Do you have a favorite flavor? I do – and as you might guess it is tangy, fresh and lemony: it is citrus fruits and most things sour. I especially love lemons and their sourness. I cannot comprehend that some people do not like citrus at all, wow they are missing out on such a delicious and fresh taste.

We are currently in Ramadan and I have been craving everything lemony. Therefore, I have made my salad dressing extra tangy, had sparkling water with lemon and found a lemonade in the supermarket that had a low amount of sugar – but still craving even more. So, when we reached my birthday, I simply had to make a lemon raw cake. I choose to pair the lemons with limes for an even deeper taste and made the base with pistachios for a decadent base and ohhh boy did this cake tick all the right buttons – well at least for me.

It is tangy but not too sour and has a rich flavor, the base is nutty and fits perfectly with the creamy and fresh filling. This is the ideal cake for anyone that loves lemons, it can be made all year around but I would say that it would be perfect in spring and summer time when the sun is out. Just remember to use organic lemons and limes especially because you will be using the zest, so you would not like to eat all the stuff they spray them with.

Raw cakes are easy to make and actually do not take much time. Besides they do not need to be baked, so you are sure to succeed every time. Furthermore, they can be made days or weeks before you need them and stored in the freezer. Most people are amazed by the texture and taste of these raw cakes and they cannot believe they are free from refined sugar, gluten, dairy and so on. So, I really encourage you to try, I am sure you will love them just as much as I do.

Below you will find the recipe, it is quite simple and comprehensive. Should you find any difficulty please leave a comment or send me a dm, I would love assisting you.

Lemon & Lime Raw Cake:

20 cm springform, line the base with baking paper and grease the sides with a little melted coconut oil.

Ingredients:

Base:

150 g almonds

150 g pistachios

150 g dates, pitted

20 g melted coconut oil

Zest from one lemon

Pinch of Himalaya salt

Filling:

250 g cashews , soaked in water overnight or a couple of hours

100 g coconut milk

150 g coconut oil, melted but not hot

1 tea spoon vanilla powder

150 g maple syrup

2 large lemons, juice and zest

3 limes, juice and zest

Pinch of Himalaya salt

Decoration: you can decorate with slices of lemon/lime or berries as you wish. I used blueberries, lemon zest and some fresh mint.

Making the base:

1. Place nuts in a food processor and chop.
2. Add the dates, coconut oil and salt. Now process until you have a cohesive mass.
3. Press the base into the pan and press down gently. Place in the fridge or freezer to set.

Making the filling:

1. Add cashew nuts, coconut milk, coconut oil, juice and zest from the lemons and limes, maple syrup, vanilla powder and salt to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth – you might need to stop and scrape the sides down so all gets blended well.

Note. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a food processor. My experience is that the texture is smoother in the blender, but the taste is just as wonderful.

2. Remove the base from the fridge/freezer and pour the batter over it.
3. Smooth the top and tap the spring form to remove air bubbles.
4. Return the cakes to the freezer and let set. I usually allow mine to set overnight, but if you are in a hurry a couple of hours could also be enough.

Some hours before serving: remove the cake from the freezer, remove from the pan onto your serving plate. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before decorating it. Decorate with your choice of berries, fruits, nuts and/or chocolate. Enjoy!