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A couple of weeks ago, we said we’re going back to basics by tossing in more complete meals and healthier choices into our recipe repertoire. Yes, that is a towering dessert in that picture, but it’s actually not so bad for you! At least we tell ourselves that. No worries, there are more healthy recipes coming up, but we needed to pull together a sweet treat for a dinner, so this was the one. We keep using the same good ‘ol recipe to come up with something new. This very simple, no flour/no butter cake just never disappoints. No matter what. It feels like you’re eating fluffy, billowy slices of cumulonimbus. You won’t feel any guilt after eating this cake because it’s light as a feather. Perfect to balance a heavy meal, excellent when you want just a touch of something sweet. So here we go again. The end result was a dessert that had us on on cloud nine.
We used almonds this time around because they were on hand, but this cake is ingredient friendly. Try walnuts, pecans, pistachios, peanuts or whatever you want. Just pop them in a food processor and grind until they turn into a powdery, flour-like substance, and you’re ready to go. You can stack these high with two or three layers, or make it a mini, one layer dessert. It doesn’t get any easier to have your cake and eat it too. How could we forget to send this one over to Sandy for the BYOB Challenge?
Almond and Coconut Cream Fruit Cakes – Serves 4 to 6
Cake
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup almonds, finely ground
Cream
4 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Zest of 1/2 orange
Fruit
1/2 pound strawberries
1/4 pound blackberries
Juice of 1 orange
Zest of 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon sugar
1. For cake, use a whisk to beat egg yolks and sugar. Set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, whip egg whites until they reach soft peaks.
3. Mix baking soda, ginger and almonds into egg yolk mixture. Then, add 1/3 of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture, softly folding a couple of times.
4. Fold in remaining whites using just a few strokes, being sure to combine the mixture fairly well.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with floured baking spray. Spread batter evenly on cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Cool cake completely once done.
6. Make filling by whisking cream cheese, zest and coconut milk until smooth.
7. With an electric mixer, whip cream, vanilla and sugar until mixture thickens but does not clump.
8. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Keep in fridge until ready to use.
9. For fruit, toss berries, sugar, juice and zest in a bowl. Allow to sit a few minutes for the flavors to combine before using. (Berries can be made ahead of time and be left in the fridge overnight.)
10. Just before serving, cut the almond cake into 12 even squares. Using either 2 or 3 pieces per person, layer cake with cream and berries.
Click HERE for the printable recipe.
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I simply MUST try something you make over and over and over again. The dessert looks fantastic and the description of the cake is just so tempting.
What beautiful presentation, and I love orange and berries together. Mmmmm. Can I come over for dessert?
throw me a rope I am over here on cloud ten – I missed my exit….
Ah, coconut, almond, cream, and fresh fruits together — how can you go wrong? The cake looks so skillfully made, both moist and light/fluffy at the same time. Love this.
Looks awesome! Almonds, coconut, ginger, fruit, berries…yum!!! We’re definitely trying this one sometime soon. We’ll let you know how it goes!!!
Wow!! this cake really looks heartwarminly delicious love the addition of fruits
a must try for my dessert.
cheers!
The cake is really interesting. It’s hard to believe it has no butter or flour by looking at it. It looks substantial and hearty.
I was afraid you were going to tell me there was yogurt between the layers. I’m not a huge fan of yogurt and I hate seeing it in my desserts. I like this filling a lot. Anything with coconut floats my boat!
Looks great! I’m a sucker for anything with berries.
I don’t know why, the word coconut is always make my mouth water. Same here with your Almond and Coconut Cream Fruit Cakes, it makes me salivating…
I think these flavors are perfect for a summer dessert, and the portion looks like you won’t feel like your falling forward after you eat it!
Re-name this to cloud nine cake! So lovely
So, so pretty and I love the blackberries. Its gorgeous, Duo!
cumulonimbus? I had to look that up, but it’s a good description.
A perfectly acceptable “healthy” dessert! Reminds me of my mom who puts oatmeal and cornflakes in her recipe for choc chip cookies and deems it a worthy breakfast!
bring on the blackberries and nuts!
A pure delight! The almond cake and the berries and the coconut cream – all sound like a perfect combination! Fabulous!
i love the way this dessert looks… and i would love to bite into it. absolutely devine!!!! i’m going to have to make a mental note to prepare this dessert in the near future! YUMMMMY!!!
I just finished my lunch and would love a piece of this right now! Looks delicious! Cream cheese and orange zest in the filling – yum!
i love the fact that you put almond mill in the cake, it makes it very crumbly. Scrumptious
Mmmm…Almond and coconut. An awesome combination. Heck I’d eat this for breakfast.
This looks so beautiful and seems pretty easy. A lovely summery dessert! THanks.
I’m on cloud nine just looking and reading all the lovely ingredients involved. I’d have to go for the triple layer – it’s irresistible!
Yum~ I bet that is super delicious, and it looks more fattening than it is. Great idea!
Ooo, this is a really interesting idea. Almond is one of my favorite flavors, and it matches so well with so many different kinds of fruit!
I love a fruity and creamy dessert, and this cream with coconut sounds great!
This dessert looks delicious. I’m definitely going to have to try the almond cake.
Wow – this looks amazing! I can’t believe there’s no butter or flour in the cake… but I guess the cream filling kind of makes up for it
Oh well – I say if you’re going to have dessert – just go for it!
Just the simple fact that you used coconut in this dish means I’m going to absolutely love it!
Beautiful presentation. Sounds like a winner recipe
This looks delicious and I’m a big coconut fan. The fact that it’s healthier for you makes it even more appealing!
No butter and flour but delicious? Love the sound of it!
Yummie yummie yummie!!!
I love this beauty of a fine dessert!! Excellent!!!
Almonds +coconut + blackberries = perfection!
We got a nibble sample of some cake like this at a market here in Texas where I am visiting and now I see this, so it must be a message from the clouds…
Guys you eat better than I do, come on we have to merge for a meal!
Make Cake
How fantastic that it looks evilly delicious and bad for you but it isn’t!
Sounds heavenly.
Cumulonimbus, that is so cute!
LL
oh yes, pistachios here must be brilliant! this is a lovely dessert, I like the individual presentation, make guests feel special!
what’s the point of eating healthy if you can’t cheat once in a while, right?
What an elegant tasty looking dessert, I can so see me relaxing with a slice of this and a glass of fortified wine =)
Oh wow, that looks SO dang amazing..better than any bakery could put out. I love the combo of almonds, fruit and cream. Beautiful job and great photo!
Hmmm..did I lose my comment? Just testing, as I left you one and didn’t see anything happen!
Tell me how you two always manage to create, photograph, and write such great posts?!
I can’t wait to make that cake! So good!!
Thanks for posting the recipe!
I want to come visit. Now. Failing that, can you post me some cake? Pretty please?
Perfect post title for this light dessert!
This looks wonderful!!
Yum–the layers of light cake and berries looks just amazing!
this looks light and lovely! definitely nice for the summer.
[...] your home with the smells, flavors and warmth of cookies, pies and cakes. We’ve made several different versions of this butterless, flourless cake before, and we’re sharing another one that would [...]