Strawberry and Date Coconut Cake Recipe (Egg and Gluten free)

This recipe is not only gluten free but an egg free vegan strawberry cake recipe.

There is something so nice about using fresh fruit in a cake recipe. Fresh fruit gives cakes added moisture, vibrant colour, fresh flavour and different textures - never mind what a feast to the eyes fruit can give when used baking a cake.

My gluten free strawberry cake recipe is moist and full of delicious flavours and textures.

I also use dried dates that have soaked for a few minutes in hot water. When ever I use dried dates in my cakes I always say how much the dates taste very much like toffee.

Like in a lot of other gluten free cakes and baking that I make I used a flax seed binder which is really simple to make but helps to gives the cake mixture that gooey stretchy texture. It is just a matter mixing ground flax seeds with hot water and then adding it to the cake mixture.

I really enjoyed eating this cake - the moisture of the cooked strawberries, the hints of coconut through out the cake, the soft toffee like dates... fabulous.

I used a basic icing to top my cake where I used golden powdered sugar, vanilla and cold water but you can top with my dairy free vegan white frosting recipe if you like.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Strawberry Cake

10oz Fresh Strawberries (chopped)
4oz Margarine (soft)
4oz Rice flour
4oz Light brown muscovado sugar
1oz Fine Cornmeal flour (fine polenta)
1oz Corn starch
100ml Soya milk
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Yellow food colouring (optional)
1 Tbsp Light brown muscovado sugar
2 oz Shredded coconut
2 Tbsp Flax seeds
4 Tbsp Hot water
1oz Ground almonds
1 + 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Bi carbonate of soda
1 tsp Xanthan gum
1 oz Shredded coconut
4oz Dates

Picture of freshly chopped strawberries.

Would you like a taste of Chef Jeenas gluten free strawberry cake?

How to make a Gluten Free Strawberry and Date Coconut Cake Recipe

Grind the flax seeds to a powder and mix together with the 4 Tbsp of hot water, it should be a gooey mixture - this helps bind the cake.

Soak the dates in hot water.

Mix the the 4oz sugar and margarine with a whisk until fluffy.

Mix the yellow food colouring with the soya milk.

Add rice flour, baking powder, bi carb, xanthan gum, corn starch, cornmeal flour, ground almonds, 2oz coconut and flax seed mixture.

Mix well.

Add the vanilla, dates, 3 tablespoon of the water that the dates soaked in and 1oz coconut - mix with a spoon.

Sprinkle the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar and add to the cake mixture, mix with a spoon.

Pour into a greased and floured square cake tin.

Place into a hot oven at gas mark 7 for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Once cooked leave the cake for 10 minutes then remove from the tin and leave to fully cool down.

Once cool top with icing and sprinkle with coconut.

See more gluten free recipes and vegan egg free recipes.

Vegan Take Away Style Curry Recipe

My vegan take away style curry recipe tasted so good that when I returned to the kitchen after finishing eating my share of it - I caught my hubby red handed scraping every last morsel of curry from the pan like there was no tomorrow!

I use a lot of Indian herbs in this recipe which gives it a very authentic Indian flavour. I also use my carrot and parsnip soup not only as a base which flavours the curry but the soup gives the curry a texture of perfection. Stay tuned for my carrot and parsnip soup recipe coming very soon.

You could call this recipe a pea and mushroom curry recipe but when we were eating it tasted so like we had just brought it in as treat from a fabulous take away.

Ingredients for Vegan Take Away Style Curry
1 + 1/2 Cup of frozen peas
1 large Red sweet pointed red pepper (chopped)
1 small Onion (sliced)
Tbsp Carrot and Parsnip Soup
3-4 Tbsp Water
Salt to season
3 large Portobella Mushrooms (chopped)
Pinch Dried coriander leaves
1 heaped tsp Freshly grated ginger
1 large Garlic (minced)
1 tsp Dried shredded coconut
2 Small green chillies (chopped)
2 Medium red chillies (chopped)
Rice bran oil

For the Spices
Pinch Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1 + 1/2 tsp Chef Jeenas Mild curry powder
3 tsp Dried methi leaves
Large pinch Dried curry leaves

Picture of portobella mushrooms.

Picture of freshly chopped chillies.

Picture of Indian herbs and spices ground to a powder.

How to make a Vegan Take Away Style Curry



Place fennel, turmeric, cumin seeds, paprika, mild curry powder, methi leaves and curry leaves into a grind and grind into a powder.

Using some rice bran oil cook the onions for a few minutes on a medium heat stiring frequently.

Add the red peppers, chillies, garlic and ginger.

Cook for a few minutes stiring all the time.

Sprinkle the curry spice powder all over the pan of vegetables then lightly drizzle a little rice bran oil on top of the spices.

You want the vegetables and spice powder to be lightly coated with the rice bran oil - not soaked or covered in oil.

Add the 5-6 tablespoons of carrot and parsnip soup.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and simmer on the lowest heat for 10 minutes.

Add the tsp of shredded coconut, pinch of salt (optional) and frozen peas.

Cook on low for another 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and simmer until cooked.

You may need to add another 1-2 tablespoons of water but make sure you do not add too much water or else the take away curry will turn into more of a watery stew.

Serve this tasty vegan take away style curry recipe with freshly cooked basmati rice and yogurt.

Enjoy!

For more delicious vegan recipes see my vegan recipes index.