VEGAN COCONUT, STRAWBERRY AND BASIL CAKE
VEGAN COCONUT, STRAWBERRY AND BASIL CAKE
Recipe
People often associate basil with things like pasta sauces but, in this recipe, the fragrant leaves balance perfectly with the lightness of the coconut and the tangy sweetness of the strawberries.
SERVES 12
FOR THE CAKE
150g spelt flour
75g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
75g desiccated coconut
100g unrefined golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
125ml coconut oil, melted or rice bran oil
250ml coconut, almond or oat milk
20 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
200g fresh strawberries, diced
FOR THE VEGAN COCONUT GLAZE
125g icing sugar
50g desiccated coconut
3 tbsp coconut, almond or oat milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOP WITH…
Handful of fresh basil leaves
5-6 fresh strawberries, chopped
fresh flowers (optional)
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius fan bake. Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, coconut and sugar.
- Add in the vanilla, oil, milk and chopped basil leaves. Stop your mixer once all of the ingredients are combined; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the tin and dot in the diced strawberries, pressing them down lightly with a spoon.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minuted before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, make the vegan coconut glaze. Beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Spread the glaze on the cooled cake and refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow it to set.
- Top with basil, more strawberries and fresh flowers.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.