A show-stopper lavender cake filled with raw figs and cherries.Â
Two of my favourite foods are in season at moment – cherries and figs. I found a gorgeous bunch of deep violet lavender at the markets last weekend so was inspired to add a bit to this cake. This is a colourful and tasty festive treat, and using a little coconut meat in the recipe in place of some of the cashews makes it a bit lighter also. It is also without a doubt, my most popular recipe on this website, and I’ve seen many re-creations of it – so if you have a Sunday afternoon free for some un-baking, please try it and send me in your pic!Â
Divine Raw Fig, Cherry & Lavender Cake - the perfect summer dessert. Try it here. Click To Tweet
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. They also are a natural source of the hormone melatonin – which is normally produced by the pineal gland and helps us settle and sleep at night.
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.Â
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.
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Raw Fig, Cherry, Lavender and Honey Cake
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.
Nutrition
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Was this written in a different month or are you somewhere besides the us?
Hi Leah – it is summer here in Australia 🙂
This is stunning. Just beautiful. I have just discovered you and I love you already! Will be trying your recipes for sure! And was doubly impressed to see you’re a fellow Aussie too!
I’m in Hong Kong and it looks like we are going to have an unusually cold and wet christmas. So to bring back some of the delights of the wonderful summer chrstmas’ that I grew up with I am going to make this gorgeous treat to share with friends who have no idea how wonderful a summer christmas is. Thank you for sharing Lauren
Oh… Dammit! I will have to archive this one fur sure- looks amazing!
amo esta pagina,, te felicitoo! <3
Cherries are in season now….May, rings not till August… How did you do this?
You don’t: as far as I know, in Europe, figs’ season is and will always be september and it’s still a wee bit too early for cherries, too. Besides, I personally find it very difficult to find good figs this side of the Alps…
September I know, but they seem to pop up in shops from Spain in August….So shall I freeze some cherries not & try to remember to make this int he summer…..
I know! Grapes in February, water melons in April, tomatoes all year around. No wonder people don’t know that oranges are winter fruits and how a real apricot is supposed to taste!
Barbara Mann Well we got figs here (Europe, Adriatic) twice in the summer. Early ones are ripe now (and through july) and the late ones in september. We also have cherries at the moment and lavender is in bloom. So perfect cake to make right now 🙂
What a wonderful recipe! I have to cook lactose and gluten free and this kind of cake is just for us!
This cake has all of my favorite ingredients. Love it! 🙂
This cake has all of my favorite ingredients. Love it! 🙂 Not to mention it looks amazing!
could I use shredded coconut to replace the coconut meat called for? I already went to the grocery store for all the stuff, and no one in town carries that! helpp please
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.
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!