quinoa strawberry pistachio cake

an experiment.

that is precisely what this cake was.

a gluten free baking experiment to be exact - oh boy.

this was my first full fledged gluten free baking adventure, all in all it went pretty well. there were a couple "uh - oh is that what it is suppose to look like?" moments - in the end everything worked out ...and tasted good!

quinoa, gluten free oats (Bob's Red Mill), coconut milk and oil are a few of the ingredients you will find in this cake. a fresh strawberry puree is added to the frosting that is spread between the two layers of cake, the remaining frosting being used to frost the entire cake.

i opted to bake my cake in 2 - 6inch cake rounds, a  1 - 8inch cake round would also work

in addition to the strawberry frosting, finely chopped pistachios are added between the 2 cake layers as well as the top layer of the cake after the cake has been fully frosted.

when baking your cakes - don't panic if they seem a little under done. i think Justin put it best when he described the cake to be more "pudding" like in texture - it is an extremely moist cake.

it is very important that you allow the cake to fully cool before frosting - while the cakes are cooling throw in a load of laundry, paint your toe nails or crank up the tunes and

dance around the living room with your cat.

freshly picked strawberries from last June that i froze are used in the frosting.

fresh would also work well - if you opt for fresh i would recommend whirling them in your food processor with the coconut milk.

 so pretty - this cake reminds me of spring & makes me want to wear

 a pretty dress when eating a slice

perfect with a cup of green tea. even better enjoyed with someone you love.

the pistachios add a nice balance to the texturally soft cake - hazelnuts or walnuts (toasted) would make a nice substitution for the pistachios.

the next time around i may sub in coconut flour for the oat flour - this may give the cake a bit more structure creating a more "cake" vs. "pudding" like dessert. 

Quinoa Strawberry Pistachio Cake

serves 8

(1 double layer round 6 - inch cake or 1 round 8 -inch)

you will need:

for the cake

1/3 cup white or golden quinoa

1/2 cup water or coconut water

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup soy yogurt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/2 cup sugar or Agave

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup bobs red mill gluten free oats - finely ground

all vegetable shortening or vegan butter for greasing the cake pan(s)

parchment paper to line the pan(s)

 

for the frosting

2 tbsp vegan butter

2oz vegan cream cheese

1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

1 - 2 tbsp coconut milk

1 tbsp strawberry puree (jam would work too)

1/3  - 2/3 cup chopped pistachios (shelled)

assembly:

preheat oven to 350*

bring the quinoa and coconut water to a boil in a medium saucepan. cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes

 turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 10 minute. fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool

lightly grease two 6-inch round or 8 - inch round cake pan

 line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper

combine the coconut milk, soy yogurt and vanilla in a blender or food processor

 add 2 cups cooked quinoa and the melted coconut oil and continue to blend until smooth

whisk together the sugar or agave, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl

add the contents of the blender and mix well

divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake on the center oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean

remove the cake from the oven and cool completely in the pan before frosting

to make the frosting, mix vegan butter and vegan cream cheese in a stand mixer until thoroughly combined - on stir speed, slowly add in powdered sugar, mix until incorporated - mix in vanilla & strawberry puree

using on cake layer for the bottom spread a layer of frosting on the top - sprinkle with 1/2 of the chopped pistachios. top that layer with the remaining cake round - frost top and sides with remaining frosting and sprinkle with the rest of the pistachios.

store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze unfrosted for up to 1 month

enjoy!

recipe inspired by

Quinoa 365, the Everyday Superfood By Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming

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