Tag: birthday

Chocolate cake – allergy friendly, indulgent & healthy

Well, as healthy as the word goes with cake! Better than many options and yay this one is coconut free!

Having three kids means not only three birthday cakes a year, but I also have to make cake every time someone else has a birthday celebration so my lot don’t have to miss out. My usual go to cake has coconut oil and coconut flour which I can’t have this year because I’m breastfeeding our baby with a coconut allergy. I love the wacky cake recipe for its allergy friendliness using gluten free flour. Not so much all the sugar though. And quite frankly I feel like I’ve made about ten wacky cakes this last year due to ease and it being a fairly fail safe and crowd pleasing cake. But for Hazel’s first birthday this year I wanted to make her a cake with a little less sugar and a little more goodness.

So here came this recipe, gluten free, dairy free, soy free (though the chocolate I use in the ganache does contain soy lethicin, which we are ok with), nut free, egg free, coconut free, refined sugar free and contains vegetables. Now that’s a cake I’m happy for miss 12 months to scoff. And me, I was also happy to scoff this cake. It was truely delicious. It freezes well, so you can make ahead. I doubled the mixture and divided it into three, to make a three layer cake.

Ingredients

1/2 c cocoa or cacao powder
1c gluten free flour (I used Edmonds gf plain flour)
2 Tb psyllium husk (most supermarkets stock this in the health food section)
2 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cream of tartar (OR 2 tsp baking powder)

2 c Kumara (purple skin) or carrot finely grated
1/2 c maple syrup (or make a syrup with 1/2 cup sugar + 1/3 cup boiling water, then cooled)
1/2 c water
1/2 c oil (I used light olive oil)
1 t vanilla extract

what to do

Preheat oven to 160 deg fan forced (180 deg regular).

Measure out the wet ingredients + grated veg and add them to a bowl. Sift over all the dry ingredients and mix together. Let it sit for a couple minutes while you grease your cake pan, it will thicken as it sits. Pour into very well greased or lined cake tin (recommend a spring form tin).

Cook for approximately 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. And it feels the same to touch in the middle as it does round the sides.

Cake notes:

If doubling the mix and dividing into three cakes, cook each cake for 20 minutes.

I make a chocolate ganache using two blocks of Whittaker’s dark chocolate, melted with 3/4 cup of almond milk and spread this between the layers with refined sugar free raspberry jam and also used the ganache to coat the outside of the cake to make it smooth for the white fondant icing over the top.

To make this cake, after I assembled with the ganache, I rolled out ready made white fondant icing and placed it over the top of the whole cake. I made two plaits with the remains and curved them into a circle on the top. Then added the fresh berries just before serving.

I assembled the cake and ganache then froze the whole cake overnight before adding the white icing on the day, then let it to sit out and thaw until later in the day.

Kayla

Chocolate & Raspberry Mousse Tart

Ingredients

Base
1 cup dates
1 cup nuts or seeds
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 T coconut oil
Pinch of salt
2 T cacao powder

18 – 20 cm baking tin, pie dish or 4 individual pie / tart dishes.

Choc mousse
3/4 c coconut cream
1 medjool date or 2-3 regular dates (soaked) Or 1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp cocoa or raw cacao
1 Tbsp gelatin + 1/4 c water

Raspberry mousse
1/2 c coconut cream
1 c raspberries (i just use frozen)
1 Tbsp Maple syrup
1 Tbsp gelatin + 1/4 c water

optional – additional raspberries for scattering through mouse and to garnish on top.

what to do

Base – put the nuts or seeds into a food processor and break them down until finely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms a sticky crumb.

Line a dish, cake tin, pie dish, whatever you are using with baking paper and press the base into the tin. Set in the freezer while you make the mousse.

Choc mousse
add the gelatin to the water and leave to ‘bloom’ – chuck the rest of the ingredients in a blender if using dates – if not then just mix all together in a saucepan. bring to a gentle heat and add the gelatin mix, stir until dissolved and pour over the base. Put back into the freezer to set.

Raspberry mousse
While the choc mousse sets you can make this part. Add gelatin to water to bloom. Because i used frozen berries i start by putting the remaining ingredients in a saucepan to gently heat. Add galtin and stir until dissolved. Add all to blender and blend until smooth. Take the mostly set (doesnt have to be fully set) tart from the freezer. If using, scatter berries over the choc layer, then pour the raspberry mouse layer on top. Put back in the freezer, or the fridge to set.

This is best served around 24 hours after making, and stored in the fridge. Sadly, unlike my cheesecake recipe it doesn’t keep quite as well in the freezer so best to prepare the day before. It *can* freeze and be stored in freezer and eaten defrosted but it slightly changes the texture of the mousse, which personally i think is best eaten fresh. This has, however not stopped me from keeping some in the freezer to pull out for pudding over the course of a few weeks!

