Mini Fruit Cake Balls (Raw and Vegan)

Cake Ingredients

• ½ cup almonds
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• ¼ cup cashews
• ½ cup pitted packed dates, chopped
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• ⅓ cup mixed dried fruit (I like cherries, goji berries, mulberries, and raisins)
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
   

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. melted coconut butter
• 1 tbsp. raw cashew butter*
• 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• ½ tbsp. maple syrup

Cake Instructions

Soak the dried fruit in the lemon and orange juice for 30–60 minutes to soften and absorb the flavours. Strain the fruit, but keep the juice!

Grind the almonds, cashews, and coconut down to crumbs in a food processor. Add the dates, extract, and zests. Process until the dates are broken down and the mixture is combined. Add the soaked fruit mixture and pulse several times to incorporate it (briefly!). Add up to 1 tbsp. of the juice as needed to create a dough that holds together (it should be moist but not wet). Stir in the pecans by hand.

Use a mini ice cream scoop to create balls of dough and release them onto a parchment paper–lined tray. Place into the freezer while making the frosting.

Frosting Instructions

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth in a bowl set over a pot of hot water to make sure it stays warm and fluid while mixing. Now set aside, whisking periodically until it starts to thicken slightly (about 10 minutes). Pour over the chilled balls and it will firm up quickly. Store in the fridge.

Makes 20 mini balls.

*Note: Roasted cashew butter tastes very different to raw so will change the flavour and also change the colour.

 Heather Pace

 A classically trained chef turned raw-dessert chef, she is a travel bug, a
 chocoholic, and a certified yoga instructor. 

 www.sweetlyraw.com