This nut-free flourless chocolate cake came about as a result of an interesting challenge -- finding out whether it's possible to make a gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly birthday cake for a girl who can't eat grains, starches, beans, nuts, seeds, binders or leaveners. That meant all grain flours were out -- so no glutinous grains {obv.}, but also no rice, millet, buckwheat, sorghum, oats, etc. No starches? Well out goes tapioca, potato starch, and arrowroot and no leaveners and binders too {goodbye baking soda and guar gum...} -- you know, just the things that make a gluten-free flour blend work... Beans -- meh, no biggie -- not a fan of those anyways in gluten-free vegan cakes unless they can be well masked. The next logical conclusion would be to make one of my raw cakes, but oh, wait -- no nuts and seeds either! I began to see why the person asking for advice with this cake found it a challenge!
...And you know how I feel about baking challenges, right? Sometimes it seems like it's my mission in life to make sure everyone can have cake! :) And truthfully, why not? Nature is so abundant -- I just knew there's a way to make this cake happen. So I agreed to play around and see what I come up with. And while this cake is nut-free, it's definitely not free of my kitchen nuttiness ;)
My first instinct was to go with coconut, but after a few failed attempts at a more conventional type of cake, and way too much resulting delicious crumble to occupy me for a year {erm... a week ;) }, I decided to go back to my unconventional ways and came up with this truly flourless chocolate cake instead.
By now you're probably wondering what's in this magic cake, right? :) How can a flourless cake be made without any nuts, seeds, or flour {or the typical eggs...}? The answer is...
...right in front of your face. Have you guessed the magic ingredient yet?
Mulberries! Dried white mulberries, to be precise. They are my most favorite measure-for-measure nut substitute and have the most amazing flavor. I paired them with some chocolate in this cake and it was to-die-for! Now the cake base is actually adapted from this favorite recipe of mine, which normally relies on nuts, and it worked beautifully with the mulberries for this occasion. I topped the cake with some pretty allergy-approved toppings too: more mulberries, cacao nibs, salt flakes, and some dried lavender flowers for a nice color contrast. The result was a beautiful, decadent, and super easy cake. I'd say: mission accomplished :)
The magic that makes this cake work by the way is compacting it well into the tray before freezing. The base actually becomes like a brownie cake base and holds up well outside the freezer too so long as the temperatures aren't crazy hot -- so unlike a raw cake, it slices more softly but still holds its shape.
P.s. I buy my mulberries from a bulk store locally, and although they are not the cheapest ingredient, they are pretty comparable with the price of many nuts and other healthier ingredients in baked goods -- and they have a wonderful flavor and are a lot lighter than their oil-dense nutty counterpart... You can find them on Amazon and lots of other places online too.
P.p.s. You can easily make this cake AIP diet suitable by using carob powder in place of cacao powder, omitting the cacao nibs, and using alcohol-free vanilla extract.
Nut-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake
A decadent, chocolatey flourless raw vegan cake made without using nuts. Refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6" cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups dried white mulberries, ground (I just put them into my food processor and processed into a fine crumble first)
- 2 cups medjool dates {pitted + presoaked to soften and then strained. Note: soak for a few hours in warm water, or cover with boiled water and soak 15-20 minutes if you don't care for the recipe to remain raw}
- ¾ cup alkalized cocoa powder (strongly recommend against using raw cacao -- see comments section for explanation)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or agave, etc.)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (or a pinch of raw ground vanilla beans)
- Optional: 2 tablespoon neutral tasting coconut oil, softened (only add if you want the cake extra firm, otherwise it will work just fine without)
Topping Layer:
- ½ cup coconut oil, liquified (but not hot!)(use non-dairy butter instead for a softer frosting)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (or agave, etc.)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
- cacao nibs
- dried white mulberries
- salt flakes
- dried lavender or other edible dried flowers
Instructions
- Place all cake ingredients in a food processor and process until everything is thoroughly combined and mixture begins to form a ball. Transfer all ingredients into a 6″ springform pan and press down firmly and evenly to form cake into shape {see notes below on alternative pans}. {I did this using a spoon first, and then I put a piece or parchment paper on top and pressed the cake down even more using a flat bottomed cup to get the surface nice, even, and smooth}. Place the cake in the freezer while working on the next step.
