No-Bake Vegan Nectarine Cake with Chia
This week, I found myself piling summer fruit into my grocery cart.
All that gorgeous fruit was practically jumping off the shelves, and I just couldn't help myself.
So I bought 2–3 kg (about 4.4–6.6 pounds) of sweet, juicy red plums, plus a few pricey figs. Worth every shekel (Israeli currency), trust me. Absolute heaven. And, of course, a big, ridiculously sweet watermelon, another 2–3 lovely early-season mangoes, and, to top it all off, handfuls of nectarines.
You get the picture. I'm a sucker for summer fruit.
Since I hadn't exactly planned this shopping trip—note to self: don't hit the supermarket when your blood sugar's crashing—I came home with far too many nectarines. A few days later, they were all softer than anyone wanted, and nobody in the house would give them a second glance. That's summer for you: with so much beautiful fruit around, the aging nectarines don't stand a chance.
Despite my family's pleas to toss those senior-citizen nectarines, I decided they could, and should, become a light summer cake. One that wouldn't need any baking at all. I even gave it a catchy, charming name: No-Bake Vegan Nectarine Cake. Years ago, I considered a career change to copywriting. What do you think—do I have a shot?
To my great surprise, the cake disappeared in no time. Just kidding. I wasn't surprised at all. All it left behind was a scattering of chia seeds to remember it by.
For me, the best thing about this cake is that it works with just about any ripe fruit. Have a few plums past their prime? Into the pot they go. Grapes that won't make it to your next beach day? Those, too. Peaches? Nectarines? Perfect!
This vegan nectarine cake is a little tart, with a thin, firm crust and a gentle coconut flavor that I think pairs beautifully with the fruit preserves.
A Few Recipe Notes
I used homemade fruit-and-chia preserves made with this recipe.
The chia seeds thicken the fruit-and-sugar mixture into preserves, letting you use significantly less sugar. You also get fatty acids like omega-3s along the way.
You can't swap out the chia here, but the fruit is another story. Use whatever you like: apples, raspberries, plums, or even mango.
The crust contains coconut oil, which adds rich flavor and a wonderful aroma while helping the dough firm up.
You can replace the date paste with whatever sweetener you prefer.
Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness coach):
One slice, weighing 88 g (3.1 oz), when the cake is cut into 10 slices, contains:
112 calories
3.5 g protein
20 g carbohydrates
2 g fat (including 1 g saturated fat)
Looking for another quick cake? How about cupcakes with beets?
Vegan Nectarine Cake
No baking needed
Ingredients
For the Preserves
- 1.5 cups roughly chopped nectarines 4–5 nectarines
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar Brown sugar works, too; coconut sugar adds an interesting, nutty flavor.
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
For the Crust
- 100 g (3.5 oz) oats 3/4 cup
- 2 tablespoons date paste
- 70 g (2.5 oz) coconut oil 1/3 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
Instructions
Make the Preserves
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Cut the nectarines into fairly large chunks and place them in a small saucepan.
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Add the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the nectarines soften a little and release their juices, about 5–6 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and add the chia seeds.
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Stir well until all the seeds are evenly mixed into the fruit juices.
Make the Crust
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Process all the crust ingredients in a food processor until they come together into an evenly mixed dough.
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Press the dough into an even layer in a loaf pan.
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Pour the preserves over the crust and spread evenly from end to end.
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Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
