Low Carb Strawberry Pistachio Layer Cake

One of my experiments in the garden last year was strawberries. I hadn’t actually planned to grow them, but when I spotted some really good looking plants at Costco I bought two. One I left in the planter and the other I planted in the vegetable bed. The one in the bed multiplied and sent out a few runners/shooters.  Runners are long stems that run off the central plant and create baby strawberry plants. I removed three and kept two runners as I didn’t have enough space for them to spread.

I am really pleased at how well the three plants are doing, however I had to battle with the squirrels to pick the fruit. They are just so delicious and inspired me to create this cake recipe. It not only looks absolutely appealing and delicious to eat, but it is super easy to make.

There is a popular trend of raw cakes in summer so that you can leave the oven off. These cakes are best eaten straight from the fridge and are a perfect make ahead desserts. I find a lot of raw cakes quite rich so I lightened up the cashew filling in my version with a thin layer of ground pistachios and strawberry jelly. It turned out really great.

A cake was appropriate today as it’s the 7th anniversary of simpleglutenfreekitchen. Right this time last year I stepped into the blogging world. I knew nothing about how blogging worked. All I knew was cooking. But I guess that was not enough when it came to blogging. Recipe development was just a part of it. I had to concentrate on taking great pictures and I had to write more than a recipe, which was such a time-consuming task. I’m not a good writer and not very expressive but as the years tick by I am really enjoying this blog endeavor. It has really given me the needed distraction in my life in addition to providing a creative outlet for me. At the same time I am thankful to my readers that they enjoy reading my blog.

Let’s go back to the recipe. This cake is free of refined sugar, eggs, dairy and gluten. It is suitable for vegan, celiac, diabetic, and paleo diets. The recipe is relatively simple, and looks pretty with its defined layers. The base is made by pulsing together a combination of granola and date paste. The mixture may appear crumbly but when pressed, it easily compacts and holds together. It has the perfect nuttiness to it. I also used real pistachios for the pistachio layer. These were soaked overnight and ground to a smooth consistency to provide a soft texture and subtle flavor. My favorite part about this cake is the top layer. I blended fresh strawberries and heated with a little agar. It gives the cake a boost of color and refreshing taste, perfect for a spring or summer dessert.

What are your favorite summer time desserts? I would love to know in the comments below!