Festive for the Fourth: Healthy Flag Cake

No doubt most of us are attending some sort of 4th of July gathering. And as with most holidays, the decadent dessert spread makes eating healthy not so easy or fun for that matter!

So how about a super-easy, extra-healthy, make-ahead 4th of July flag cake that adds some festive cheer to the buffet spread?

No one - not even the kids - will know it lacks refined sugar, wheat and not-so-great oils.

Most of all, we love the splash of vibrant color, without the use of artificial food dyes found in most of its festive counterparts!

Basic Cake

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cup organic spelt flour (sifted) (avoid white spelt)
• 1 cup organic maple syrup
• 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder (non-aluminum)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ cup organic coconut oil (or organic ghee or organic cold (expeller) pressed grapeseed oil*)
• 1 cup organic unsweetened almond milk or rice milk (Sadly most almond milks on the shelves these days have inflammatory gums or excitotoxins. We suggest making your own!)
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla 4 organic eggs (separated)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend and sift all dry ingredients, then mix together wet (oil, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, egg yolks). Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing well.
3. Beat egg whites with an electric blender until they're stiff (on high speed).
4. Fold egg whites into batter.
5. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean and your kitchen permeates with the smell of deliciousness!
6. Set aside to cool.

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• 16 ounces organic cream cheese (can use reduced fat, but the "full" version is hard to beat!)
• 9 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla
• Optional: Add 1-3 tsp organic lemon juice as desired for a refreshing taste.

Directions

1. Mix the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla with mixer until smooth.

Put the Flag Cake Together

The picture says it all.

To assemble the flag cake, pile the cream cheese icing in gobs atop the cake (which I flipped upside down onto a glass serving tray) and smooth with a knife/spatula.

Add the fresh, organic berries and enjoy! You can even stick this in the fridge (as I'm doing) overnight, as this flag cake is even more delicious the next day.

And serve atop your most patriotic tablecloth...!

*Although there are positive points about grapeseed oil, we don't typically suggest it unless it is very high quality. Most grapeseed oils contain solvents typically used in processing and because grapeseed oil is very high in PUFA's (omega 6). Some people like it because it has virtually no taste and less expensive. On a positive note - studies have shown that although grapeseed oil has one of the highest ratios for Omega 6 oils - the result on the body is less inflammatory than canola, sunflower, or safflower oil for various reasons but still should only be used occasionally. We find the taste of using coconut oil, ghee, or even a combination of coconut oil and ghee doesn't affect in a negative way the taste of the cake!

Eat Healthy with Branch Basics

 For more healthy eating tips and recipes from Branch Basics, check out:

• Healthy Swaps For Your Favorite Comfort Foods
• Heart Healthy Red Lentil Curry Recipe
• 4 Healthy Sauce Recipes