- Place all topping layer ingredients into a bowl or tall glass and stir together until a smooth liquid mixture forms {stir until all clumps disappear}. Remove cake from freezer. Pour this chocolate mixture over the cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly and smoothly over the top. If you want your toppings to set into the cake, top the cake now {Otherwise, if you're using fresh toppings, like berries, etc., add them on prior to serving instead}.
- Place the cake in the freezer for at least 2 hours to let it set and chill. Remove from pan {carefully, as it can stick to the sides a bit; Careful loosening will prevent any cracks in the cake}. Place on a serving plate, top with any additional toppings, and keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve. {Note: this cake holds up well at room temperature and will not melt, so refrigeration isn't a must. I just prefer it chilled + it's a bit easier to slice when cold}.
Notes
If you don't have a 6" springform pan, feel free to use any small container or dish of a similar size {a tupperware container would work well, or a small pan}. Just make sure you line it with some parchment or wax paper first so that it's easier to remove the cake later. Note that the wider the dish, the flatter the cake -- the shape is up to you.
Also, to get a nice clean slice, use a sharp sturdy knife and run it under hot water for a minute, wipe water off and immediately slice. Repeat process as needed if slicing multiple slices while the cake is frozen.
Johara says
I stumbled upon this recipe and thought I HAVE to make it and I'll make it work - I read all the comments and tips.
I made it yesterday and it turned out great!!
I am lucky to live in Switzerland and the organic cocoa powder i used is just amazing!
No weird cheesy taste... just pure sweet bliss :)
Will make this again for sure.
Audrey says
Hi Johara, thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I really appreciate it, especially with this recipe being a tricky one as you gathered. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! :)
Bianca says
Hi,
I have not made the cake yet, but I am sure that dried mulberries can destroy a cake, I think it depends on the brand. It happened to me many times, as I made many cakes with mulberries, since I love them!
Audrey says
That's an interesting thought, Bianca. I've considered that as well as a potential source for the issue some people are experiencing with this recipe.
Kacey Elmore says
Thanks so much for this recipe! It was perfect for my allergen-sensitive baby’s birthday! I didn’t use oil or added sweetener, and my dates were gooey enough to not need soaking. Using mulberries is genius! I hate that others are having some bad outcomes, but again thank you for sharing!
Audrey says
Hi Kacey, I'm so happy to hear that it worked out well for you. This recipe always makes me feel a bit uneasy because some people have had negative experiences, so I often contemplate taking it down from the site, but then come along people like yourself for whom it works and it makes me glad I left it up after all :) Thank you for the feedback. And happy birthday to your little one!
Carina says
Hello! I totally know what this strange taste ist coming from, this happens to me usually when I dry goods in the dehydrator and it takes very long until they are completely dry or if I let it sit there for another day because I couldn't eat it all. Than it is getting fermented by bacteria or mouldy real quick :-(
I also made a birthday cake once to bring to work and I had to prepare it the day before of course... I used oats as the base ingredient and pulsed it with the sugar, fruit etc all together. The next day it tasted like vomit. This was so embarrasing :-D
I recommend everyone to taste the cake right away, then they will see it is not the recipe's fault!! Maybe they haven't stored them in a fridge? Since this is all raw, everything you you use has microbiotics on it... it gets all mixed and therefore the the cells are destroyed, but the microbiotics survive the process.... and now the feast begins. If the cake is stored t room temperature nothing is stopping them :-D
Fortunately any other raw cake I made tasted good for more than 3 days (I always store them in the fridge)!
Audrey says
Hi Carina, thanks so much for sharing your experience. I suspect that ingredient temperature definitely plays a role in the cake "going off" sometimes for sure.
Lorna L. Morrison says
Can you say how much mulberry powder you got from grinding the 3 Cups of mulberry?
Audrey says
Hi Mathew. Thanks very much for sharing, and I'm really sorry it didn't work for you. It definitely sounds like it's gone off, and I wouldn't eat it at this stage. I appreciate you sharing your experience though. I'm not sure if you've seen the green notice above the recipe and also the other comments discussing this issue, but you'll see some more information about it as it's happened to a few people. I am really trying to get to the bottom of this issue to minimize the failure rate, and would love to know if you can confirm these two things for me:
- did you use alkalized cocoa powder for your recipe? (or raw cacao?)
- are there any scratches or exposed inner metal anywhere in the pan that you used to make the cake in?
