Sweet Paradise Cake

Name: Sweet Paradise Cake
Yield: makes 16 slices
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups whole spelt flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup coconut oil, plus more for the pans; 1 1/3 cups agave nectar; 3/4 cup homemade applesauce (page 78) or store-bought unsweetened applesauce; 3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract; 2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries; Vanilla frosting (page 91)

December 9, 2011

My sister Sarah, the planet’s most outrageously particular eater, once told me: “I would rather starve than eat something that isn’t a symphony in my mouth.” As I would gladly eat a toupee if my blood sugar sank low enough, people like Sarah are like Martians to me. This cake is the perfect bridge between you and the Sarahs in your life. When I finally had the chance to offer her a slice, she took a bite, shut her eyes, raised a finger like a conductor’s baton, and began humming Beethoven’s Fifth. No joke. I’ve really become partial to the strawberry filling, but on occasion, at Sarah’s request, I substitute both blackberries and blueberries. Stay creative.

Recipe notes

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