Tag: blueberries

It’s hot, hot, hot! And while it’s not officially summer, yet, with a temperature of 94.7F degrees (to be exact. . . . thank you Weather Underground!) and a heat index of 105F right now, it certainly feels like it.

For me, summery weather equals summer food. Grilling, lots of salads, and, of course, my favorite, summery desserts. I.e. anything that contains one or more of the following: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.

You could say I’m a berry nut, and guess what? You’d be correct. And summer is the time of year I let all of my berry-loving qualities shine through. 

Example: Mini Coconut Berry Cakes. Raspberries, blueberries, and coconut. 

 In other words, red, white, and blue. Which makes them perfect for any July 4th party!

But these little cakes aren’t just any old cake. Nope, they’re healthy. Grain free and sugar free. Because, while I may love to bake, I also love to eat healthy and try new things. 

Which is why I’m teaming up with Nuts.com, to share a coconut flour recipe with y’all. 

Why coconut flour, you ask? 

Well, because it’s a low-carb or gluten-free dieter’s dream. It’s 100% gluten free and low in carbohydrates, and yet, it contains more protein than wheat flour and more fiber than any other flour. Which means that it’s excellent for building muscles and for helping you feel fuller longer. 

That may be, but how does it taste, you ask?

Coconut flour has a very mild, slightly sweet taste. I’ve tried a lot of different flour alternatives, and this is, by far, my new favorite, and not only because of the taste but also because it’s really easy to bake with.

Be sure to check out Nuts.com’s coconut flour page for more information.

Now, let’s get to baking. 

First, start off by stirring together the dry ingredients (i.e. coconut flour, baking soda, and salt) in a medium sized bowl. 

Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients (eggs, yogurt, coconut oil, honey, vanilla, lemon juice, and zest), mixing until everything is completely incorporated.

Since coconut flour absorbs liquid ingredients like a sponge, you need more eggs than you would typically use with wheat flour. So, even though eight eggs seems like a lot, they’re very much needed. 

And, living on a farm, means that eggs are always an ingredient that I have in abundance.

Except when the girls molt, but that’s a story for another day and another time. Right now, I have eggs. 

And aren’t they pretty? See the humongously big egg? Duck egg. Which are actually phenomenal in baked goods, but unfortunately, I only had the one at the time. Oh well. 

By the way, you could totally make these dairy-free by using coconut yogurt instead of Greek. I would have done that, except, let’s face it. . . I have milk goats, and those girls would be a little offended if I even attempted to make a completely dairy-free dessert. No, seriously they would 😉

Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until completely combined. Spoon into a prepared baking dish.

 Bake for about 35 – 40 minutes in a 350F degree preheated oven. 

 I removed mine after exactly 40 minutes of baking time, and I think it could have come out a couple of minutes sooner. 

Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes, then, being very careful as it may still be hot, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert to remove the cake.

Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, with a sharp knife, trim the edges of the cake off so that they’re more even and precise. 

Cut the large cake into 16 smaller squares.

Then turn each small square on its side and slice in half. 

 Now for the whipped coconut cream:

Refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk (very important that it’s full-fat) for about 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and open the can. Scoop out the solid coconut cream into a chilled mixing bowl (chill the mixing bowl by placing it into the freezer for 10 minutes prior to using it), leaving behind the coconut water.

 By the way, you can actually buy canned coconut cream and completely skip the previous steps, but, uh. . . . I live in a small town, and, I’m lucky to be able to find coconut milk in the store. Coconut cream? It ain’t happening. 

Using a whisk attachment, whip the coconut cream for a few minutes or until it’s soft and fluffy and has soft peaks.

Add in a little vanilla extract and honey, and mix until completely incorporated. 

 To assemble the mini cakes:

Place a dollop of coconut cream on the bottom piece of each cake square. Top with at least four blueberries. 

Place the top piece of each cake square on top, then add a dollop of coconut cream and a raspberry.

Serve immediately.