Thank you for your time.
mathew says
yes i did use alkalized cocoa powder, had to buy some online.
and yes then spring form pan i used was metal
Audrey says
Thanks very much for sharing Mathew. Considering taking this recipe down altogether then. It's very confusing to me why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't! I'm sorry your ingredients went to waste.
Mathew says
So I made this. The “batter” tasted good while made it. But after being made after a few day it now has a really weird funny tingly after taste that is had to stomach. Idk if there is some cemichal reaction or something. Or if it made the berries go fermented or something.
Mathew Dv says
Question do the mulberries neat to be hard? I bought a whole bag and they are more leathery. Thanks
Audrey says
Hi Mathew. Hard to say without seeing them in person (I've never gotten a "rubbery" batch before, though some are softer than others). They are definitely softer than a nut, but should break up into small crumbles easily when pulsed. If they're too leathery for that then they'd probably need to be dehydrated a bit more before using in a recipe.
Sherri says
Loved it! Turned out great! New family favorite.
Audrey says
Oh, good! Thank you so much for the feedback, Sherri :) So happy everyone liked it!
lisa says
I just tried this for my mothers birthday since she alletgic to nuts and i like making raw stuff. For the future i know that a normal sized springform will make the cake more like a wet cookie and thus the layer was not enough. It was a pain in the a** to even make the dough, i am still, two hours later, finding bits of chocolate on me :D
The taste is really good though and that kinda makes it up to the look. Next time i will just use coconutflour instead of the berries since they were reeeaaally expensive. And also it would be probably easier to just make chocolate balls instead of a cake since for me it looks quite poor.
Thanks for the nice idea though :)
Audrey says
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Too bad it didn't work out in the larger pan. But I'm glad you were able to enjoy the taste at least.
Not sure if you saw, but there's a nut-free and raw or no-bake section on the recipes page. Maybe something on there would work better. The avocado raw cakes are a good raw & nut-free alternative, for instance, and are pretty popular.
Liz says
A question about the dates. I made this yesterday and I'm not sure I got the proportions right. It came out very chewy. I think the culprate might be the dates. Is it 2 cups where the dates are squished down to form a solid mass? That's what I did. Is that the right amount? Also, since the recipe says to soak the dates to soften them, and my dates were already very soft, I didn't soak them. That probably means they had more sugar than the dates you used, since soaking dried fruit pulls out some/a lot of the sugars. Is that part of the intent with soaking?
Audrey says
Hi Liz,
I didn't pack the dates, so perhaps it's just the ratio of the dates to other ingredients that made it a bit chewier. You can always increase the amount of mulberries to offset that. I pre-soaked them to soften mine as they were a bit firm, so if yours are already very soft no need for that, but then you're right that they'd be sweeter so you could use a bit less sweetener to taste instead.
Natalie Rogers says
Thank you for the recipe, I can't wait to try it. I can't get hold of mulberries so I am going to try the dried banana chips. This is going to be my first attempt at making a raw recipe so that is why I am so excited. I am also going to try your raw carrot cake! I will keep an eye on your blog for future reference. Thanks again....Let the RAW Food Adventure begin!!!
Audrey says
Hi Natalie. Good luck with it and let me know how you're going -- I'm excited for your adventure with you! :)
Sarah says
Dear Audrey,
I absolutely LOVE the look of this cake and think about making this for my mum's upcoming birthday...I have two questions though: Say I want to make a smaller 5inch cake, (we are all watching our waistlines ;-)), do you recommend to use only 2/3 of the recipe, or perhaps 3/4 or only half? Secondly, do you think I can sub the coconut oil in the frosting with cacao butter? I have some cacao butter drops that I need to use up a.s.a.p. before they reach their expiration date, and I am thinking they may pair wonderfully with the raw cacao and chocolatey taste of this cake...Thank you so much!
Audrey says
Hi Sarah, absolutely yes on the cacao butter -- I actually prefer it to coconut oil in chocolatey recipes like this. As for the pan sizes, at the very end of the recipe post there's a download link to a cake pan size guide and how to size the recipes up or down to your liking.
Just wanted to note since you're making it for an event -- have a look at the other comments and the note I put up above the recipe. I recommend giving the recipe a mini trial first to make sure it works before making it for an event just to be on the safe side.
Aga says
Hi Audrey,
Thank you for this recipe. I was looking for something a fruit-based as possible (rather than nuts or grain) so this looked amazing.
