January marks an extremely important time of celebration for TWO people in my immediate family…Her Royal Fluffiness and yours truly. On HRF’s first birthday, I decided to make a grain free chocolate cupcake topped with a delicious dairy free date-sweetened chocolate mousse (that is to DIE for). Here’s a picture of her enjoying said birthday cupcake…
Can you feel the chocolate love? All Miss Thang could do was turn her face away, grimace, and SPIT OUT the chocolate! No matter how many times I tried, she would NOT have it. So, my thoughts were, “Hey, more for me!” “Poor darling doesn’t enjoy chocolate…”
When my birthday rolled around, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner, prepared by my lil’ Italian mother who loves nothing more than to feed people who enjoy food. That’s where I we come in. But what did you expect? My first word was “toast” (True story. It’s documented in my baby book.) Gluten addictions run deep over here, very deep. But I digress…
My mom has always been very supportive of the dietary path we’ve chosen for our food sensitivities and gut “issues” and always takes great care to cook within our needs. I knew it would be a delicious dinner and could rest easy that my girlie and I wouldn’t have tummy troubles later. Since it was my birthday and I was craving a lemon cake Not wanting her to be bogged down with making dinner AND dessert, I offered to bring the birthday cake!
My mom and stepfather happen to have the most beautiful Meyer lemon tree. The lemons that come off of this tree are usually mistaken for oranges, as they are richly colored and bulging with juice. Can you hear it? I n s p i r a t i o n.
I went to work creating this grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free Luscious Lemon Torte. Why? Because I’m hungry and I like food that tastes good, that’s why. I decided to keep this cake at one layer, but it would be easy enough to double the recipe for the cake and filling and enjoy it as a beautifully layered cake.
Baking NOTE – I’d like to say if you’re not using my favorite pan in the whole world, (here’s why it’s my favorite) then grease your baking pan and line the bottom with parchment, just to be sure it releases easily.
Back to Her Royal Fluffiness – chocolate might not be her thing, but lemon definitely is. She could not get enough of this cake. She put her chubby little fingers in it right before I shot this photo…
Mangia!
Shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Wheat Free Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, and Gluten Free Friday…
- 1½ cups cooked navy beans (soaked 24 hours, drained, rinsed, cooked until soft)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon flavoring (I love Simply Organic brand)
- ¼ cup melted ghee (or butter)
- 1½ cups blanched almond flour (I use Honeyville)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- LEMON FILLING
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked 3-6 hours)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon flavoring (I favor Simply Organic brand)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, plus more for garnish
- Lemon Filling: (make ahead)
- Drain cashews. Add all ingredients (cashews through lemon rind) to blender and blend on high until very smooth. Scrape down sides and blend again.
- Place in covered container and refrigerate at least one hour.
- For Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. If not using my favorite pan, line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In blender or food processor, add all wet ingredients (navy beans through ghee). Blend or process until very smooth.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Assembly:
- Allow cake to cool in pan 20 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- Once cake has cooled, transfer to serving dish. Spread lemon filling on top. If desired, garnish with grated lemon zest.
- Store cake in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Okay, where do I start.
First, your daughter is sooo adorable, I can’t stand it. What a doll. Tell her your blogger buddy from Cali would take a lemon cake ANY DAY over chocolate. Lemon cake is my number 1 favorite…seriously…and I know how delicious this cashew cream frosting is, as I make a similar frosting and I love it. It’s amazing. So thick, creamy, and rich. You know, I’ve made your navy bean banana cake many, many times. Always a HUGE success…everyone raves about it and gobbles it up. I made it for my daughter’s birthday in July and smothered it with a strawberry cashew cream frosting. It was a knock-out, lady.
If I loved baking I would make that cake every week, but I really hate baking, so I only bake if I HAVE to…or crave something so bad I can’t stand it…like now with this lemon cake. WHY, Jen. Why can’t I grab it off the screen. Really beautiful my friend. Well done.
This is how I felt about your lemon ginger cookies…no one could resist them, grain free eaters or not.
I don’t bake much either which is why my dessert category is so small. I admit that I have been making this and a pineapple upside down cake lately and enjoying it…the eating, that is.
Let me know if you try it and what you think.
Thanks for the encouragement!
XOXO
Jen
Wow! I can’t believe how delicious this looks!!! I haven’t been baking a lot lately but I’m definitely going to have to try this. I’m pinning this one right now, thanks!
