Gluten-Free Vegan Orange, Almond and Coconut Cake with Orange Essential Oil

It could be stretching it to call a recipe healthy just because we add Young Living’s vibrant energetic essential oils into it – but when the other ingredients are also as nutritious as the ones in this lovely recipe, we’ll label it both healthy and Mighty Fine.

One of our favourite oils in the Young Living Vitality range (all suitable for use in food and drinks as indicated on their labels) is orange.  It’s intense, genuinely pure, and – well, orangey!  What’s not to love?!

All citrus oils are feel-good oils and you can substitute Young Living Tangerine if the mood takes you.  I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love orange, and with this recipe ticking the boxes for vegan, paleo, dairy-free, gluten free, wheat and soy free: it’s a crowd pleaser you can safely serve to just about everyone! We’ve also popped a touch of Young Living Lemon essential oil in the cream cheese icing.

Please note that essential oils should only ever be added to food when their label clearly states you can do so.  You can easily join Young Living as a customer to order their products via our link here.  And if you’d like to find out how to access wholesale pricing, please get in touch with us.

Gluten-Free Vegan Orange, Almond and Coconut Cake with Orange Essential Oil

Recipe adapted from Be Good Organics   Serves 12

Preparation time: 60 mins to boil oranges + 15 mins 

Baking time: 60 mins

INGREDIENTS  (please use organic / free range where possible)

Dry
1 cup almonds
1 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 ½ tsp baking soda

Wet
2 whole oranges (well-scrubbed with bi-carb or cleaned with Young Living Thieves Fruit & Veggie Spray or Soak)
1 cup cooking water saved from boiling the oranges
6 drops Young Living Orange essential oil
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract or equivalent of vanilla bean extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Optional Citrus Cream Cheese Icing
1 cup pre-soaked, rinsed and drained cashews
1/3 cup coconut oil (liquid consistency: melt if needed)
1/4 cup purified water
1/2 lemon (well cleaned as per oranges: use juice, flesh & zest)
3 drops Young Living Lemon essential oil (or to taste)
2 tbsp coconut nectar or Young Living Blue Agave Nectar (to taste)
Pinch sea salt, Himalayan or Celtic salt

METHOD

The day before or one hour before: Place both oranges with their skins on into a pot with enough water to well cover them.  Bring to the boil, cover with the lid and reduce to a low simmer for one hour. When finished, reserve one cup of the cooking water.  If preparing the day before, when cooled, put the oranges and enough liquid to cover – at least one cup which you’ll need to include in the recipe – into a container and refrigerate until needed the next day.  If possible, pull it out beforehand so the oranges come back to room temperature by the time you’re ready to bake the cake

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (320 °F) fan-forced
• Line the sides and base of a small 19 cm (8“) spring-form cake tin with lightly-oiled baking paper so the paper comes up around 2cm (1”) over the top of the tin
• Blend the almonds in a food processor until they turn into a fine flour
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend again until combined.  Place into a large bowl
• Blend all wet ingredients including the two whole cooked oranges and the reserved orange cooking water in your processor or blender until very smooth
• Fold the liquid mix into the dry ingredients until barely combined, lifting gently as you pour to create air pockets
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 60 mins in the middle of your oven. After 55 mins, test with a skewer.  Remove when it comes out relatively dry. If still wet at 60 mins, bake for another 5-10 mins
• Allow to cool elevated on the bench.  After 5 minutes, pop open the spring-form outer of the tin to help cool the sides but don’t remove it.  You’ll be doing it back up again to help keep the icing contained when you pour it onto the cake

ICING

• When the cake has cooled, blend the icing ingredients in a high speed blender scraping down the sides until the mixture is smooth and creamy
• Close the spring-form tin again so the baking paper is snugly around the cake again
• Pour the icing on top of the cake.  Fingers crossed, the baking paper and spring-form tin ring will hold it in place while you do so.  If not: be ready to eat the overflow!
• Refrigerate overnight to set or place in the freezer if time is at a premium
• When firm, remove the tin and baking paper.  With a sharp knife, you can tidy the edge of the cake if you want a neat appearance, or leave it rustic-looking.  Decorate with fresh edible flowers from your garden or a dusting of cinnamon
• If you want to skip the icing and opt for a naked cake, make a quick syrup of coconut nectar or Young Living Blue Agave plus purified water and two drops of Young Living Lemon essential oil and drizzle over the top, add a sprinkle of toasted coconut and serve with a dollop of coconut ice-cream or pure double cream (if serving as non-vegan)

And I predict you’ll find it very hard to stop eating at a slice count of One!

Not all oils are created equal.  Far from it.  Quality varies immensely, so please ensure you are choosing a brand with complete transparency from seed to seal, such as Young Living.  Discover why we love them so much in this short video.

Essential oils are potent, so as always, please follow directions on the bottle and the usual guidelines for safe use of authentic essential oils.

Enjoy the good oil daily.

The information on this site does not constitute advice. Please consult with your health practitioner. When using any of the products mentioned throughout this site, please be sure to read the labels and follow their suggestions for safe use. We make commissions from sales via many of the products we recommend but we only suggest products we genuinely enjoy and want you to benefit from.  Product image used with permission © Young Living Essential Oils.