coconut

Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

Hello friends! I thought I’d share this oh-so delicious and christmassy Gingerbread Coconut Bundt Cake recipe that got popular on my Instagram also here on my site, so that many of you’d find it.

Gingerbread Coconut Bundt Cake - vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened.

I created this vegan & gluten-free cake with warm notes of gingerbread and juicy chuncks of dates originally for Risenta and have been preparing it several times already, as it is just sooo good and rich and delish. I try not to think about it too much now so that the cravings won’t hit me again or else I’ll find myself baking it again and eating it tomorrow the whole day…

But you go and make this! And let me know how you liked it!

Enjoy & Have a cozy Christmas!

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Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

Healthy Christmas Cake by Vanelja

(vegan, gluten free, naturally sweetened)

Cake:

5 tbsp ground flaxseed
½ cup water
1 ½ cup Risenta almond meal
1 cup Risenta rice flour
⅓ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp gingerbread spice mix
½ tsp cardamom
tiny pinch of sea salt
1 can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk
½ cup coconut oil, melted
5 fresh dates, pitted
5 tbsp coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
+ 5 fresh dates, pitted and cut to small pieces

Frosting:

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter or white tahini
1 tbsp coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

On top:

Coconut flakes
hazelnuts

Cake mold:

0.4-0.5 gallons (1,5 – 1,8 liters)

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius) degrees. Grease the bundt cake mold with coconut oil. Mix the ground flax and water in a small bowl and leave to thicken. In the meantime prepare the cake dough.

Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Place coconut milk, coconut oil, 5 dates, coconut syrup and vanilla into a blender and blend until smooth. Mix with dry ingredients. Add also the flax mixture you made and mix well. Stir in the date cubes. Pour the dough into the cake mold. Bake for 55-60 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes and remove from the mold. Let the cake cool down totally. Frost and serve! The cake is at its best after one night in the fridge.

Frosting:

Mix the coconut oil, nut butter and vanilla in a small bowl. If the mixture goes too runny, keep it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, mixing it couple of times. Frost the cake and decorate with coconut flakes and nuts.

More recipes on Vanelja’s Instagram!

Gluten-free, Vegan

6–8 pieces

 

1 ½ cups full fat almond flour/almond meal

½ cup coconut flakes / shredded coconut

7 tbsp flax meal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg powder

½ tsp ginger powder

¼ tsp cardamom

½ cup coconut sugar

a pinch of sea salt

½ cup grated carrots

2 tbsp orange zest (from organic oranges)

½ unsweetened apple sauce

1 cup water

½ coconut oil, melted

 

Frosting:

1 cup cashew nuts (soaked for 30 minutes)

5 tbsp full-fat coconut milk (the thick white paste of coconut milk can be kept in the fridge)

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp orange juice

3 tbsp xylitol or coconut sugar

½ tsp vanilla powder

 

On top:

orange zest

ceylon cinnamon

nut crust

 

the pan: 2 l / ½ gallon foil casserole

 

The cake:

Preheat the oven to 175 Celcius / 350 Fahrenheit degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Grate the peeled carrot with a small/fine blade into another bowl. Add the orange zest. Add also the apple sauce, water and melted coconut oil. Mix. Add the dry ingredients from other bowl and mix well. Pour the batter into the casserole and bake about 40-45 minutes, until the surface has a nice tanned colour. Take the cake from the oven and let cool completely. The cake is very soft when taken out from the oven, but it will get firm when it cools. In the meantime prepare the frosting.

 

Frosting:

Take the soaked cashews, toss the water and rinse the nuts. Place the nuts into the blender. Take the coconut milk can from the fridge and scoop out 5 tbsp of the white thick mass from the can and put to the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add a drop of coconut milk so that the mixture is smooth, but still keeping it as thick as possible. The texture should resemble thick greek yogurt. Check the taste and add some spices or sweetness if you like.

 

Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Place the cake into the fridge and let it thicken overnight.  The following day add some orange zest and sprinkle some cinnamon and/or nut crust on top of the cake. Serve and enjoy! Store in the fridge and use within 3 days.

(dairy-free, vegan, nut-free)

  • 2 ripe pears
  • ½ onion
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 organic vegetable broth cube
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) spinach leaves
  • a bunch of fresh parsley
  • a bunch of fresh coriander
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • blackpepper

On top:

  • olive oil
  • seeds
  • +cashews, if you like

Peel onion and pears and cut to pieces. Add a little bit of olive oil to a pan, add onions and pears cubes and sauté for a couple on minutes. Add coconut milk, water, vegtable broth cube, spinach leaves, parsley, coriander and cook for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in bowls, add a drop of olive oil and sprinkle some cashews and seeds on top. Serve and enjoy!

Tip! For extra creaminess, add ½ cup to the soup mixture cashews while cooking!