Made it for my birthday yesterday and I'm sorry to say this, no one was able to eat it :-(
I have no idea what happened. I've seen some comments about the blue cheesy taste. With me it was a weird taste of sour and bitter and even spicy! Sooooo weird.
I've been thinking about what this could be (I did not use metal tins) and thought about this - when you say 3 cups ground mulberries, do you mean 3 cups of mulberries that are then ground OR 3 cups of 'mulberry powder' (ie already ground mulberries) - this is how I read your recipe but now wonder if it was correct. I suppose the extra mulberries might have changed the taste.
And I was also simply unable to find vanilla extract anywhere so have used one vanilla stick. Do you think that could be it as well?
Such a pity. It is a really beautiful recipe! And such a great idea for a nut/grain flour substitute x
Audrey says
Aga,
I'm so sorry it didn't work out for you either. I really don't know what's going on. Especially because it works great for some people and then this has happened a few times now (as you see in the comments). All I can think is maybe something about ingredients sourced from different places is affecting things? I really am at a loss to explain why this happens at this stage...
I put a bit note above the recipe now as a warning though just to make sure this doesn't happen at events for others.
It's 3 cups of mulberries which you then grind, but that wouldn't make the recipe go-off. The vanilla wouldn't have made the difference either. There's something else going on here.... but it's so elusive! One question -- did you use raw cacao powder or alkalized cocoa powder?
By the way, not sure if you saw, but there's a section on nut-free cakes in the recipes (if you select the "cake" and "nut-free" tab), so there might be other alternatives there you could enjoy. This is the only recipe I know of that people have mentioned having this strange issue with once in a while..
Aga says
Oh nothing to be sorry for! Not your fault and clearly when things work as they should, this recipe is beautiful :-) Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Aaah so I did use too many mulberries - 3 ground not whole cups. But as you say, maybe it's not it.
I used raw organic cacao, and a bit less than suggested because of how intensive it is.
Oh great, thank you for pointing out the nut-free recipes! :-)
Audrey says
Aga,
I think that's it -- it's the raw cacao. Because that's what I suspected it was when it happened to me as well in the past with a similar recipe. I even edited this recipe to say cocoa powder, even though I normally use organic raw cacao for everything else. It must be a reaction between the raw cacao and the berries or coconut in the cake.
Alkalazied cocoa means it already went through the "reactive" process so it'll react no further in a recipe (it becomes neutral), whereas raw cacao is very acidic by nature. So if you combine it with something super "basic" (like coconut) a chemical reaction could happen (similar to how you add baking soda and lemon juice in a recipe), which explains why the batter tastes fine at first but after sitting a few hours it changes flavors to that blue cheese taste... :S
I think I'll edit the recipe notes further to say to use only cocoa powder only more explicitly just to be safe. But I really appreciate you coming back to answer that question! It helped me confirm that raw cacao suspicion in this particular recipe.
P.S. I feel like this cake has evolved into a full blown chemistry lesson ?
Kyra says
hi Audrey,
I love your website and have made many of your recipes already and have enjoyed all of them, but sadly I experienced the same odd blue cheese like flavor. No idea what happened. I soaked the dates in hot water and added them after 20 min. They were still warm when I added them so the mixture felt warm when I mixed it all together. I already experienced a funky taste a bit before putting it in the freezer, not sure if this was after I added a spoonful of coconut oil. Can this change the flavor when the mixture is warm (not hot though)? Or perhaps it's just the taste of the mulberries I just didn't like mixed together with the other ingredients, not sure. I do enjoy them in my yoghurt normally. Either way, I don't think I will make this one again but prefer to try another one of your chocolate cake recipes instead ; )
Audrey says
Hey Kyra,
I'm so sorry it didn't work out for you. I really appreciate your feedback though. How strange that this happens sometimes but not most! I'd really love to get to the bottom of this. The thing that puzzles me is that you're saying you could taste it beforehand, which is strange, because usually when this happens the batter tastes quite good, and it's only after sitting in the freezer that the reaction occurs. But it makes me wonder if it's perhaps something the mulberries are coated with in trace amounts -- i.e. different varieties yield different results? Maybe you can help me out a bit with a few more answers:
1. What kind of pan did you use? (I mean material it's made of) and did you line it with anything?
2. What brand of mulberries and cacao did you use?
Thanks so much, Kyra!
