LA_Yoga_-_November_2018_Red

Vegan Caramel
Makes 1/2 cup

W

e believe our early success has a lot to do with this recipe. There

have been vegan caramel super fans since day one (seriously, one

guy has a weekly order), and once you try it, you’ll know why.

½ cup almond or cashew butter or puree,
store-bought or homemade

¼ cup maple syrup

2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

1 or 2 fresh dates, pitted

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of Himalayan sea salt

• Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree
  until smooth.


• Transfer the caramel to a glass jar and place in the refrigerator to chill.
  The caramel will stiffen up in the refrigerator, so if your recipe calls
  for it to be spreadable, let the caramel sit at room temperature for 30
  minutes to an hour, and give it a good stir before using. The caramel
  will keep for about 1 month, refrigerated.

NOTES: If you want a thinner sauce to drizzle on top of a dessert, just
add another 2 tablespoons maple syrup. For a denser, caramel candy
texture, add 2 more dates. For spreading on cake layers, add 2 more
tablespoons almond or cashew butter.

Pink Strawberry Layer Cake (as seen on cover)

Makes three 6-inch layers or two 8-inch layers

W

hat could be more darling than a blush-pink cake, piled high
with strawberries and cream? Sometimes inspiration for us
comes from a visual cue rather than a flavor or texture, and
in this case, it was pink. We wanted to create something rosy and ul-
trafeminine. We love strawberries for this cake, but feel free to try a
magenta version with raspberries, or purple with blackberries.

¼ cup coconut oil, melted,
plus more for greasing the pans

4 cups almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp Himalayan pink salt

3 cups strawberries, hulled,
plus 1 cup quartered strawberries

¼ cup roughly chopped raw beets

2⁄3 cup honey (maple syrup works as well,
but we use honey so the pink color comes through)

5 large eggs

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1 cup Berry Jam Filling using strawberries

2 cups Coconut Whipped Cream

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch
  cake pans with parchment paper rounds, then grease the sides of the
  pans with coconut oil.


• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.


• Pulse the hulled strawberries in a blender or food processor until
  mashed. Add the beets, honey, coconut oil, eggs, lemon juice, vinegar,
  and vanilla, and pulse again to combine. Add the flour mixture and
  blend until completely smooth.


• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for
  30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
  clean. Invert the cakes onto racks and allow to cool completely.


• While the cakes cool, cook down the strawberry jam in a medium
  saucepan over medium heat until it just reaches a syrup consistency.


• Place one layer on a cake plate and top with 1⁄2 cup of the coconut
  whipped cream, smoothing it evenly over the entire surface.


• Then add 1⁄4 cup of jam. Add the second cake layer and top with
  another 1⁄2 cup whipped cream, and 1⁄4 cup jam. Add the third layer
  and top with the remaining whipped cream, then drizzle the remaining
  thickened jam over the top, letting it run down the sides. Decorate with
  the quartered strawberries. For two 8-inch layers, do the same build of
  coconut whipped cream and jam, with the remaining jam drizzled over
  the top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTE: When using natural dyes, like fruit, to give your cake a vibrant

hue, it’s not as simple as putting in some beet juice and calling it a day.

To make the color stick, rather than turn brown, you have to add quite

a bit of acid to “fix” the color to the cake. So be sure to follow the

directions closely—no shortcuts this time!

Berry Jam Filling

Makes 2 cups

W

e call this jam, but it’s more of a quick fruit puree or spread.

For us, it’s about balancing the bright, fresh flavor of perfectly

ripe fruit with a bit of sweetness and acid. We usually make a

small batch after a trip to the farmer’s market and keep it as an essential

in our fridge all week long.

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, strawberries,

blueberries, or blackberries (or a combination)

3 TBSP maple syrup

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the berries, maple
  syrup, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring and mashing the berries, for 8 to
  10 minutes, until the juices have been released and thickened. Remove
  the pan from the heat and allow the jam to cool.


• Transfer the jam to a glass jar. Refrigerate until ready to use,
  for up to 5 days.