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(gluten-free, milk-free)
About 5 pieces

You need:

  • Chocolate cake crumble
  • Melted raw chocolate
  • Coconut whipped cream
  • 1-2 bananas
  • Pecan nuts
  • About 1 cup sized glass jars

Steps:

  1. Prepare the cake cumble by making chocolate muffins.
  2. Melt the raw chocolate or prepare it yourself.
  3. Prepare whipped coconut cream.
  4. Crumble your chocolate cup cakes and add into the bottom of the jars.
  5. Add some sliced banana and chopped nuts and pour some melted chocolate on.
  6. Add some whipped coconut cream.
  7. Crumble in some more chocolate muffins.
  8. Add banana slices & chocolate sauce & coconut whipped cream & top with chopped nuts.
  9. Serve and enjoy!

Chocolate muffins:
(Gluten-free, milk-free)

  • 2 cups full-fat almond flour
  • 2 cups buckwheat flour (or gluten-free oat flour or 50:50)
  • 1 cup raw cacao powder
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 1 cup melted butter (or coconut oil, or 50:50)
  • 1 cup oat milk (or a dairy-free milk beverage of your taste)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius) degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs in another bowl, add melted butter/oil, milk and spices. Add the mix dry ingredients and stir. Spoon the batter to muffin moulds (or a small cake pan) and bake in the oven for about 25-35 minutes. Muffins may be a little soft in the middle. Allow to cool.

Raw Chocolate Sauce:

  • 5 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 1 cup almond milk (or any dairy-free milk beverage)
  • 2 tbsp organic honey
  • a small pinch of sea salt
  • (+ 1 tbsp almond butter if desired)

Add cacao powder to a bowl and stir in the almond milk for a small amount at a time, until you reach desired thickness. Add honey, salt and almond butter and stir until smooth.

Coconut Whipped Cream: Get the insturctions HERE.

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Approx. 15 pieces

  • ½ cup of almonds and / or walnuts
  • ½ cup of local organic honey
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond butter or nut butter
  • 2 tbsp grated coconut /coconut flakes
  • a pinch of sea salt

 

Chop the nuts/almonds into small pieces, for example with a blender and set aside. Pour the honey into a pan and heat it on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to foam. After stirring the foaming honey for about 5 minutes, turn the heat low and add the almond or nut butter. Stir the mixture until it begins to thicken slightly. Remove immediately from the heat and add the chopped almonds/nuts and coconut flakes. Blend quickly until it becomes a smooth paste. Place the warm mixture into silicone molds or into a tin lined with baking paper. Smooth the surface and sprinkle sea salt lightly on top. Allow to cool and set in the fridge before slicing small pieces with a knife. Wrapped candies can be stored in the fridge. Eat within a couple of weeks.

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About 8 bars

Coconut filling:

  • 3 tbsp mashed potatoes
  • 3 tbsp organic honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 dl grated coconut
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil

Raw Chocolate Frosting:

  • ⅔ cups cacao butter, melted
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • ⅔  cup raw cocoa powder
  • 4 tbsp organic honey or coconut palm syrup
  • a pinch of sea salt

OR use one melted dark chocolate bar

Coconut Filling:

Peel and cut the potatoes. Boil in water until done. Mash the potatoes with a fork. Put three tablespoons of mashed potatoes in a bowl. Add vanilla extract and honey. Stir. (Mushi becomes a liquid at this point!) Stir in the coconut and the molten coconut oil. The dough should be so thick that it may be lurking ball. If necessary, add grated coconut. Shape the dough into small bars on a dish. Put batons for half an hour in the freezer to solidify.

Chocolate Frosting:

Melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath. Add cocoa powder, honey and salt. Stir. Check the taste and add more sweetness if desired.

Take the coconut bars from the freezer and dip in chocolate. Store in a fridge until served.

Check out the Clean Bounty Bar VANELJA video!

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Base:

  • 3 cups almonds
  • 1 cup grated coconut / coconut flakes
  • 1 medium sized banana
  • 5 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • a pinch of sea salt

Chocolate Filling:

  • 5 tbsp grated cocoa butter
  • 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp organic honey (or coconut palm syrup)
  • a pinch of sea salt

Frosting:

  • 1-2 bananas
  • coconut whipped cream (See instructions HERE)

On top:

  • coconut flakes

Cake tin: about 7 inch or 17 cm

Coconut whipped cream:

Prepare coconut whipped cream. See instructions HERE. Move the whipped cream to the refrigerator and let it sit until you’ve made the cake.

Base:

Chop the almonds in a blender. Add coconut flakes and the banana and mix to a smooth paste. Add raw cocoa powder, sweetener and salt. Stir. The dough should be now easily moldable, quite dry but not crumbly or flaky. If necessary, add ground almonds or coconut flakes. Taste and add sweetness if desired.

Chocolate Filling:

Melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a warm water bath. Add peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey and salt. Stir. Taste and add sweetness if desired.