Kyra says
hi Audrey,
I used a metal cake mould, did not line it with anything (though I already tasted it before I put the mixture in). I used a non brand of Mulberries and raw organic cocoa powder (I live in The Netherlands and order it online here); both without a brand.
Not sure what happened, maybe it's the mulberries. I will stick to using them in my yoghurt!
Am going to try a new recipe with chocolate though, no worries ; )
Audrey says
Hey Kyra,
Thanks so much for getting back. Hm... interesting. Well, I'll keep investigating why on earth this happens. I think my initial suspicion still stands -- something to do with a reaction with certain types of metal pan in this cake? What a conundrum!
Prajna says
This is delicious!! Thank you for your creativity and for offering us something so unique.
One question is: After five days ir so, the cake started getting harder, and tasted much too sweet. It tasted mostly like the dates in it. My roommate said it was turning back into a fruit. :-) Can you think of anything to be added that would keep it from that? Maybe more mulberries and cacao than dates?
Ragrdless, it is wonderful. I am making it today to gift to a family of friends.
Thank you!
Audrey says
Hi Prajna,
Thank you so much for the feedback -- so glad you enjoyed the cake!
My cakes usually don't last this long since I make them for events and such, but if I make one for home I usually keep it frozen and just thaw out a slice at a time, which helps to keep it fresh and good for months. I think yes, after the 5 days the fruit sugars probably just started to really break down. Mulberries are actually quite similar to dates in that respect, since both break down into sugar past a certain point, so I don't think swapping the ratios will help. More just maybe slice it and then freeze some for later use.
Happy to hear your family and friends will be enjoying it too :)
Prajnaa says
Thank you! Makes sense.
It was a hit the second time around as well. Great recipe!
Audrey says
Aw, that's great! :) So happy this cake is getting some love!
jill says
coconut oil makes the cake no Nut free surely??
Audrey says
Hi Jill,
Coconuts aren't a true nut, but a drupe (officially a fruit). So people with nut allergies can still have coconut (unless they also have a coconut allergy of course).
alexandra says
sounds like a grate cake! can you put the ingredients in grams? i want to make it but i don't know how much of everything to buy..
Steve Wakeford says
I am a bit stunned. I made this cake for my fiancée's birthday... it needed to be a special occasion to warrant the price of all the ingredients. I followed the recipe exactly and despite the fact that the cake looks as in the pics I have to unfortunately say that it is disgusting. The first thing I have ever made (my sister runs a cookery school, so I'm well trained) that is actually inedible. Neither my fiancee, her parents, her daughter on Nan could eat more than a bite. Such a shame. The topping is lovely but the cake itself tastes something like blue cheese. I would urge anyone here, and there seems to be a lot of people, that haven't tried it to proceed with caution.
Audrey says
Hi Steve,
Gosh I'm so sorry the cake didn't work out for you. I think I know what may have happened, but first just wanted to say I make this recipe regularly, and as you can see from some of the others' comments, the cake doesn't taste like blue cheese, nor is disgusting... Quite the contrary.
Just want to make sure (for my own knowledge, not just questioning you out of disbelief :) ) -- but you definitely didn't change ANY of the ingredients around? If you an also answer the following it would be helpful: did you use cocoa or cacao powder? Did you add any coconut to the cake?
I did have a few occasions when I made a cake similar to this where everything tasted wonderful, but after chilling for a day it suddenly changed into the most atrocious flavor (perhaps the blue cheese taste you're referring to). After a lot of research and experimentation it came down to 2 things:
1. combining coconut with cacao can create a reaction (coconut water and flakes with cacao powder. I've never had that happen with oil).
2. a scratch in the pan / or a defective area. Since 1 is not likely unless you changed something in the ingredients, it's possibly the latter.. Sometimes ingredients react with unprotected metal. So for instance if you marinate something in a pan for a long time, there could be a cross reaction where ingredients change taste completely... Most cake pans come with a protective coating, but if there's any area that's exposed there's the possibility of that occurring.
Anyways, I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you leaving the feedback and I'd love to hear if you have anything to add here to figure out what could have gone wrong. And I'm terribly sorry it didn't work for your special occasion. I can only imagine what a let down that would have been...
Regina says
I'm thinking if you put lavender on it as suggested in the recipe, that could have made the taste really bad. I bought some from Amazon and glad I tasted it before making the cake. It was simply awful tasting. I would love to here from anyone who actually tasted dried lavender flowers to get their opinion on it's taste. I'll be making the cake on Dec. 27th, 2015 without ther lavender flowers, so wish me luck.
