Chelsea Harrison16 Comments

Raw Orange Vanilla Cream Cake

Chelsea Harrison16 Comments
Raw Orange Vanilla Cream Cake

Raw cake always seems to be too good to be true.  Healthy cake!? This one tastes like a creamsicle, but the ingredients are barely more than nuts, honey, and fruit.  No matter how many times I make a raw cake, I am always surprised that it can taste this good and be this good for me.  And remembering to soak the cashews is the only prep-time.  Making the cake only requires about 10 minutes total.  So if you are looking for an easy dessert that is healthy enough you could eat it for breakfast, look no further.

Also, check out my new Recommendations page.  If you've ever been unsure about where to find an ingredient, what kind of equipment I use, or which natural products I like, you can now find it all on that page.  And if you still have questions about a product you don't see there, feel free to shoot me an email and ask!  And no, I'm not sponsored by these products.  I just really like them.  Enjoy!

Raw Orange Vanilla Cream Cake

Crust Ingredients:

1.5 cups walnuts

10 moist dates, chopped

1 tsp water

pinch of salt

Filling Ingredients:

2 cups cashews, soaked 5-8 hours

1/3 cup raw liquid honey

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

1 vanilla bean, scraped

pinch of salt

juice and zest of 3 oranges

 

Line a 6 inch springform cake pan with plastic wrap.  Put all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a ball begins to form.  Press this mixture into the bottom of the cake pan to form an even layer.  Rinse the food processor, and then put all of the filling ingredients into it.  In the food processor, mix the filling until smooth, scraping down the sides when necessary.  This takes about 4-5 minutes to become really creamy, so be patient.  Pour the filling on top of the crust and smooth the top with spoon.  Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours (or longer).  Allow it to thaw for about 20-30 minutes before serving.  I garnished mine with sliced kumquats and a drizzle of honey.  Running a sharp knife under hot water first will make slicing easier.  

For more raw cake inspiration check out these recipes from the archives:

Raw Raspberry Chocolate Freezer Cake

Eggnog &Cranberry Raw Holiday Cake

Raw Cherry Pistachio Tart + Whipped Cream + Stewed Cherries

 

Thank you Whisk & Whittle for the beautiful napkins!

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments

Eggnog & Cranberry Raw Holiday Cake

For Friendsgiving I was put in charge of bringing dessert.  Ok, I volunteered.  While I'm known for bringing raw desserts, I thought maybe for the holidays I'd bake something.  Then I realized Thanksgiving is the perfect day for raw desserts.  Here's why: When I thought about all the heavy cooked foods we would be having for dinner, I realized nobody is going to have room for yet another decadent dish.  And I was right.  By the time we finished eating, I was in the mood for something a bit more refreshing.  Fortunately, I decided to pass up the pies and took my standard cashew freezer cake to a new level by adding some holiday flavors.

The cake is one layer of salty, nutty crust, followed by a creamy dairy-free eggnog layer, topped with refreshing cranberry sauce.  So much holiday goodness in one healthy dessert.  And since it's raw, you won't have to use any valuable oven space.  You can even make it a day or so ahead.  I served this to a groups of my friends who do not usually eat raw foods and everyone loved it.

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments
Eggnog & Cranberry Raw Holiday Cake
Chelsea Harrison3 Comments

Raw Cherry Pistachio Tart + Whipped Coconut Cream + Stewed Cherries

I'm finally coming up for air.  This summer has been a whirlwind. Between a luxurious beach trip, the first ever Naked Fig Dinner Party, a new nutrition client, and my regular cooking gig, I've been super busy.  All this has been incredibly chaotic (albeit fulfilling and fun), and so it feels really blissful to sit peacefully by the river while I write this.

The Naked Fig Dinner Party was truly a blast.  It was such an honor to share what I love to do with such a wonderful group of people.  We dined outside, enjoying great food, wine, and amazing company.  Inside, the talented Madeline Moore transformed the house into an art gallery for guests to view and purchase her work.  Needless to say, we took home quite a few beautiful pieces.  Overall, the event was a huge success and I can't wait to throw another one!

The best part of the dinner was definitely the dessert - a raw cherry pistachio tart served with whipped coconut cream and stewed cherries.  I cannot begin to describe how delicious this was.  You could just take my word for it, but if I were you, I'd make this one.  Seriously.

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments
Raw Cherry Pistachio Tart + Whipped Coconut Cream + Stewed Cherries
favoriteChelsea Harrison10 Comments

Raw Raspberry Chocolate Freezer Cake

Some of you may have already seen this recipe on Into The Gloss, but this one is too good to run the risk of letting you miss it.  So I'm sharing it here as well.  With chocolate and raspberries, this is one dessert that is sure to please everyone.  High in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, you can feel good about eating a slice (or two). 

favoriteChelsea Harrison10 Comments
Raw Raspberry Chocolate Freezer Cake
Chelsea Harrison1 Comment

Chai Spice Creamy Freezer Cake

This is the perfect dessert to bring to your holiday dinner! With mostly raw ingredients and no refined sugar, this healthy treat is so easy to make. 

Chelsea Harrison1 Comment
Chai Spice Creamy Freezer Cake
Chelsea Harrison3 Comments

Banana Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese and Chocolate Frosting

My best friend Emily of Whisk and Whittle makes this amazing cake with caramelized bananas and Nutella.  If you are in the mood for all the butter, flour, and sugar (which sometimes I am!), her cake is definitely the winner.  But last week I was in the mood for that cake, but I wanted a healthier version. I decided to adapt the recipe from my Maple Pecan Banana Muffins to make a healthy gluten-free/refined sugar-free version. And while it is a different cake experience completely, it turned out great!

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments
Banana Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese and Chocolate Frosting