A show-stopper raw Lavender Cake, with fresh juicy figs, cherries and honey. Sweet, creamy, fragrant and vibrant.
I found a gorgeous bunch of deep violet lavender at the markets last weekend so was inspired to make a Lavender Cake.
This is a colourful and tasty festive treat, and is a bit lighter in texture than a traditional raw cake – using a blend of cashews with fresh coconut flesh.
This Lavender Cake is…
- The most dreamy soft lilac colour – the raw ingredients really let the colour shine. You wouldn’t get the same effect naturally with a cooked cake
- Raw, dairy, egg and gluten free
- Has mood-elevating effects (thank you lavender!)
- Is packed with antioxidants
- Special enough to serve as a Wedding cake (in fact, one reader has done just this)
[bctt tweet="Divine Raw Fig, Cherry & Lavender Cake - the perfect summer dessert. Try it here."]
Lavender, cherries and figs all have some wonderful health benefits...
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia (common name – English lavender), is the therapeutic variety, with considerable mood elevating, anti-anxiety effects.
Used widely in herbal medicine to treat restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, depression and headaches – most often as an infusion (tea) or fluid extract.
Aside from its positive effects on the nervous system, lavender also supports the digestive system, where it acts as both carminative and spasmolytic – in other words, it relives intestinal gas and spasms.
The essential oil is valuable topically for irritated, inflamed skin conditions, minor burns, insect bites and stings.
Medicinal lavender looks quite different to ornamental lavender – and the lavender I have here in these photos is indeed the therapeutic variety. It is safe (and preferred) for culinary use – having a much sweeter and fragrant taste.
If the floral notes are too strong for your preference, you can try dry-roasting the flowers to mellow them out.
Cherries
Cherries share similar qualities with other berries – they have flavonoids called anthocyanidins that give them their beautiful deep, bluey-red colour.
This makes them a strong anti-inflammatory agent and can even block the sensations of pain in the body much like ibuprofen can (if you eat enough of them!).
Cherries are also an incredible source of melatonin. Melatonin is an antioxidant and hormone, produced endogenously by the pineal gland in response to darkness. It is responsible for helping regulate our sleep – in fact, it is available in supplement form specifically for insomnia.
Cherries are such a rich source of this hormone, that you take them therapeutically in the form of pure, tart cherry juice concentrate, before bed to help you sleep.
Adequate melatonin levels are needed in order to rest and reset the immune system overnight.
Figs
One of the most ancient of fruits – figs were originally grown in Egypt, before they arrived in Greece. Nutritionally, they are rich in minerals and fibre.
A rich source of potassium, they help to control blood pressure. Of all the fruits, they are one of the most alkaline, contributing to a balanced pH level within the body.
This is important as ill health can make a presence in even a slightly acid environment.
Fun fact - according to the Doctrine of Signatures (an ancient theory whereby whole foods were seen to have a unique pattern or form that represents an organ in the body, lending clues as to its nutritional healing potential), figs are full of seeds and hang in pairs when they grow – therefore making them a great food choice for male fertility.
If you applied this wisdom to cherries – especially the rich, deep black variety, you will see that it symbolises the juice of life and new birth.
Figs
One of the most ancient of fruits – figs were originally grown in Egypt, before they arrived in Greece. Nutritionally, they are rich in minerals and fibre.
A rich source of potassium, they help to control blood pressure. Of all the fruits, they are one of the most alkaline, contributing to a balanced pH level within the body.
This is important as ill health can make a presence in even a slightly acid environment.
Fun fact - according to the Doctrine of Signatures (an ancient theory whereby wholefoods were seen to have a unique pattern or form that represents an organ in the body, lending clues as to its nutritional healing potential), figs are full of seeds and hang in pairs when they grow – therefore making them a great food choice for male fertility.
If you applied this wisdom to cherries – especially the rich, deep black variety, you will see that it symbolises the juice of life and new birth.
Tips for making the perfect raw Lavender Cake
The cake base is made with a blend of macadamia nuts and desiccated coconut. I went for luxury (macadamia nuts) but you can use cashews as an alternative.