BTW- Thank you so much for the nice comment on my site! …We have a doctor we are working with but I will keep your nutrition consultant in mind. Thanks again!
What a gorgeous cake! Yum, yum!
Beautiful cake and beautiful girls! Your family is lucky to have someone that will take the time and put forth the effort to make such special food for them.
Featuring this week on AFW!
Love, love.
Thanks so much!! Glad you enjoyed it.
XOXO
Jen
What a cutie!!!!
The lemon torte sounds fantastic! My mom loves lemon and her birthday is coming up! I plan to make this!!
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest!
Thanks for linking back to the Gluten Free Fridays post!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
That looks so good! Bob loves lemon so I might have to try this.
Okay, first I want to say that your daughter is absolutely adorable and those cheeks….oh, those cheeks…
Secondly, the torte looks scrumptious…
What are your thoughts on substituting some ingredients due to food sensitivities over here…maple syrup for honey and coconut oil for butter? Same amount?
Thanks Sabrina! Those cheeks get me every time too.
Maple syrup should be an easy substitute. I LOVE it personally, but it’s not SCD “legal” for my daughter’s diet, so I stick with honey. I think it would go well with the lemon though. Secondly, coconut oil is a WONDERFUL thing and I would totally sub that for butter without a problem. The coconut oil I’m using right now has a fresh coconut taste that only I adore (my family hates it), so I use ghee in recipes (or half ghee and half coconut oil). Once I use up what I have, I’d like to switch to a tasteless coconut oil because it’s such a healthy fat.
As far as amounts, I’d sub in equal measurements to what I have listed. If you think the maple syrup has too strong a flavor, you might pull back a little. I’d probably make it once with full-on substitutions and then adjust amounts to my liking. I hope that helps.
Great questions. Thank you for the compliments!
XO
Jen
Made it, LOVE it. Here’s a picture for ya: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=562821303741666&set=a.292220644135068.78458.288512964505836&type=1
Hugs,
–Amber
AMBER!
You’re not just a chef – you’re an artist! I’ve had a request to make this for a friend’s 16th birthday next week (she doesn’t eat grain free but loved it) and I have to
stealborrow your beautiful presentation!Amazing my friend! You’ve taken it up several notches. So….when are we collaborating on that cookbook???
XO
Jen
I thought you would like that presentation. I found some fresh raspberries at Costco and just could not pass them up for this cake. They were so tart against the sweet cake. Just so delicious, Jen. And you let me know when YOUR cookbook comes out. I love to blog about recipes, but I don’t think I am cookbook material. I think my type-A-ness would kick over into overdrive and I would go nuts. I will leave this cookbook stuff to my super talented cooking AND baking friends. If I were to ever do a cookbook, it would probably take me 10 years to complete. It took me nearly 4 months to perfect ONE chocolate cake recipe last summer – no joke. That’s just ridiculous. I think I would only do a cookbook if it was all about quick snacks, or smoothies, or roasting something (you just can’t go wrong with roasting). Right! But you know that peeps LOVE their baked goods. Alas, I would run away in fear if I had to do a chapter on baking anything. Ha ha. I so admire all my blogging buddies that create cookbooks. They are very brave indeed. I will just make your yummy baked creations.
Too funny! I don’t have ANY cookbook plans at this time. I just don’t have the time to devote to such a venture. I can hardly keep up with regular blogging as it is! I happen to be dreaming about your lemon ginger cookies today…I need to make them soon! I liked baked goods, but put more effort into regular everyday meals. I’ve always preferred a loaf of crusty Italian bread soaked in my mom’s meat sauce to dessert anyway. Not that I’d turn my nose up at dessert, just always been a savory gal.
Thanks, friend for all of the compliments and the great idea I’m stealing for presentation for this cake!
XOXO
Jen
Hi! Wow this looks incredible
I’m from Australia and unsure if we can get lemon flavoring?? Or i have missed it at the shops?? Could i use juice from a lemon??
Thanks!
From Australia!!! G’day mate! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist….)
I’m sure just adding a little more lemon juice would work fine. The natural lemon flavoring is more concentrated than the juice, so I’d add another tablespoon of lemon juice and another teaspoon of lemon zest. I hope it works out for you.
My husband lived in Australia for three years and dreams of going back for a long visit. I hope one day that we can do that. Thank you for reading my blog!
Take care-
Jen