Flag Cake (Mystery Ingredient)

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I love, love, love the Fourth of July! I love celebrating our country’s independence and all that that means. I’ve already purchased a new flag, and I am searching out crafty projects to create in red, white and blue. Many of us will be picnicking or barbecuing and probably attending fireworks displays. If your family enjoys ritual, you may even want to plan a special Fourth of July Celebration with enormous teaching potential and meaning. If so, be sure to check this out. But whatever you find yourself doing, there’s sure to be food involved.

You may want to keep the secret ingredient a surprise until after everyone has tried this cake. It’s always fun to see the expression of disbelief when they find out you’ve used beans instead of flour!

This recipe makes a smaller cake, about 6 servings, but you can easily double the recipe to serve more. Just use a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Begin checking for doneness after about 20 minutes.

For the Cake:
1 cup white beans, cooked, drained and rinsed (you can use canned, unseasoned white navy beans or white kidney beans
3 extra large or jumbo eggs
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons raw coconut crystals (coconut sugar)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (plus about a teaspoon to oil the baking pan)
3 tablespoons coconut flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the Icing:
1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator (DO NOT be tempted to use “light” coconut milk—it won’t whip properly!)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stevia to sweeten, if desired

For the Topping:
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 pints fresh raspberries

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325. Place a medium sized mixing bowl in the freezer to chill. Oil a 7” X 11” glass baking dish. In a food processor or blender, place the beans, eggs, stevia, vanilla and coconut crystals. Process until completely smooth.

Place a sieve over the processor bowl or blender and add the coconut flour, pressing any lumps out through the sieve. Remove the sieve and add the coconut oil (it’s not necessary to melt it first), salt, baking soda and baking powder. Blend or process again until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly to edges. (It will be thick.) Bake in preheated oven just until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

Remove the can of coconut milk from the refrigerator and tun it upside down. The solids (the “cream”) will be on the bottom and you will be able to pour off the liquid. (You may discard this or save it to use in sauces or smoothies.) Place the coconut cream into the chilled mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, adding vanilla and stevia to sweeten, if desired. Spread over cooled cake and decorate in a flag pattern with berries.

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