and it was a huge success!). So instead of us stressing a recipe together, we invited a dear friend of ours for a guest post. Meet Elenore from Earthsprout! She came up with this incredible raw layer cake, which suits perfect for today. If you have any questions, write them in the comments below or hop on over to Earthsprout. Now we leave the word to Elenore!
Oh, hold on just a second… mmm-m. Let me just.. M-MM! Are you wondering what on earth is going on? Well, I thought it would be a good idea to eat the last piece of this decadent Raw layered cake while I wrote this post but I cannot seem to focus. Anything other than loosing myself in the flavour explosions happening in my mouth comes in second place. Focus, Elenore!
So, this is what’s cooking; I am amongst other things a lover of Mother Earth (more about me and my work in the interview below) and when spring comes around I simply have to celebrate it! This is how the Raw Super-Infused Celebration Cake came to life, and I promise you, after you’ve had a bite of this you will hop around in some silly crazy dance as well.
Me planning the garden / The making of the Raw Chocolate Fudge layer
Some of my Raw Food creations gets a special place in my heart (this would be one of those creations), and in one fell swoop I’m hooked in the very experience of eating. Gosh when the combination of perfect harmony and hidden surprises hits me, that’s when I have succeeded. Succeeded in making the eating part both a blissed meditation and a freaking roller coaster ride. I always feel like a magician when that happens and I love sharing it with You!
Nettle from my Nordic Superfood Mix / Mortar love
I get questions like are you a Vegan/Raw Foodist/Fruitarian/Vegetarian all the time but I think it’s enormously important not to identify one self with what you are eating. Therefore my answer is always I AM me, and anything I eat, I eat because A). It´s delish B). It boosts both my own health and the wellbeing of the planet. (To feel and look energized and fab is an awesome side effect of eating greenylicious things). Simple as that. It does not matter if it happens to be a hot miso soup, a slice of sourdough bread with cashew cheese, an occasional egg (that my mom brings from their hen house), fresh veggies from the garden or Raw chocolate… You get the point. My intuition is what I swear by in the kitchen or when shopping for groceries. Try it, It’s super fun!
I could not stop myself from adding nettle and spinach to the minty layer
Fun & Fabulous Facts
Now, this wouldn’t be a cake á la Earthsprout if it was not both tasty, pretty, and had nutritious superpowers too. All you have to do is check out the list of ingredients below and you have me busted. There is nothing refined, processed, bleached or anything that has harmed others in the making. I like it Pure, Raw, Whole and absolutely amazing (both your booty and the animals will thank you). Raw chocolate is a chapter of it’s own but let me tell you, nature is a miracle worker! When in their natural state, Cacao beans (aka food of the gods) present a wide array of nutrients like magnesium and antioxidants not to mention their positive effect on our cardiovascular health and our insulin sensitivity. This means that eating good quality cacao can actually help preventing both cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Then there is the aphrodisiac part too… Remember that if you add low quality sugar to the chocolate it has the opposite affect = not so hot!
But the raw chocolate was not enough for me when making this cake. My motto is “Go green, Go Hot’n Healthy” so there had to be something with the colour green too. I took some nettle powder from my Nordic Superfood Mix, juiced a few leaves of spinach and added it all to the minty layer. Spinach is among other things smack packed with carotenoids but their usual red/orange/yellow colours are in this case hidden by the amounts of chlorophyll in the pretty leaves (and chlorophyll we LIKE). Carotenoids strengthen your eyes and also enhances the cell communication. Nettle is like all other leafy greens rich in protein. These babies also cleanse your lymphatic system (the dump of the body) and are loaded with minerals, antioxidants, chlorophyll and vitamins.
Enough with the kick-ass powers, go make that cake!
Raw super-infused chocolate cake
Serves 8-10
This cake plays with the colours of spring and all four layers make one amazing eating experience. Remember, this cake is loaded with whole and natural foods, which makes it enormously filling (so do not get scared off by the small size). If you don’t want to make all four layers, no problem! Make candy out of the Chocolate fudge layer or turn the Frosting into a mousse and top with some pomegranate seeds. The sky is the limit!