Audrey says
Hi Regina,
Sorry I missed your comment here. I know you already made the cake & that it worked out well from your email & photo :) Just wanted to chime in about the lavender... It does have a very strong taste, and it's definitely one of those love it or leave it items. I love it in combination with chocolate most. But you only use the smallest amount. The cake top looks very lavender-heavy in the photos, but I think some of it is just cacao nibs reflecting a purplish color as well, so it looks like there's more that perhaps there was. And I personally do enjoy it in a larger quantity, though my husband goes through the trouble of removing each and every flower speck because he's not a fan!
That said, I'm really glad you tasted it first, so at least you knew it wasn't a flavor you'd enjoy. They're not an essential in this recipe. If you find the flowers too strong on their own, you can always steep some in water and then use the water in place of some of the liquid a recipe for a very mild flavor, or add a few specs to a steeping earl grey tea. Or put it all in a sachet for a room scenter instead and call it a day ;)
Jamie says
This looks great. My husband wants me to make this for his birthday in 2 days. I have not been able to find dried white mulberries and am looking for a replacement berry. Are the dried white mulberries freeze-dried? So when you grind them they are a dry powder? I bought dried strawberries but they are moist and gooey. Would freeze-dried strawberries be better? Or do you have a better suggestion?
Audrey says
Hi Jamie,
I don't think freeze dried strawberries will work here. I work with those often as well, and they tend to be soft and absorb a lot of moisture so the cake will just get soggy. The dried mulberries are crunchy and harder, so they provide a good mass.
Depending on where you are, you can order some online. Amazon carries them, and places like iherb.com. I do buy them a bit cheaper in bulk locally, but in a pinch Amazon is a good place to look.
Thinking of substitutes... Well, the closest thing I can think of here would be some freeze-dried pineapple chips -- the kind that's very crispy and crunchy, not the soft kind. I tried something like that recently and I think texture-wise they could work here. Banana chips might work as well, though the cake will-obviously be banana-y. I haven't tried either of those options though, these are just the things I would try personally in this case.
If nuts aren't an issue, then almond flour or any other finely ground nuts or sunflower seeds would work too. I make this cake with almond meal quite often.
I hope these help and a happy birthday to your husband! :)
Kathryn says
My mother made this last week for my grandmother's 96th birthday. It was really, really good and fudgy and we all loved it. She spent about $60 on ingredients though, so this will be a special occasion cake for us. Thank you so much for inventing this!
Audrey says
Thank you so much for sharing, Kathryn! I appreciate it and so happy it made someone's birthday special :) And wowzers about the cost -- that's a lot! Mine doesn't usually come up to that much, but probably because I use many of these ingredients for other things (so buy giant tubs of coconut oil, mulberries in bulk, etc.). At that price, definitely a special occasion cake, I agree :) -- but I'm so happy to see it making people's birthdays. I noticed since sharing this recipe that the little girl who inspired it is definitely not alone in struggling to find a good birthday treat she can enjoy, so glad I could help out!
Ashlea says
Hi Audrey,
I'm feeling a little confused as my 8 month old daughter is limited by almost the exact same intolerances, therefore my diet is also restricted thanks to breast feeding, and due to the starch, this also includes Dates as they are considered starchy...
Are they an exception in this particular case?
Audrey says
Hi Ashlea,
I don't know the particulars of the case with the girl for whom this cake was made. It was a client of a friend who asked me for ideas because they were at a loss as to what to make. So I brainstormed and came up with this cake. I checked in about the ingredients I was using and dates were ok, so perhaps it's a little different to the case with your daughter? I believe they were just trying to avoid things like tapioca or potato starch, arrowroot, etc. Would dried figs or apricots work for your situation? They would be a perfect substitute for the dates here.
Ashlea says
AHHH okay, that's fair enough! Thank you, I will see what I can come up with re the dried figs or apricots! So hard finding things like that, that don't have an allergen warning attached due to the packing. But they would definitely be a great substitute!
I'll let you know how I go :)
Ashlea says
Made this today with the figs...amazing!! I couldn't remember how many mulberries I needed so with what I ended buying, i managed to make it by halving all of the ingredients!
