Day of my 22nd birthday came and I couldn't wait to create the perfect birthday cake and celebrate this spacial day. With this occasion I also decided to introduce myself properly and tell you more about me and why I'm writing this blog. I was born and raised in Slovakia and after finishing high school I moved to Sweden where I now live with my boyfriend, and study swedish language. I studied graphics design and my goal is to continue studies at a university in Sweden. I'm hoping to achieve this goal next year.
So why this blog and why raw food? I suffered from pancreatitis since I was 12 and my condition tended to worsen. I experienced several pancreatic seizures despite the medicine I took with every meal I ate. I use to eat unhealthy foods anyway and didn't believe I could ever get better. I would get angry and depressed every time I got a seizure. My mother (a doctor by the way) believed though that proper diet would solve my problems and started to talk about raw food. No cooking at all? I thought this must be some crazy idea. But I listened and even did my own research. I learned that meat and dairy products are not only cruel to consume but they are also unhealthy for me. I stopped eating meat, sugar and flour, cut down on dairy products and my health improved. First time since I was 12, I felt better. I decided to give the raw vegan diet a shot. And now after almost two years of raw vegan life style, my seizures ceased and I never felt better and more myself. I discovered I have much more energy and started with running and working out, which felt easy and fun instead of hard and boring.
I also found raw "cooking" to be real fun and it became one of my hobbies. I started with creating my own recipes and was told that I should have a blog. As a graphic designer I have experiences with photography so nothing stood in my way and I created this blog. I have a lot of recipe ideas so it'll be here for a while, I even think about creating a recipe ebook.
Something more you should know about me? I love all kinds of animals, fitness and newly even yoga, which I found to be very challenging, sewing and remaking my clothes (I'm also big fan of fashion design), reading. drawing, photography and as I already mentioned, graphics design and all kinds of art. My biggest inspiration is my boyfriend who supports all my crazy ideas and very patiently listens to my monologs about nutrition.
Now when I exhausted you with my story, let me tell you something about this gorgeous cake. I wanted to create something elegant and classy. Cherries are my favourite summer fruits and I wanted to use them as main ingredient. The core of this cake is all made from fruits and coated with creamy white coconut frosting. I couldn't wish to have a tastier cake, it was absolutely perfect and luscious. It made my day and I can honestly say I had a beautiful birthday!
Raw Single Cherry Birthday Cake
makes one 9-inch cake
Cake:
2 cups medjool dates, pitted
1 cup dried figs
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (I used dried pineapple)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cherry cream:
2 cups soft dates, pitted, soaked overnight
2 cup cherries, pitted and sliced
juice of one lime
Coconut cream frosting:
2 cups cashews, soaked overnight
1 cup full fat coconut cream
2 Tbsp raw agave syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
One single cherry for the top
9-inch springform pan
To make the cake: Place all ingredients in your food processor and processes until you get formable batter.
To make the cherry cream: Place all ingredients in high speed blender and process until smooth. Save two Tbsp of cherry cream for decorative frosting, you will add it to coconut frosting to make pink roosting for bottom of the cake.
To make the coconut cream frosting: Combine all ingredients in high speed blender and blend until smooth, place in freezer to set until firm.
Assembly: Grease the bottom of 9-inch springform pan with virgin rape oil. Press half of the batter into springform. Top with 1/2 cup of sliced and pitted cherries and spread on cherry cream. Take the other half of the batter, form in flat circle and gently cover the cream so you get the second batter layer. Repeat the process with cherries and finish with cherry cream on the top. Place in freezer for about 4 hours.
Remove the ring from your springform and carefully place the cake on decorative plate. Spread and cover with coconut frosting. Prepare the pink frosting by mixing 2 Tbsp of cherry cream and 1/2 cup coconut frosting, place in pastry bag and decorate the bottom of the cake. Use the remaining coconut frosting for decorating the top of the cake and place your single cherry in the middle. Place in freezer for about an hour before serving and store in fridge.