Pistachio crust
1 cup natural pistachios
1/3 cup yellow raisins
2,5 tblsp water
1 small pinch of Himalayan salt
1. Crush the pistachios in a mortar and add salt
2. Blend raisins and water into a paste and stir down the pistachios.
3. On 3 baking sheets, draw a square that measures 6*6 inches (15*15 cm) and press out the nut dough into the square on one of the sheets. Put in the freezer
Chocolate fudge layer
2 cup dates, chopped & pitted
8 tblsp raw cacao (or regular organic cacao)
1/4 cup cacao nibs (optional)
1 pinch of Himalayan salt
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and mix until a dough-like consistency.
2. Press the fudge into one of the squares and let it rest in the fridge.
Super-infused mint layer
2.5 cup shredded coconut
1 handful fresh spinach, juiced
20 drops of peppermint essence
2 tsp firm honey
2 bananas
1 tblsp nettle powder
1. Make coconut flour by grinding the shredded coconut in a coffee grinder or food processor.
2. Get the juice out of the spinach by juicing them or chop them finely and press out the juice.
3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated and beautifully green.
4. Press into a square on one of the baking sheets and refrigerate.
Frosting
1 cup avocado (2 medium sized)
1 banana
1/2 cup melted coconut butter
8 heaping tblsp raw cacao (or regular organic cacao)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder
1/2 cup chopped & pitted dates
1. Melt the coconut butter carefully over hot water. Remember that the temperature should not exceed 118 degrees (42 grader).
2. Peel the avocado and banana and add all the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until a mousse-like consistency. Ps. Try not to eat it all…
3. Put the frosting in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Arrange
Put the layers on top of one another (see picture) and spread the frosting evenly on top of the mint layer. Dust with some raw cacao and Sea Buckthorn for extra superpowers.
You are a Raw Food chef and organic gardener, tell us about your work?
I started my company Earthsprout both because I wanted a creative space for my passions and because I wish to spread them to the world. Here I work with projects that have superpowers and are close to my heart. Like healthy recipe developing, costume made adventure changes (with natural nutrition), inspirational workshops, photography and organic gardening. Healing the earth while healing the people! Some have called me a green goddess and that I am absolutely fine with;)
Is it true that you live inside of a forest?
It is! Fabian and me live in the cutest little house in the south of Sweden, surrounded with oak trees, wild animals, water springs (our next-door neighbour is the sky). Come visit and I’ll make you a green juice!
What is your favorite ingredient in the kitchen?
I’d say my camera but since It’s quite hard to digest I will have to say that my all time favourites would be anything I have grown myself. Those veggies are so loaded with love and care! I’m a harvesting nerd!
What is the story behind your Nordic Superfood Mix?
Years ago when I started to learn about Raw Foods, I got the Superfood craze just like everyone else, but after a while I realized the stupidest thing. While I ordered Spirulina and Maca from the other side of the planet, Nordic Superfoods grew at my very feet. So I created a Nordic Superfood Mix! All ingredients are locally harvested by hand (kind friends and family), prepared á la Raw Food and exciting both for the eye and the taste buds. The third round is about to get ready and I’m looking all around for great places & companies that can sell it. Do contact me if you are interested in hearing more about the Nordic Superfood Mix!
Do you have any fun upcoming events?
I will be a part of THE greatest ever Healthkick course held in Andalusia at Casa Acequia where I spent my last year tending the gardens. The course will be loaded with the latest of knowledge in the world of natural nutrition along with crazy kitchen inspiration. As if that was not enough there will be visualization- and hypnosis practice, meditation and easy dance & yoga. All surrounded by olive trees, a pool, organic gardens and spring in Spain. The holiday you’ve always wanted to go on! There are actually still a few spaces left so get on that list before the 9th of March! I know I’m excited:)
Much love and an empty plate dusted with cacao…
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