I had heaps left over from the base recipe (which is pretty much just my simple bliss ball mix) so I roll the extra into bliss balls. For my Christmas version I’ve also doubled the sweetener, because you know, Christmas (and that it will be served to guests who are used to partaking in regular sugar filled baking and treats, so they might be a bit more inclined to prefer it sweet!)

Kayla

Party Food! Real food, allergy friendly party treats (gluten, dairy, soy, nut, egg free)

The one stop for real food birthday party food inspiration – find links to the stuff i made here! Every single thing on the party table is free from dairy, egg, soy, gluten, wheat, nuts, peanuts, refined sugar and vegetable oils. Most of the food is made from good quality wholefoods ingredients, without feeling like the party food is missing. No sugar highs or post cake meltdowns after this party! And best of all, one very happy two year old, who for the first time in his life could enjoy all the party food!

Here i used my almond cranberry bliss ball recipe, but instead of almonds i used 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds to make them nut free.
this fruit creation was kindly put together by my Mum (i said she could do the fruit or some baking – good choice mother). she just used a bunch of fruit available at the supermarket, honeydew melon, pineapple, apple, grapes, strawberries and banana – a pretty impressive selection at this time of year. the the middle is half an orange (skin and all) where she stuck the skewers and threaded the fruit on. The kids loved grabbing a skewer of fruit to take to their plate.
The famous everything free chocolate cake, so delicious and fudgy. recipe here along with choc ganache and marshmallow icing.
Batman biscuits! Recipe courtesy of Mummy Made It – its the ‘healthy tiny teddy’ recipe cut with batman cookie cutter. Free from dairy, egg, soy, gluten, nut and refined sugar! Ive made this a few times and is my go to special occasion biscuit recipe.
This pancake recipe comes from Be Good Organics – it is free from gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and nuts! But not free from deliciousness! For the party i subbed the buckwheat flour for a standard gluten free flour mix, given that buckwheat can be an acquired taste to unsuspecting guests! It is also the recipe i use in our waffles. The icing is choc ganache left over from the cake and the sprinkles i found at countdown which claim to be naturally colored, perhaps I was scammed by the marketing but i was willing to forgo research on this one for the sake of the party.
this was one of my favourite platters of the party! A trio of hummus. I used our standard hummus recipe, then to one added a bit extra garlic, the other about 1/2 cup roasted carrot and a tsp curry powder and the third, two small cooked beetroot and a little honey. lots of cut up vege to dip and some of our seed crackers.
Home popped popcorn! and Proper Crisps – salted and smoked paprika flavour. I love proper crisps because they aren’t cooked in refined canola oil, and they taste so good! Best chips I’ve ever tasted, they have spoiled all other potato chips for me now! For the popcorn, i melt about 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a large pot, add 3 popcorn kernels and cover, as soon as they have all popped add half a cup of popcorn kernels, cover and keep on the heat until the first ones start to pop. then turn off the heat and take the pot off the shake it, then put back on the element (while its turned off but will still be hot) for 30 seconds, and repeat until all the popcorn is popped. add a knob of coconut oil or butter to the hot pot and let melt through the popcorn then turn out into a bowl and season to taste.

 

Jellies! i made three types of jellies about a week ahead and kept them in the freezer, then transferred to the fridge to defrost a day or two before the party. I made blueberry, strawberry and lime (sorry didn’t get a picture of those ones!) and peaches jellies. i got the heart, star, duck moulds from Kmart and the lego men from Aliexpress.
Chicken Nibbles – Bostocks organic free range chicken nibbles (my second favourite after their wings!) marinated in honey, garlic, ginger and coconut aminos. For ‘honey soy’ chicken nibbles. these were delicious!
Franks sausages – our go to for gluten free, preservative sausages, these were the chicken ones and lamb ones. They are so good, and the only sausage I’ve found with ingredients I’m happy to feed Felix. In the big drink dispenser there is soda water with frozen blueberries and orange slices, and in the glass bottle chilled water with lime wedges.

Kayla

Real Food Jelly Lollies

Ingredients

Strawberry & lime

1 cup strawberries (frozen is fine)
1/4 cup water x2
1 T lime juice

1 T maple syrup (optional)

2 T gelatin*

Blueberry

1 cup blueberries (Frozen is fine)
1/4 cup water x2
1 T maple syrup (optional)
2 T gelatin*

Peaches

1 cup peaches (i used tinned – rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup water x2
1 T maple syrup (optional)
2 T gelatin*

*(you can use up to 4 T gelatin for a firmer jelly / lolly like consistency)

what to do

Put the fruit, one lot of 1/4 cup water and sweetener for your your chosen flavour in a small pot and heat through.

While its heating add the gelatin to the other 1/4 cup water and stir. It will expand and soak up the water. Add this to the hot pot and stir through until dissolved.

Remove from the heat and blend the mixture in a blender, or with a handheld blender.

Pour into moulds, or line a tray with cling wrap and pour into the tray to cut into shapes when its set.

Set in the freezer for 20 – 60 mins depending on the size, or overnight. This part is essential for making sure the jellies come cleanly out of the moulds, especially if its a fiddly mould – like a lego man! you can store them in the freezer and defrost over night in the fridge before needed, or store in the fridge for a couple of days.