Assembly:

Cut a round piece of baking paper on the bottom of a cake tin so that the cake is easy to move afterwards. Press half of the base dough into the bottom of the pan tightly and evenly. Apply a thin layer of chocolate filling over the dough base. Leave the rest of the chocolate filling wait in the warm water bath. Transfer the cake tin in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. Take the pan from the freezer and press the rest of the base dough over the chocolate filling. Then pour the rest of the chocolate filling on top of the dough and put the pan in the freezer again.

When chocolate has solidified in the freezer, remove the cake from the pan and lift on a serving plate. Let the cake melt for a moment in a room temperature. Slice a banana or two and put the slices on top of the cake. Take the coconut whipped cream from the fridge and frost the cake. Add some coconut flakes on top. Serve and enjoy!

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  • 1 dl coconut flour
  • 2 dl almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon psyllium husk
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 dl coconut palm sugar
  • 0,5 dl of organic honey
  • 6 eggs (whites and yolks separated)
  • 4 dl champagne
  • juices of 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Grease a baking tin with butter or coconut oil.
Mix the dry ingredients (except sugar) together in a bowl. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls. Whisk the egg whites until peak arises. Add honey and coconut sugar with egg yolk and beat for couple of minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix the dry ingredients and egg yolks together. Stir in the champagne and orange juice. Add the egg white foam gently, so that the mixture remains fluffy.

Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool. In the meantime prepare the orange chia jam and orange coconut whipped cream (see the instructions below).

When the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan (with a help of a knife, if necessary), and divide the cake into three or four parts. Frost the the layers with orange chia jam and orange coconut whipped cream. Sprinkle some coconut flour on top and decorate with flowers.

ORANGE CHIA JAM – See the recipe HERE.

ORANGE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

  • 2 cans of full fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey or for example stevia
  • 1 tbsp orange zest

Take coconut milk cans out of the fridge. Open cans and remove all the solid coconut cream / white stuff and scoop it into a bowl. Mix in a bowl with beaters until fluffy. Mix in honey or stevia and other flavoring. Use right away. If the mixture is too runny, place it in the refrigerator for a while. Store the leftover in the fridge and use within 3 days.
Convert DL to CUPS for example HERE!

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15-20 pcs

Coconut drops:

  • 1 cup coconut butter (also called coconut manna)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons organic honey (or vanilla stevia drops)
  • 2 tablespoons squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder

 

Chocolate Filling:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter or nut butter
  • 3 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons organic honey
  • a pinch of sea salt

 

Melt the coconut butter, coconut oil and honey in a warm water bath. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Blend in a blender until smooth. Taste and add seasoning if desired.

In another bowl melt the almond butter. Add cocoa powder, coconut oil, salt and sweetener and stir.

Pour a little bit of the white coconut mixture on the bottom of a mini cup cake tins/casseroles. Add a drop of chocolate filling. Fill the tins with the white mixture. Put the tins in the freezer for about an hour. Take out to room temperature, serve and enjoy! Store in a refrigerator in a resealable box.

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1 of cans coconut milk (about 4 dl)

½ tsp bourbon-vanilla

¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon

¼ tsp cardamom

1 ½ – 2 tbsp organic gelatin powder/flakes/ + ½ dl cold water (or use agar agar)

2 tbsp raw honey or little bit vanilla stevia

Mix coconut milk, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon in a saucepan and heat gently at the same time. Dissolve the gelatin into cold water in a cup and pour the mixture into a saucepan with other ingredients. If you want a vegan version, use agar agar. Warm the mixture on low heat for a couple of minutes (or bring to boil if you use agar agar) and allow the gelatin to melt into the liquid properly. Do not bring the mixture to boil when using gelatin. Stir in honey or other sweetener. Taste and add seasoning or sweetness if desired. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool down slightly. Pour the mixture into small bowls or cups. Slip in cinnamon sticks to give more taste. Put the pudding into the fridge to solidify for about one hour, or until the mixture is thick enough. Serve and enjoy as it is or, for example with banana slices!

Pst. You can control the thickness of the pudding with the amount of gelatin. I prefer a soft but solid pudding, so I added ½  tbls gelatin to 1.7 cups of coconut milk.

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Porridge:

  • 2 cups oat milk (or other dairy free milk)
  • 2 tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 cup oat meal
  • 1 sliced ripe banana
  • ¼ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp vanilla seeds or vanilla powder
  • 2 tsp almond butter

Licorice jam:

  • 1 cup oat milk
  • 4 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp grated licorice root extract stick or black licorice root powder
  • 1-2 tbsp of liquid organic honey
  • a pinch of vanilla powder /vanilla seeds

Place oats and oat milk in pan, stir well. Bring to the boil and stir. Add cardamom, vanilla and almond butter. Boil for 2-5 minutes until oats are thick and creamy. Prepare the licorice jam.

Pour the oat milk in a small bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Stir in the honey and licorice root powder. Stir and let the liquorice powder melt into the mixture.

Pour porridge into bowl. Top with licorice jam. Serve and enjoy!