It was pretty rich, so I'm actually quite glad it was halved! But it was so ridiculously amazing! Thank you! :)
Audrey says
Hi Ashlea -- thank you so much for sharing how it went! So happy it worked out :) And yes, it's surprisingly quite filling, isn't it? :)
Happy New Year!
Rosa says
Hi Audrey,
Thank you very much for your fine recipes. This morning we made this one at the office (we have a health platform in The Netherlands) and this recipe is in one word: amazing! Wow, what an excellent taste and a pleasure to create! We shared this recipe on our platform with our Dutch followers and I hope that from today they all know about you and that they will visit your site to try other recipes. We will at the office! Thank you so much ;-)
Audrey says
Thank you for the feedback, Rosa. I am really glad you enjoyed the cake!
Shari says
Lovely Recipe. I am just beginning to dabble into raw and am thrilled I have found your site. Look forward to following. Blessings...Shari
Audrey says
Thank you so much, Shari! I love raw desserts, so naturally have plenty to share ;) Enjoy the recipes and I can't wait to check out your blog!
Chill Sea says
Wow! This cake is so yummy. I will for sure be making it again. Now to perfect a vegan caramel... hmm... Thank you thank you thank you ! ! ! <3
Audrey says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the cake! Thank you for the lovely feedback ♥ Made my day :)
Indre says
Looks delicious! Is it ok to use blender like Vitamix or do I need food processor to make it?
Audrey says
Hi Indre,
Thanks so much. I think this recipe will work better in a food processor because it would be easy to over-blend it in a Vitamix. In a food processor you have a bit more control. A Vitamix could still work, but you'd just need to be careful not to turn the batter into a paste... Enjoy it however you decide to go about it :)
Windie says
I have been searching for this recipe for so long, I made it!! Thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
That's great -- so glad you got to make it, Windie! I love this recipe so much. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says
I have never heard of dried mulberries! I am very curious about them now, and I will have to seek them out. This cake is stunning.
Patricia says
What a creation with mulberries ... looks heavenly and a classic!! My first thought was black beans.
I am from Malaysia and have this plant growing at my small ... small. ... backyard. The fruit are red and turn black when ripe and I think the white ones are from China. My mulberries are not enough even for one cup. My brother's friend has cooked these mulberries into jam. I have not tried this but my neighbour has used the leaves to cook with chicken. The leaves when dried can turn into a refreshing tea.
Audrey says
Thank you so much, Patricia. The trouble with using black beans was that I would have still needed some kind of dry ingredient to hold the cake together and couldn't think of anything.. They add a good level of moisture and texture, but hard to use as a cake base just on their own.
I grew up with mulberry trees nearby -- the black variety {that's red when unripe} but I have tried fresh white mulberries too and loved them. When dried, I found their flavor to be a lot more intense -- in a good way. I was considering planting some trees by my current house last year, but that never happened. Now that I've been using dried mulberries so much though, I think these trees might be a good idea to have around :)
Alison @Food by Mars says
Audrey strikes again. MULBERRIES? So smart... I usually throw them on top of everything , but haven't tried grinding them up. This looks amazing.
I must admit, I love black beans in my flourless chocolate cake which I'll be posting soon... I think I can make you like it (I'm ambitious like that). ;)
Audrey says
Hi Alison -- thanks so much :) I usually use mulberries as a topper too, but this worked out quite well. I tried it out in a few recipes now as a nut replacement and it works like a charm!
About the beans, maybe I was too harsh :) I did have some amazing black bean cakes back in the day. I just find they need eggs/dairy/something else and since I can't do any of those things I sort of tend to underuse them.. I actually bought black beans to try out a recipe -- they've been sitting in my pantry for a year now! Maybe I need to give it a go and see if I can overcome my resistance... ;) . I can't wait to see your recipe though -- so curious to see what you used :)
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
Audrey, this cake sounds like magic! Love the creativity and the photos are so gorgeous. I can't wait to try it!
Audrey says
Thank you ♥
Bianca @ ElephantasticVegan says
Beautiful! The cake looks awesome. You were so creative with the ingredients! I've never had any mulberries but I'll definitely try them out when I see them somewhere.
