raw chocolate banana superfood ice cream cake – and cry!
This sums up a lot of the lovely meeting I had the other day with one of my dearest friends, Vanessa. We’ve been buds for a while now- coming up 7 years, I would say (that’s a lot when you consider it is over Œ of my life thus far). Usually, when we hang out, it is pretty productive. I mean, we’ve got stuff to do. Mostly, we’ve got food to eat (or, make, eat, and blog about- sometimes in that order). And thank my lucky stars that she is such a darned good cook with such an enormous heart.
Kitchen Wife Vanessa, showing off her incredible chocolate dipping skills (recipe for these mint chocolate dipped sandwich cookies coming up next week!). Check out those tattoos- much cooler than yours truly
This lady is special. I remember a few years back, she was between jobs. I was studying like a maniac, and holding down a part time job (or three) and a full time course load (including courses with numbers. (Business) Statistics- we miss each other.). So instead of sitting around playing cards and eating bon bons, what did Vanessa do? Something like this:
“Hey- so I know you basically eat rice and beans for every dinner of the week, can I come by and make something with a little more variety for you?”
What?! Ahhhhh- okay! I’d gone from the typical student (minus the blue box filled with neon powder & noodles), to someone who felt like she had the nicest personal chef in the world.
So I would be studying, at work, or at school, and Vanessa would come by from time to time and make me food. I felt like a dad in the 1950s- you know, out trying to bring home the bakon (eventually- hurry. up.), and then voila- all this magical stuff is in my fridge. Although I appreciated it a lot more and have never considered her to be my subordinate (not that they always did but- generally you get a vibe). I don’t call her my Kitchen Wife for nothing.
And what’s there to cry about? Well, lots based upon our updates to one another. We definitely could have had a sob sesh right then and there. First world problems are still problems. (Unless you’re upset about not having “this season’s ______” – then go out and gain some perspective, please.) However legitimate, we instead left the crying for another day, and made some pretty awesome cake.
And you can as well! Just follow this super simple recipe, based on the recipe by our friend and genius of This Rawesome Vegan Life, Emily. I have formally re-named it Crying Superhero Cake. It can take your sad tears (whether you cry them on the outside for all to see or on the inside for you to carry alone) and turn them into happy tears of joy! Ah kidding- well, maybe. I mean, this cake certainly wouldn’t hinder your mood (unless you eat way too much of it at once while photographing it for this post).
Crying Cake- alliteration. (And applicable!)
Superhero – you (or, at least Me and Vanessa- join us). “super foods” abound in and on this cake. I figure, if they taste good in whatever your making, they are a good idea! But if not- don’t do it. I, for example, cannot stomach much kale in my smoothies. So instead, I steam it, stir fry it, eat all of Leeanne’s home made kale chips, make a salad or put it in brownies. Don’t down it just because it’s healthy- it has to taste good, too!
This is how Vanessa works in the kitchen- without me. I have to stay on the other side of the divider, gabbing at her from a distance. She won’t even let me do the dishes (oh darling!). She also is very intuitive- unlike me, who has to measure everything out by the gram or else it may not end up perfect and I won’t be able to tweak it later and I will prove myself all the more to be a chef of questionable ability. Darn.
See the banana layer? Amazing. Taste a little caramel-y.
Crying Superhero Cake
1 cup mixed pumpkin seeds, buckwheat groats, coconut, hemp seeds
3/4 cup pitted dates
Πcup raisins
All of the above go into your food processor, starting with the 1 cup of mixed pumpkin seeds, buckwheat groats, coconut, and hemp seeds. Process until a coarse flour forms. Then, you add your pitted dates, raisins, and blend. Press half of this into two pie pans (mini-ish ones. I think the bases were about 4 inches in diameter). Slice some banana to put on the bottom of the top of the crust.
2 frozen bananas (I would say at about 180 g- ah there I go!)
? cup melted Zimt
œ an average sized avocado
1 tsp coconut oil
Add all of those to your food processor and blend blend blend until smooth! Pour onto the banana lined crusts in equal proportions and smooth out.
Top with…
A mix of super foods- we used mulberries, gogi berries, chopped up Zimt (yum! chocolate chunks don’t mind if I do!).
Eat. Feel like a superhero. Because remember:
Have fun eating cake =)
xo Emma