COFFEE CREAM CAKE with CHOCO CRUST + DATE SYRUP


This is a re-up of a recipe I did aaaaaages ago and that is also featured in my [best-selling, heh heh] raw vegan desserts cookbook, Rawsome Vegan Baking. It's damn fine. Basically it's like vanilla "cheese"cake but with coffee and chocolate infused. Yup, I know. I added goji berries and pumpkin seeds on top because A) colour and B) yum. 

The star of this recipe is the date syrup though. It's in the chocolate crust, the coffee cream and on top. Yes you can make your own date syrup very easily: blend up some dates with water, vanilla and a tiny bit of salt until you get a heavenly, sweet caramel-type substance... never a bad idea. But recently Vegan Cuts sent me a few bottles of date syrup from The Date Lady and my life will never be the same again. It's like liquid toffee or something. But the thing is: the only ingredient is ORGANIC DATES. They don't add anything else! Having said that, they sell other versions like a chocolate spread and a caramel date sauce which are BOTH INCREDIBLY GOOD. But the original kind is my fave and it makes everything better. Smoothies, desserts, savoury and sweet sauces, heck it'd probably be good for your skin if you rubbed it all over yourself in a moment of extreme adoration for the stuff. Likely to happen.

I made this cake for Jack's birthday on Thursday and brought it over to his family's dinner. We had bought some raspberries at a farmers market earlier in the day so I added those on top too (highly recommended). They really liked it! His lil bro had two pieces. Note: Jack's family is the best. I love them. Just had to say that. They are so supportive of everything I do and his grandma may as well my Sales Rep because she has gotten so many people to buy my cookbooks. There were no leftovers of this cake. Gone. I think when you are in the business of making food for others, the best compliment is an empty plate at the end of the meal. 


COFFEE CREAM CAKE with CHOCO CRUST + DATE SYRUP
Serves eight

Choco crust:
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1/4 cup date syrup
2 tablespoons coconut butter
2 tablespoons carob powder 

Coffee cream:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 3 hours in water then rinsed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup date syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup very strong, brewed organic coffee

Toppings:
Pumpkin seeds
Goji berries

To make the crust: stir up the flour with the syrup and coco butter until it resembles a crumbly dough that holds it's shape when pressed together between a couple fingers. If it's too crumbly, add more date syrup. If it's too moist, add more flour. Press into the bottom of a springform pan or adjustable pan (mine was about 7 or 8 inches). Put in the fridge.

To make the mocha cream: blend all the ingredients together until smooth and delicious. Add some more liquid if it's too thick, or some dates or coconut oil if it's too thin. You want it to have the consistency of thick yogurt. Spread evenly onto your crust and leave in the fridge for 24 hours so the flavours can develop and the cake can set. 

Decorate with the toppings and enjoy!

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