Audrey says
Thanks Bianca -- you should -- I'm positive you'll love them, worth scouting out :)
The Vegan 8 says
Looks so beautiful Audrey! I love raw desserts! Of course I know this would work well as a raw dessert because this is basically how I make my Butterfingers, as you know, minus the cocoa powder! Mulberries are so fantastic because they give such sweetness and saving on extra sweetener added. The dates will give them that extra hold they need for a cake. Mulberries are simply the best aren't they?! One of my readers actually made my Butterfingers and added cocoa powder and I have been dying to try that as well. It is just gorgeous...love how chocolatey it is and love the lavender on top! So strange....I have never heard of somebody not being able to have leaveners...how is that even possible?!
Audrey says
Thanks Bandi, and yeah, this is my first time coming across a leavener allergy, but hey -- with all my weird food issues, I'm not that surprised after all! It wouldn't be a big deal with raw or no-bake desserts anyhow, but pair that with an allergy to most things that make up those treats and it becomes a tad more difficult.. And mulberries are simply amazing. They should totally be called superfood of the year :)
km says
Blooms great just wondering if there is something I could use instead of mulberries?
Audrey says
Can you eat nuts or seeds? If so 3 cups of any nut or seed flour would work. I've made this with almond and brazil nuts before and it was delicious.
If you can't do nuts, it's a little tougher. Basically you need about 3 cups of a dry mass that can be ground into a fine crumble and taste good -- that's the role the mulberries {or nuts} play in this. Other things I can think of that would work would be ground up banana chips or plantain chips {unflavored/unspiced} or any other dry and crunchy fruit like that.
I hope some of these solutions will work for you -- if not, let me know and I'll be happy to brainstorm some more :)
Audrey says
One more thing I just wanted to add -- the only thing I DO NOT recommend using is shredded coconut. I tried making it with that once and the coconut just changes taste after a few hours and develops a bad flavor... Dried fruit or nuts would work best.
Harriet Emily says
Another incredible creation, Audrey! I don't think I've ever actually tried dried white mulberries before, but after seeing this cake I'm going to have to find some so that I can make it! I tried fresh persian mulberries for the first time last summer in Santa Monica and they were UNBELIEVABLE. I think they were the best fruit I've ever had. Have you ever tried them - or used them in a recipe?
Audrey says
Yay -- my friend from the UK buys them, so I know they're out there ;)
They taste quite different dried -- pretty crunchy and make a good flour. Sort of like a fruity nut, but much lighter. Very sweet. They taste delicious and I love using them as a topper for breakfast or dessert decorating, etc.
I love fresh mulberries. Not sure what a persian variety is -- I never looked into the variety names too much, but had all kinds: red ones, black ones, white ones, fat and juicy ones :) They were all really good. Growing up we had a mulberry tree by my house my brother and I would raid routinely in the summer, to the chagrin of our mom who then had the pleasure of cleaning off our stained clothes :). I was so happy to have discovered them in the dried form now because they come in handy in baking for me in so many ways.
Melissa @ vegan does it says
That was quite the challenge! The cake is beautiful and looks very decadent! Nicely done!
Audrey says
Thanks Melissa! ♥
Consuelo | Honey & Figs says
HOW GENIUS IS THIS???
Like, mulberries??? That's such a wonderful idea! It looks delicious and not in a million of years would I have guessed this was healthy! It sounds truly sinful *_* Pinned! xx
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Consuelo :) ♥ It's healthy, but very decadent -- your sweet tooth will most definitely thank you ;)
Leah says
Wow! I am constantly blown away by how you come through on every challenge - beautifully, too! Looks divine!
Audrey says
Thanks Leah :)
Nissrine@ Harmony a la Carte says
Amazing as usual Audrey. I love your inventiveness and find it so incredible how you always come through beautifully. This cake is gorgeous and sounds incredible.
Audrey says
Thanks Nissrine ❤ These little projects are definitely great fun.
Emma says
This looks divine! A question about the mulberries: Are these dried white mulberries? Thanks!
Audrey says
Oh, thanks for the catch, Emma -- I added the detail in. Yes, it's dried white mulberries.
Natalie @ Feasting on Fruit says
Mulberries save the day!!! This is quite a feat, and it looks stunning of course!
And I think that is the best life's mission I've ever heard ;)
Audrey says
Hehe, thanks, my mulberry-loving friend :)
Regina says
I made the chocolate cake for my daughter's birthday. I used non-dairy butter in the frosting, totally omitted the coconut oil and all other options for the topping and soaked the dates in boiled water for 20 mins.. Well it was a hit with everyone. Very rich and satisfying so only a small piece is enough for a serving. This recipie is a keeper. Thanks Audrey for the recipe.