Who loves a good birthday party? I reckon we all do on some level. If you are young at heart though we know that birthdays are fantastic. It is an opportunity to really celebrate the life of those we love. An important part of any birthday is the cake; it is often the crescendo of the whole affair.
Sadly, today I read in the paper that some early learning settings are finding the whole ‘cake thing’ quite the dilemma. There are many families struggling with the number of cakes coming into their child’s Kindy due to all the birthdays and the concern of the high levels of sugar cakes often have. There is another complication bubbling up too – lots of allergies. It’s all a bit of a mind field really.
So in the light of all this I thought I’d share what we do at Thinkers.inq Preschool. We have a Thinkers.inq birthday cake which is super delicious and incredibly good for all the children and staff. The best part is that it overcomes all allergy challengers too.
Filling
40g coconut oil
30g maple or rice syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or a fresh vanilla pod scraped into the mix
80g desiccated coconut
Choc topping
60g coconut oil
6 teaspoons of pure cocoa powder
3 teaspoons of maple or rice syrup
Measure out your desiccated coconut and vanilla and pop them into your blender to have it ready.
Then, pop your coconut oil and syrup (from the filling section) into a saucepan and heat to a bubble. Let bubble only 10-15 seconds. No more, or it will caramelize.Pour the mixture over the desiccated coconut and whiz on medium in your blender of choice for 6-8 seconds.
Then, pour out onto a piece of parchment and press together working it into a slab about 1/2 an inch thick, pressing it down to make it tight and solid. Ideally, find a small tin that allows you to ‘fill’ the bottom, so that you can pour the chocolate on top and it won’t dribble out the sides.
Then, mix your melted coconut oil, cacao and syrup in a bowl or jar with a lid and give a quick shake to combine.
Finally, pour over your coconut mixture, and refrigerate until set. Pull out of fridge once chocolate has hardened, and cut into little bite-sized squares, wedges, bars or fingers.
It is a deliciously satisfying birthday treat that is packed with nourishment, antioxidants and immune-building lauric acid from the coconut oil. A nut free, grain free, gluten free and dairy free that heals!
Alexx Stuart of Real Food, Low Tox Living, who is Thinkers.inq Food Programmer, has supplied the recipe and every child absolutely loves it. On their special day, their first question upon arrival is, ‘do I get to have the Thinkers.inq cake today?’
It is birthday goodness that works from the inside out; a gift that just keeps giving!
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