Bluebarb Almond Streusel Snacking Cake

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Season: Summer
Dosha: Pitta, Vata

The truth is that I went to pastry school way back when because I wanted to learn how to make all of the pastries and treats I craved “healthier.”

I figured that if I learned the science behind how these incredible creations (think: croissants, cookies, doughnuts, ice cream, chocolates) were made, and if I understood the food science behind how each ingredient played a role in the recipe, I could design the ultimate *healthy* pastries and wouldn’t that be amazing?

This was in the era just before the gluten-free + vegan movements blew up, mind you. I had to travel all the way to New York City to find a gluten-free bakery. No one really know what coconut oil was, and couldn’t fathom ways to use coconut milk besides making a damn good curry. Those days were golden; before the whole world got so fixated on making things *healthy* that now they didn’t even really look (or taste!) like real food anymore.

But, I digress.

I DID learn an unbelievable amount of food science in culinary school. And from that basic foundation, I was able to learn how to substitute ingredients in my recipes to make foods dairy free, gluten-free, to cut down on refined sugar, or fat — whathaveyou.

But I also learned something else REALLY important: that the *healthiest* pastry or treat is NOT (I repeat NOT NOT NOT) necessarily the one that’s devoid of all the things you “think are bad for you.” Replacing all of the gluten, dairy, fat and sugar does NOT make a healthier pastry. In some cases, it makes on that is highly refined, packed with non-foods and more challenging to digest. And, because there aren’t any bad foods, remember? And, because there are a lot of “healthy foods” out there masquerading as virtuous superhero, when in fact they’re just dietary villains in disguise. And that’s where I’d like to introduce you to this truly gorgeous, tender, fruit-packed Bluebarb Almond Snacking Cake.

The hidden cost of “healthy”

The *healthy* swaps I thought I wanted to make to my pastry creations were the breadcrumb trail to things that we can find quite readily now; gluten-free and vegan donuts, dairy-free ice creams and chocolate bars, cookies without refined sugar, or butter. You get the picture.

The caveat was that I wanted to use real, whole food to replace the butter, sugar, gluten, dairy products. And I wanted the results to be delicious. There were a whole lot of companies that developed recipes faster, and better, and no harm no foul. But the products they made literally never stacked up to my standards of tasting good, and being made of whole, real food. These days, when you go to buy a gluten free pastry, chances are that the thing was made with flours and gums that clog up the digestive system even worse than gluten does. The number of food derivatives in these products is so off putting, and they’re all so hard to pronounce that the ingredient labels look like science experiments more than cookie recipes.

Vegan products are often the same. The number of stabilizers required to make plants creamy is pretty alarming, my people. These are not things that you body needs, or even knows what to do with.

And refined sugar. The lengths we’ll go to to take the calories out of something is shocking to me, as a woman who makes her living literally helping people to burn all of the calories they take in through vibrant, exciting and adventurous lives. Where would we BE without calories!?

I never gave up my quest for real, delicious, good-for-us food (though I did vow to stop using the word healthy.)  And over the years I’ve developed a whole slew of recipes that fit this desire, so many that I’m proud of. But I’ve also made a whole lot of incredible recipes that are delicious, made with wholesome, virtuous ingredients that your grandmother would commend you for using.

The good stuff

When you take a peek at the recipe below, you’ll notice that I recommend you use whole grain wheat flour, unsalted butter and whole eggs to make this cake. That’s right. There’s gluten. And dairy. And eggs. And no, I don’t recommend that you substitute them (unless you really can’t eat these substances and then I have some advice.) But no, this is the BEST, most healthful stuff I could put into this cake.

Whole wheat flour, specifically of the heirloom variety (as I recommend you use here) contains so much incredible nutrition it’s almost ridiculous. Minerals! Vitamins! B vitamins, iron, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc! Fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids AND, if you’re eating a locally grown flour, the bioinformation your microbiome thrives on! These wheat varieties are easier to digest than commercially bleached + refined flours, and eating gluten actually is WONDERFUL for the microbiome.

Butter, specifically when sourced from happy, organically raised, grass-fed cows, is an exceptional source of calcium, Vitamin D, carotene, Vitamin E, omega’s 3 + 6! Further,  butter is a rich source of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that can bolsters the microbiome + boosts gut function, reduces inflammation, and increase intestinal motility.

And eggs are one of the simplest complete protein sources, packed with minerals and nutrients (specifically if you source them from a farm near you!)

The low down on coconut sugar

The one more modern, health-conscious ingredient I’ve put to use here is coconut sugar. I’ve plugged it in anywhere that granulated sugar might be in a more traditional recipe and it’s divine. There is a place in a healthy diet for a small amount of cane sugar; this being the white, granular sugar you often see on grocery shelves. Note that this is not the same as refined sugar, or “granulated sugar,” which has been bleached, stripped of it’s nutrients and dropped on the shelf. This kind of sugar has zero nutritional value.

But coconut sugar is a completely different beast. For starters, it lands at about 35-50 on the glycemic index, where as refined sugar clocks in at about 60-75. (This is to say that coconut sugar is half as sweet as refined.) There’s more: coconut sugar is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, it’s absorbed by the blood stream about half as fast as refined sugar, and it contains inulin, a dietary fiber that acts as a prebiotic, supporting a healthy microbiome.

This bluebarb almond cake

…was inspired by a gorgeous laminated pastry I saw my friends at Poulette Bakeshop whipping up in Denver a couple of weekends back, and I knew I had to get all of these flavors in my life.

It starts with a tender coconut-sugar sweetened almond cake base, topped with a jammy layer of tart blueberry-rhubarb jam, and then we top it off with a perfectly crumbly almond streusel – again sweetened with just coconut sugar. The whole thing screams summer, screams summer, and it’s decadent without being heavy. . It’s a cake that comes together without a special mixer or any equipment, though do pay attention to the instructions for how to bake it – this is where the magic happens!

It’s a lovely dessert for an early summer soiree, served with whipped cream or ice cream. But it’s also the most special breakfast when served with dollops of yogurt (and maybe a little extra jam?) If you’re like me and you eat a mini meal at 4pm, this is a not-too-sweet option that is sure to satisfy and delight.

I hope you love this mindful little cake as much as I do.

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