S is for Syrup: Aniseed Date Cake

 

My kids love toasted buckwheat or kasha. We whiz it with equal parts dates and a spoon of cocoa powder to make a raw cookie crust for cake and use it in bliss balls for it's crunch. It's not a wheat, cereal or grass but related to rhubarb. It's gluten free, high in fiber and a strong source of B vitamins, niacin, magnesium and manganese.

We changed the original recipe to work with our pantry, but there was no substitute for syrup! The amount of coconut oil and syrup makes it a caramelized, buttery-soft cake with a crunch from the kasha.

Aniseed Date Cake

~1.5c buckwheat flour 

~1/3c cashews

~2t baking powder

pinch salt 

~2T aniseed or 4T tarragon

~1/3c green pumpkin seed

~orange or lemon zest * optional

Process kasha until nearly fine (leaving bits for crunch). Add cashews, spices, powder and continue to process until fine flour. Mix in pumpkin seeds.

~2T flaxmeal + 6T water (flax egg)

~vanilla bean pod

~1.5c syrup

~1c coconut oil

~10 dates

Blend well. Mix with dry. Bake at 325 in loaf pan for 40-45mins (or 60-65 minutes in my oven).

*Toothpick will not come out clean-the center of the cake will still be fairly wet.

Look for edges that will caramelize and brown.

Once cool-transfer he cake to the fridge to set. The coconut oil, once cool, will harden the cake so it's simple to slice. Serve with coconut whipped cream or yogurt, mandarin slice and sage leaf.