Recipe of the Year: Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

As we're just about to turn the page on 2007, I thought today's post should feature the ‘Recipe of the Year’. I sure got to enjoy my share of scrumptious raw creations these past twelve months - in fact, I’ll be sharing my top favorites in my next entry - but if I was to pick one that stands particularly out, I’d choose my dear friend Josephine Lee’s Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.

Joz is the most enthusiastic person that I know about spreading the benefits of raw foods. With her generous and candid spirit, she passionately spreads her message to 'Go Raw, Go Healthy' in the Medford, Oregon area where she organizes potlucks and events with the Boutenko family. Her latest potluck in December was such a huge success that it drew over 80 attendees. Imagine the feast! (You can drool about the fantastic spread they had here.)

But back to her now famous Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. To me, it is not only beautiful and delectable, it also embodies how we all have a creative spark awaiting to be ignited. This cake was one of Joz’s first attempts at recipe creation, yet it spread like wildfire across the raw world. It was voted ‘Recipe of the Month’ on Raw Freedom Community last summer, was featured in The Raw Family’s October 2007 Newsletter, as well as in the latest publication of the Purely Delicious magazine.

Well done, Jozzie! You RAWk girl!


Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Slightly modified version by Anna of TheRawTable.com, as featured in the Purely Delicious magazine of Fall 2007

Cake
2 cups jicama, peeled and cubed
1 green apple, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 cups dehydrated almond pulp from making milk or 2 cups almonds soaked, dehydrated and finely ground
1/4 cup golden flax seeds, finely ground
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large lemon, juiced
2 generous tsp lemon zest
2 tbs psyllium husks
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup poppy seeds (and a bit more for garnish)

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until everything is finely chopped and moving freely. Press one half of the mixture in the bottom of a springform pan, smoothing edges and evening the sides as much as possible. Reserve the rest for later.


Lemon Coconut Frosting
2 cups cashews
1 1/2 whole lemons (seeds removed)
3 or 4 tbs coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup  agave nectar
3-4 tbs water
Pinch of sea salt

Place all ingredients in high speed blender and process until smooth. Frost bottom layer of cake and allow to freeze for 4-6 hours. Top with remaining cake mixture and gently press, again smoothing edges and evening the sides. Return to freezer for an additional 2 hours. Remove from spring form pan and frost either top or sides or both with remaining frosting.

Alternatively, you could use the following frosting...

Joz's 'Just like Costo Frosting'
Beat/whip with beaters:
1 cup coconut oil

Add:
1/4 cup agave nectar
Juice of 1/2 lemon (If you like it more lemony, add the juice of an entire lemon and/or zest)

Whip again.
Proceed as above for frosting and assembling the cake.


Berry Glaze
(This is sooo good and simple)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/4 cup honey

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until needed - chill for at least 2 hours. Shake or stir well before using.

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Photo Credit
The first photo is of the artful rendition that Don's niece, Jaime, and I made of this cake last summer.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Berry Glaze by Anna of TheRawTable.com