Treats are very important, at least they are to me. Now that I am taking steps to shift my diet to one that is fully based in healing and deep nourishment, it feels especially crucial to have some food in the rotation that if nothing else feels like an indulgence.

And since when is indulgence such a taboo? Not to get too heavy here because we’re just talking about cake, but why shouldn’t joy and pleasure be a part of a nourishing / medicinal experience? I would go so far to say that joy and pleasure are the elements most crucial to receiving anything in a holistic manner.

I sourced this recipe from Oven Love. I had to make a few minor changes because I didn’t have all of the spices listen on hand and so discovered the greatest gift this recipe has to give: it is just aching to suit your tastes.

I didn’t have allspice or ground ginger in my spice drawer, so I decided to substitute their volume with garam masala instead. This resulted in a spectacularly moist, fluffy cake with the warm sweetness of a chai tea latte. I think it would be really fun to experiment with entirely different oil and spice profiles, I think I will try olive oil and rosemary next.

Coffee Cake

grain free, dairy free, GAPS legal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted / lumps removed with a fork
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 eggs at room temperature
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup squash puree (you can use any squash or pumpkin, I use butternut)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I use walnuts)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Process

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt and spices. Make sure there are no large lumps of coconut flour.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, coconut oil, honey, squash puree and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Pour the liquid slowly into the dry ingredients, whisking well. Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken up. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. In a small bowl, mix the nuts, coconut sugar, coconut oil and cinnamon. This is your topping. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before serving and keep in an airtight container.