Raw Autumn Dream Cake
Cool winds rustle the leaves on the trees and cause them to flutter to the ground. They crunch beneath my feet as I run down the path admiring the vibrant colors they provide. The air is crisp, and the scent of bonfire wafts through it. The squirrels scurry around gathering their provisions for the winter, and the geese and ducks are gathering around the pond. Autumn is here.
I love this time of the year. Running through the crunchy leaves, the gorgeous sunsets and the comfy sweaters that I wear to go out on an evening walk and admire the sunset. It is simply beautiful, everything about it. Don't get me wrong, I love summer too, but nothing compares to the beauty of the landscape of Autumn with her vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. It makes me happy.
The things I find at the farmer's markets this time of year too bring joy as well. The beautiful squash, sweet apples, and pears...it is all so good, and sparks my creativity. I love a good apple or pumpkin pie, but raw cakes made with these ingredients are my favorite. Last week I was inspired by the vibrantly colored trees, and I created this Raw Autumn Dream Cake. It had all of my favorite flavors of autumn included. Apples, squash, and spice. But I did not want any one ingredient to stand out, I wanted them to marry together into a beautiful tasty masterpiece.
It was delicious. It tasted like the essence of autumn. Sweet from the apples and squash, aromatic with spice, maple and vanilla, and creamy melt in your mouth texture. Swirled together, and almost too pretty to eat. But who am I kidding, I dove right in and devoured a slice. I hope you all are enjoying your Autumn as much as I am!
Raw Autumn Dream Cake
Makes one 6 inch cake
3/4 cup dried finely shredded coconut
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped (if they are not soft, soak them in water until they are and drain them well)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Filling:
4 cups young coconut meat*
1/4 cup coconut water
2 tsp maple extract
1 Tbsp cinnmon
2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup raw coconut butter (warmed to liquid)**
1 cup chopped sweet apple (such as honeycrisp or pink lady)
1 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp coconut butter
1 cup chopped sweet orange squash or pumpkin (sweet potato or carrot will work too)
1/2 cup chopped red beets
1/2 cup chopped carrot
To assemble the cake, drop the fillings randomly over the crust, by the tsp, until you have filled the pan. Tap the bottom of the pan on the counter to level, then use a knife to create large swirls (I like to go from the outside in a spiral to the center, snail fashion), then a smaller knife to create smaller swirls (go wild with this one and have fun, it is hard to mess up). Place the cake in the freezer and let chill for about 4 hours until firm before serving. Store any extra cake in the fridge.
**If your coconut meat is very soft and watery, you may need to add a few More Tbsp coconut butter.
