Time to rethink vanilla!
No longer shall vanilla be thought of as the bland, boring cousin of chocolate. When someone is just sort of “meh” we won’t call them vanilla as a derogatory term. No more associating the word plain when we think of vanilla.
The middle-of-the-road reputation that’s been placed on vanilla is really not fair because when you use real vanilla seeds for the vanilla flavor it’s actually a rich flavor with many layers to experience.
And using real vanilla seeds is so Paleo. In an effort to use more natural ingredients and get rid of artificial add-ins, vanilla seeds just make sense. Sure, it will take a bit more effort to source these pods, but doing right for your body sometimes isn’t the convenient thing to do. And trust me, when you taste the difference that real vanilla seeds make, you’ll be hooked.
The cake uses Paleo-friendly flour, both almond and coconut, which provide much more fiber than ordinary all-purpose flour so there’s extra nutrition built right into it. This one tweak goes a long way in keeping this cake healthy, and you’ll notice it in the way you feel after eating the cake, it will be unlike any other cake-eating experience you’ve had before.
That’s one thing that took me by surprise with Paleo. After eating a meal I didn’t get sleepy, and after having dessert there’s no sugar rush and resulting crash. You just feel good, satisfied and energetic without feeling like it’s artificial or getting jittery.
Raw honey is the source of sweetness in both the cake and the filling, and it’s become my favorite way to sweeten things up. When compared to refined, white sugar sold in stores in large bags it’s a much better way to go. With Paleo you’re not going to be eating this type of sugar, but raw honey is OK because it’s a natural source that has digestive enzymes that actually help you out rather than being a toxic substance.
As is, this cake is awesome all by itself. But you can feel free to use it as a base for further adornment. Mixed berries would be a great topping for it, and would add to the total nutrition of the cake. It’s also the perfect cake for a birthday party, and the frosting will hold the candles well. Most of the time I just add a ring of slivered almonds to the outside of it.
It’s your time to shine, vanilla!
You may also like our list of the best Paleo cakes
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 4 eggs
- 4 tbsp raw honey
- 5 tbsp coconut flour
- 5 tbsp almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- seeds from one vanilla pod
- seeds from one vanilla pod
- For the filling
- 1 3/4 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hour and drained well
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup water
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- For decoration (optional)
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds
Directions
- Make the filling a day ahead.
- Place all the ingredients except water in a high power blender and blend until smooth. Add the water, a tablespoon at the time until the filling become silky and you get your desired texture. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. To make the cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8 inch spring-form pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl cream the eggs with honey. Add the salt, coconut flour mixed with baking powder and seeds from vanilla pod and mix until combined. Divide the mixture between prepared pans and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove cakes from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
- Remove the cakes from the pans and take the filling from the fridge. Whip the filling with a hand mixer until filling become fluffy. Place one of the cakes on a platter and spread 1/3 of filling evenly. Top with another cake and spread top and sides of cake with remaining filling. Sprinkle with sliced almonds if using and place in a fridge for minimum two hours before serving.
I’ve been looking for a paleo, no-refined-sugar cake for my son’s first birthday! This looks perfect. Do you think I could sub pure maple syrup for the honey?
From reading and cooking with many paleo recipes, I believe honey and maple syrup are almost always interchangeable in desserts. I would be interested in finding out how it goes! I have yet to try any cake other than banana loaf because it is rather delicate and with no access to Honeyville almond flour, I will have to grind mine more fine for this.
Yes, you can sub the maple syrup for the honey.
My son has an almond allergy, can I use all coconut flour?
NO- coconut flour and almond flour are VERY different. But- you could use tigernut flour.
Regina,
You can substitute another nut flour, such as cashew, pecan or walnut.
Does this end up eggy? I’m trying to find a recipe for someone who only likes white flour, but he is gluten intolerant. He would not be happy with an eggy cake at all… I would have to eat the whole thing.
Ive just made the cake part of this recipe and wondering about the baking powder part as i didnt see instructions for that. Also there was no pouring into the cake tin as it was like a scone mixture so i dropped it in and pressed it down. Its in the oven now so i shall see the results soon.
How did it come out?
Hi Pip,
The baking powder is added in step 2 with the coconut flour and salt. The mixture shouldn’t be quite as stiff as a scone dough, and could indicate that something was mis-measured.
How did it turn out?
I am Paleo to balance blood sugat. It is great and I love your recipes.Doctor says no sugar period. I use stevia but have cheated and used honey. No blood sugar spikes so Do you know if honey is just the same as sugar in your body?
Thank you so much
Pam,
Honey is a carbohydrate and actually has more calories than granulated sugar (granulated sugar has 1 tablespoon while honey has 68, honey is also heavier and has more density than sugar). Honey has enzymes in it that break down the sucrose into fructose and glucose making it very easy for the body to digest. When you use honey, you have to count the overall carbohydrates in the homey into your diet. So if your Dr says no sugar, than you might want to skip the homey. Stevia, might be a great option for you to try.
I put the baking powder in with the flours, she must have forgotten to put it in the instructions. I put extra coconut cream in because there was no way to fold in egg whites as the mixture was really dry and crumbly. In the oven now, fingers crossed.
Which coconut flour and almond flour brand name did you use for this recipe?
Just wondering when you use coconut cream in your recipe what exactly are you referring to? Chilled and sperated pure coconut milk?
in my experience, i have always understand it to be the chilled separated pure white part of the coconut milk.
Ginger,
You can make your own, by chilling and separating coconut milk or by using actual coconut cream which is popping up in markets here and there and save that extra step.
Hi just wanted to let you know you forgot to include the salt and the lemon into your directions 🙂
Thanks for this recipe, I baked it for my husbands birthday but it didn’t quite turn out like the photo. Tasted good. I will have to try it again. How did you get the icing so white and fluffy?
Is the topping french meringue or just a betty crocker frosting.
Is the frosting the same as the filling? If not where is the recipe for the frosting?
Can anyone who’s made this tell me if it has a distinct flavor? I want to blend some blueberries in with the filling and frosting but am not sure if that would conflict with the taste of the cake – does it taste just like vanilla or are there hints of coconut that would clash with blueberries?
Also, can I replace the raw honey with normal honey, or is the raw honey necessary for the texture? Thanks for any help!
Hi there! Can I use a regular cake pan?