I was working on the idea for this SCD Birthday Cake for a long time. Inspiration for this recipe comes from Almost Chocolate Brownies which are ultimately inspired by Marilyn’s Chocolate Cake. I have adapted and changed the recipe quite a bit after much experimentation. Chocolate isn’t allowable on SCD, I hear you say! That’s true. Cocoa powder and cacao are not SCD-legal. Cacao butter however, which is just the fat from the cacao plant is legal. This has opened up a whole world of new dessert possibilities to me. You’ll see if you have a quick look around my food blog that cacao butter features heavily. Well if a girl can’t have chocolate then she needs at least a good chocolate substitute. The cacao butter itself is quite bitter (similar to cacao in its raw form) but sweetened and paired with the right ingredients is decadent and delicious.

This year for my birthday I wanted to make a wow cake. I wanted a cake that not only tasted delicious but looked amazing too. When this SCD Birthday Cake was ready to cut and my daughter cried “Mommy that cake looks so yummy!”, I had achieved my goal. I wanted to enjoy a birthday cake that looked like a regular birthday cake. No matter what happens, I know I will never regret choosing to eat real food. I can’t envisage a day when I will regret swapping sugar-laden processed foods for real, wholesome ingredients. All that said, sometimes I just want to feel like a normal girl who gets to have an enormous slice of cake on her birthday. And yes, ok. It’s a huge bonus that this SCD Birthday Cake is actually healthy too.

The great thing about this SCD Birthday Cake (seriously, you need another excuse to try it???) is that it is a freezer cake. It will keep for a few months in the freezer, although will unlikely last that long around hungry humans! Making a big SCD cake like this with wholesome ingredients is costly compared to its unhealthy counterparts. However, keeping it in the freezer means no waste and a delicious dessert that goes on for weeks!

There are three steps to this recipe that you need to do in advance.

1. The night before you plan to make the cake, soak 3 cups of cashews in water overnight. This helps them to blend better to a creamy consistency and also makes them more digestible. Always a good thing for someone with a delicate tummy!
2. The night before you plan to make the cake, freeze the three bananas for the frosting. I slice very ripe bananas into thin slices and freeze them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3. On the morning you plan to make the cake, soak 22 Medjool dates (halved and pitted) in water for at least 30 minutes.

For this recipe you will need:

• Two round springform cake tins

Print Recipe

SCD Birthday Cake

A delicious WOW SCD Birthday cake free from: gluten, grains, dairy and refined sugar. Paleo and Specific Carbohydrate Diet-friendly.

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour + freezing time

Servings

slices

Ingredients

For the two cake layers:

• 22 Medjool dates, halved and pitted and soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 cups Almond butter
• 1 1/2 cups Cacao butter
• 2/3 cup Coconut oil, (plus extra for greasing)
• 2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of soda
• 6 Free range eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea salt
• 4 teaspoons Vanilla extract* (no added sugar)

For the cashew cream frosting:

• 3 cups Raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 3 cups Fresh raspberries (plus extra for decorating)
• 1/2 can Coconut milk* (no additives, just coconut and water)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract* (no added sugar)
• 1/4 cup Raw honey
• 3 Frozen bananas
• Pinch of sea salt

Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 1 hour + freezing time Servings slices Ingredients For the two cake layers: 22 Medjool dates, halved and pitted and soaked for 30 minutes 2 cups Almond butter 1 1/2 cups Cacao butter 2/3 cup Coconut oil, (plus extra for greasing) 2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of soda 6 Free range eggs 1/4 teaspoon Sea salt 4 teaspoons Vanilla extract* (no added sugar) For the cashew cream frosting: 3 cups Raw cashews, soaked overnight 3 cups Fresh raspberries (plus extra for decorating) 1/2 can Coconut milk* (no additives, just coconut and water) 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract* (no added sugar) 1/4 cup Raw honey 3 Frozen bananas Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to: 160°C Fan, 180°C electric, 350°F or gas mark 4.
2. While the dates are soaking, prepare the other ingredients. Beat the eggs. Melt the cacao butter and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of hot water on the stove.

   
3. Drain the dates and blend in a powerful blender to a smooth consistency. Add the eggs, almond butter, vanilla, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Blend until well combined. Add the cacao butter and coconut oil and mix again.

   
4. Grease two springform cake tins very well with coconut oil. Pour the mixture into both cake tins dividing it evenly among them.

   
5. Bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You need to watch them carefully as they dry out completely if they are left in too long. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the tins before releasing them and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

   
6. Once the cakes are cool to room temperature, prepare the frosting. Drain the cashews and add to the blender. Blend until completely smooth.

   
7. Next add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, honey, raspberries, frozen bananas and pinch of salt. Blend until well combined.

   
8. To assemble the cake take a large plate and place on cake on it. Cover it generously with frosting.

   
9. Add the next cake and cover with frosting again. Cover the whole outside of the cake with frosting using a spatula or knife, whichever you find easiest.

   
10. Be prepared - this is a messy job! Try to make the frosting as smooth as possible around the cake.

    
11. Cover the cake loosely in cling film (this prevents freezer burn) and freeze for at least two hours. The longer the better. Just remember to take the cake out of the freezer at least 20 minutes before serving. Serving with some extra raspberries on top if desired. Keep leftovers in the freezer for a few months.

    

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