With Wimbledon starting, we’ve gone crazy for everything associated with tennis and the British summer…STRAWBERRIES! (And yes, umbrellas are sadly likely to be an essential too, along with a glass of Pimms and your sunglasses when the sun ACTUALLY decides to make an appearance!).
So on that note, I wanted to shake things up a bit and create something a little special with strawberries while they are in season. Balsamic, basil and almond make the most delicious, drool-worthy combination which screams ‘summer’, and you’ll also be glad to hear that while this cake may look quite indulgent – well, it isn’t too bad!
Dairy-free, gluten-free and with no refined sugar, you really can enjoy a slab of this smothered in an infused ‘cream’ while watching some ball action 😉 Enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the balsamic strawberries –
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons stevia (I used Truvia)
Slice the strawberries in half, remove the tops and set aside. Place the balsamic vinegar in a small pan and bring to the boil. Turn the temperature down and stir in the stevia, then allow to bubble and cook for about 10 minutes until you have a reduction. Remove from the heat, pour over the strawberries, mix well then set aside.
For the cake –
- 1 cup almond flour (I used Sukrin)
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (I used LucyBee)
- 3 tablespoons coconut yogurt (I used Coyo)
- ½ cup almond milk (I used Alpro)
- â…“ cup stevia
- Handful of flaked almonds
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line a square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Mix together the flours and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Whisk the eggs, almond extract, coconut oil, coconut yogurt, milk and stevia in a jug until frothy. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Spoon this into the tray and spread out evenly. Arrange the balsamic-coated strawberries on top then scatter over the flaked almonds.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until risen, golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes, then slice into squares and cool completely.
For the basil cream:
- 1 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- Dash of lemon juice
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
Drain the cashews and pat dry. Transfer to a high-power blender together with the coconut cream, vanilla and syrup/honey. Blend well for at least one minute, until thick, smooth and creamy. Scrape out into a bowl and stir in the chopped basil leaves, then chill in the fridge until required.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon over some of the basil cream over a slice of the cake. Now dig in and get into the summer mood!
