I made my crack cake tasting team a danish cake called “drømmekage” which means dream cake which is famous for its baked caramelised coconut topping atop a rich vanilla sponge. It’s delicious and decadent and was well received but I wondered whether I could make a healthier more cyclist friendly version. I decided to go all bounty bar on it and combine cocoa with coconut.
After some trial and error, and important feedback from my willing volunteers, I adjusted the sweetness of the batter with an extra banana to come up with a cake that’s free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar. Plus, it tastes deliciously dreamy!
The cake is baked in two steps, first the base cake, and then you add the topping to finish it. You will NOT be disappointed with this recipe.
Ingredients (makes 12 large cup cakes)
Cake
- 300g (1 1/2 cups) baked sweet potato
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 4 large organic eggs
- 45g (1/2 cup) rolled oats
- 7 dates (pitted)
- 4 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 100 ml (just under half a cup) almond milk
- 75g (3/4 cup) dutch cocoa powder (any unsweetened cocoa will do)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 heaped tsp espresso coffee powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 100g (1/2 cup, less 1 tbsp) melted coconut oil
Topping
- 100g (1 1/2 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 50g (1/4 cup, less 1 tbsp) melted coconut oil
- 75g (1/4 cup, less 1 tbsp) maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas mark 4 (350ºF/320ºF fan) and bake whole sweet potatoes on a baking tray with the skin on until they are completely tender. Cool them down before step 2.
2. Blend all the cake ingredients EXCEPT for the coconut oil until smooth. Then add in the cool melted coconut oil whilst blending at low-medium speed.
3. Grease and line your cake or muffin tins. Pour the batter into the tin(s).
4. Bake for 20 minutes turning the cakes twice during the baking time to ensure an even bake.
5. Heat up all the topping ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Take the cake(s) out of the oven and spread the hot coconut topping evenly on the top, then bake it for another 10 minutes until the coconut is toasted golden. Watch it so it doesn’t burn.
7. Remove the cake(s) from the oven and cool on a rack – you don’t need to wait until it’s completely cool – because it tastes sooooo good when it’s still warm.
8. The cake keeps for up to five days in the fridge, that is if you haven’t eaten it all by day two.
9. It also freezes well, however the topping may fall off once defrosted. If it does, just put it back on the cake, slap a dollop of cream on the top and pretend like nothing happened.
Sheree’s Handy Hints
1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. When I’m baking I always use a timer as it’s so easy to lose track of time. Once you’ve put the cake(s) in the oven, put the timer on for 5-10 minutes less than the cake should take to cook and then check regularly.
3. If you think the cakes are browning too quickly, particularly at the edges, cover them with an aluminium-foil tent.
4. I have made a vegan version of this cake using aquafaba which becomes less fragile the following day.
This looks great
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the recipe. Definitely will try it. Thank you for your post.
LikeLiked by 4 people
My pleasure! Let me know how you get on.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi. They look great. I like your “pretend like nothing happened” comment.
LikeLiked by 4 people
😎
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cute little papers in the cups. These look and sound ,or read, like good.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Disappeared in nano seconds
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good job. They say a cakes as good as a holiday 🙂
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yummy! 👍😀
LikeLiked by 3 people
😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great recipe, thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 4 people
My pleasure
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow that looks so delicious!
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Thanks Pooja
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YUM! can I buy a batch.. lol! looks so good!
LikeLiked by 4 people
They’re easy to make Cindy
LikeLiked by 1 person
looks yum! 🙂
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Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
This looks like something I’d like to eat right now.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Sending you one round!
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And now, my mouth is watering for this at 3:30 a.m.!!! It looks delicious and I think you must mail me some straight away! I may try the recipe … if I ever get the energy to bake again! Thanks, Sheree!!!
LikeLiked by 5 people
Just popping a couple in the post for you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So tasty
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“…pretend like nothing happened” got me grinning. 😁
It looks yum!. 😊
LikeLiked by 3 people
😎
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I am always leery when I see a recipe that’s gluten-, dairy- and refined-sugar- free BUT you make a tantalizing case. I can imagine the tasty combination of chocolate, banana and coconut. I’m curious on how the cake crumb looks Sheree – is it like a fudgy brownie?
LikeLiked by 5 people
No, not at all. It’s a nice light sponge.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Banana too? Oh my, I may have to try this one (or maybe try to get mom to make it). There’s really no contest between us as to who the best cook is 🙂 Going back to read the ingredients more carefully, and see what we’d need.
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Let me know how you get on.
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Will do.
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That looks so tasty!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Another yummy treat from you! My tummy is growling. Haha!
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😎
LikeLiked by 2 people