What is date paste? Date paste is a great thing to have on hand in the fridge when making raw desserts. Often times, dates can be a little tough and dry, and by blending them with a small amount of water to make a paste, you now have something much juicier to work with. This will be advantageous in brownies, mousses, and tart bases for example - especially when you are pressing it into a scalloped pie tin.
When choosing dates, try and find the Medjool variety, they are the plumpest, and have a great caramel taste to them.
Date paste will keep in the fridge for weeks. You can also freeze small portions if you know you won’t be needing it in a hurry.
To make a batch of date paste, soak 4 cups od juicy, pitted Medjool dates in water until soft. Then drain, and add to a food processor with ¼ cup fresh water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
You can use date paste in any recipe that calls for dates:
1 tablespoon of paste = 1 whole date.
The filling is made by blending soaked cashew nuts with young coconut meat, then adding the other ingredients to flavour. Young Thai coconuts have the sweetest flavour – and you’ll need to crack them open and scoop out the flesh inside.
It should be soft but hold together well. If it’s too firm, it won’t give a creamy result, and if it’s like jelly, the cake will be too watery.
Psyllium husks are included in the filling, to act as a binder. You can find them at a natural health store, they’ll likely be sold as a natural laxative (they’re pure fibre!).
Honey can be substituted for pure maple syrup if the recipe needs to be vegan, however it does really compliment the flavour profile.
Finally, you’ll need to allow time to set the cake in the freezer before serving. Decorate with fresh sliced figs and lavender flowers / stalks.
Gorgeous! Hope you enjoy this stunning Lavender Cake - it tastes as good as it looks, see you next week,
Lauren. x
More vibrant, plant-based cakes
- Snickers Cake with Vegan Caramel and Chocolate Drizzle
- Chocolate Beet Cake with Avocado Frosting
- Vegan Ginger Cake with Cashew Lemon Icing
- Raw Mango and Passionfruit Cake
If you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating below. And better yet – leave me a comment to tell me how you got on, or just say hi – I LOVE hearing from you. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to see more of my everyday recipes and wellness tips.
If you’d like to chat with me about essential oils, or book in a class, you can do that here. If you’re after a Naturopathic consult, read more here.
Raw Lavender Cake with fresh cherries and figs
Ingredients
BASE:
- 2 cups macadamia nuts (or cashews)
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup date paste
- 2 pinches Himalayan rock salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
FILLING:
- 1½ cups cashews soaked overnight
- 1½ cups young coconut meat this will be about two coconut’s worth
- ¾ cup nut milk
- ½ cup raw honey vegan alternative: ½ cup brown rice syrup / pure maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil
- juice of one lemon or ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon organic dried lavender
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
- 2 pinches Himalayan rock salt
- 2 tablespoons psyllium husk
- Additional water to assist the blending if needed perhaps a few tablespoons
- 1 cup red cherries pitted
- 3 large plump fresh figs
Instructions
BASE:
- Blend everything in a food processor till a nice dough forms.
- Pat firmly into the base of a 7½ inch cake pan lined with baking paper.
- Set aside while you make the filling.
FILLING:
- Blend the cashews, coconut meat, milk, honey, coconut oil, lemon juice, lavender , salt and vanilla paste till smooth. You may like to do this in two batches, for ease of blending.
- Now add the psyllium husk and blend again. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In a food processor, quickly blitz the cherries and figs, then fold this through the rest of the filling.
- Pour the filling over the base of the cake and set in the freezer.
- Transfer to the fridge to soften a little before serving.
Notes
- You can certainly opt for a shorter soaking time for the cashews - 2 hours should be fine - though you need a quality high power blender in order to get a smooth texture. The longer you soak, the smoother the end texture.
- Cashews can be used in place of macadamia nuts for the base.
- Thai coconuts are the sweetest - the flesh should be soft but hold together - not too tough, and not jelly-like.
- Psyllium husks are needed to help the filling thicken and hold together.
Nutrition
Alex Mercer
Hi Lauren, I'm super excited to try your recipes, but it would be really helpful if you could provide the ingredient quantities in grams. If you could tell me what your conversion ratio is that would be awesome. Thank you.
Ascension Kitchen
Hello Alex! Thanks for the feedback - I will try and take it on board for future recipes - as for the ones already posted, perhaps you could google some conversions? Hope you enjoy them!