They should be able to handle being at room temperature for a couple hours, but are nicest when cold.

Kayla

Chocolate cake – real food and top 8 free!

So this recipe stems from an original recipe, a somewhat famous cake in the real food world – the 84th and 3rd chocolate cake! The original recipe calls for pumpkin and has eggs in it, so we have made some adjustments to the ratios and ingredients, by changing out for seasonal veggies and substituting the eggs. If you are not egg free then go check out the 84th and 3rd best real food chocolate cake recipe ever ! (but stick around here for the marshmallow icing!)

This recipe has been tried and tested half a dozen times between Justine at Our Kitchen Adventures and Myself. She was kind enough to adapt the original recipe first and share it with me! I have also made the original recipe, which isn’t egg free, for Ashton’s birthday, when Felix was too little to eat cake! I’ve made it with pumpkin, kumara (sweet potato) and carrot, i’m not a huge fan of the pumpkin version, but kumara and carrot are both delicious. This time i used carrot because kumara is like $10 a kilo right now!

Justine from Our Kitchen Adventures made the cake for her sons 2nd birthday dinosaur party.
And for her son’s Thunderbird’s birthday party

Ingredients

Cake:
1/2 c cocoa or cacao powder
1/4 c coconut flour
2 Tb psyllium husk
1 t cream of Tatar
2 t baking soda*
1/2 c maple syrup***
1/2 c water
1/2 c coconut oil
2 c Kumara, carrot or pumpkin finely grated
1 t vanilla extract
* or 1 t baking soda and 1 t baking powder

Chocolate Icing:
1 block dark dairy free chocolate (this part is not refined sugar free! the darker the chocolate the less sugar it has)**
1 400ml can coconut cream
1 t vanilla extract
** for a refined sugar free icing do try to the 84th and 3rd dairy free ‘buttercream’!)

what to do

Preheat oven 180 degrees c.

Cake

Put all the wet ingredients into a bowl and stir in the finely grated vege.

Sift the dry ingredients on top and then mix everything together, let sit for 5 mins for the mixture to thicken slightly.

line a cake tin with baking paper. I used a 18cm cake tin and split the mix in two to make two thin layers – so for the whole cake i made three batches of cake and 6 layers. (i made 1 batch a night and froze the layers to minimize the kitchen marathon!)

if you are doing two layers, bake each layer for 20 – 25 minutes, or a full cake batch for 35 minutes. lift out the baking paper and carefully place on a wire rack to cool. Without eggs to bind the cake is fragile so minimal handling works best. If you are wanting to layer or shape it, i recommend freezing for for easier handling. It freezes and defrosts beautifully, and actually tastes better after a couple days in the fridge!

icing

Melt the chocolate and add the coconut cream, refrigerate for an hour or so until firm then whip the mixture on high using an electric beater until fluffy and spreadable.

layer up with choc ganache icing between each layer, we also added strawberry chia-seed jam between each layer too, which was delicious!

If you want to add the marshmallow layer on the top then the instructions for that is here. Otherwise use this as your canvas to create whatever you want!

This part could be made a couple days in advance and stored in the fridge then the marshmallow icing added on the day or day before.

***for two of the cake batches i ran out of maple syrup! So i used coconut sugar made into a syrup, by measuring out half a cup of coconut sugar, then pouring boiling water over to reach the half cup measurement and stirring to dissolve.

Kayla

Marshmallow Icing

This is what I poured over the top of Felix’s birthday cake in the weekend, to get the yellow drizzle topping.  You can find lots of party snack photos on our facebook page and i’ll add more recipes for everything throughout the coming week.

Ingredients

1 cup water
3 Tbsp gelatin (we use great lakes or vital proteins)
100g honey or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
Natural colour if you wish (i used 1/4 tsp turmeric, beetroot powder would probably work for pink – use your imagination im sure the natural colour options are endless.

what to do

put 1/2 the water in a large mixing bowl with the gelatin and leave to bloom while you prepare the honey.

In a saucepan heat the honey, water, vanilla, natural colour and salt until melted and combined.
Using an electric beater or stand mixer, start to beat the gelatin and water on low, while slowly pouring in the honey mix. Once combined turn the speed up to high and beat until it starts to become fluffy marshmallow texture, can take anywhere between 5 and 15 mins depending on the speed of your beater. Mine takes no longer than ten mins.

I’m not sure if i over beat it every time, but i find it sets too fast to ice a cake with, so i then melt it in the microwave ever so slightly (5 seconds at a time!) to make it a pour-able texture. Don’t worry if you melt it too much – it will firm back up on standing! But you need to make sure its loose enough or it won’t pour over the cake!

Depending on your climate it might set out of the fridge (its freezing at my house!) otherwise an hour or two in the fridge will firm it up.
Alternatively pour into a baking paper lined tin and cut into squares of marshmallow when set.

Kayla2 Comments