“Am I in Europe or Asia?” I turned to Neal and asked. 

Hot sun, green stretches of farm, occasional cows, farms and gas stations. We were laying our eyes for the first time on the outskirts of Texas. The closer we got to Austin, the more signs of a larger community emerged including more restaurants, buildings, cars and eventually the tips of sky scrapers in the distance. The stretches of fields reminded me of my family trip in the UK to York, and the city reminded me so much of Hong Kong. Being cooped up in Utah during COVID 19 has definitely skewed my perceptions. Perhaps, it’s the longing for travel or for home that brings back so much good memories and made this trip so exciting. I have to admit the excitement partly came from being able to see my twin sister and also for some good ole’ Texan food.

Austin, Texas offers a wide range of cuisines. The city itself is definitely up and coming with many new high rise buildings in the making, mixed with hipster food trucks serving a variety of ethnic cuisines and healthy restaurants popping up everywhere. It’s definitely a stark contrast from the established city of Houston. We made sure to stop by Costco to pick up some fresh peaches, cherries that was still in season. I love the abundance of fruit here in the summer and they are absolutely delicious.

To honor some my favorite summer produce, we are finally sharing our recipe for a delicious blueberry chia pudding cake. Yes, it does sound strange, but it is so so SO good. Even as someone who LOVES chia pudding, I was skeptical how a chia cake would even be appealing. But boy I was wrong. This cake actually came from my younger sister Raena who made this for my birthday cake. (She knew I was obsessed with chia seeds)

My first bite was an absolute revelation for me and other family members who were present. This cake starts with a sweet, nutty granola crust topped with a creamy, refreshing, smooth mousse like filling. It kind of has that granola, yogurt and berries flavor profile, but even more creamy, sweet and sturdy. The tart creamy filling paired with the crunchy, sweet bottom is quite ingenious especially infused with hints of coconut!

Not to mention chia seeds along with the agar powder and coconut milk helps to solidify and make this cake hold up without the use of cornstarch or gelatin. It adds healthy nutrients and omega-3 fats to this cake. The addition of yogurt or tofu adds an extra boost of protein to it as well.

And don’t worry don’t be deceived, you cannot taste the chia seeds!

This recipe was mostly adapted from the lovely Bianca Zapatka and it is a beautiful stunning summer cake that will blow your mind!

Blueberry Chia Pudding Cake

 

Save Print

Heavily adapted from Bianca Zapatka

Author: Unconventional Cooks

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1½ cup quick oats
• ½ cup cashews
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Filling:
• 1.5 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
• 5 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 14 oz (1.75 cups) dairy free yogurt or 1.75 cups (373g) silken tofu
• ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
• ⅓ cup equivalent sugar** (we used zero calorie sweetener)
• 2 tsp agar powder
• ½ tbsp vanilla
• ½ tbsp lemon juice (ONLY if using tofu)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Add oats and cashew into a blender. Pulse a few times until it becomes smaller pieces,
3. Transfer to a bowl and add coconut oil and maple syrup. If it still doesnt clump together, you can add 1 tbsp of water.
4. Grease a 7 inch non-stick cake pan and line with parchment paper.
5. Press all the crust ingredients into the pan. Bake for 25 mins and set aside to cool.
6. In a another bowl, add in coconut milk and whisk in chia seeds until no lumps are visible. Let is sit for 5 mins then stir again to break up the clumps.
7. Puree the blueberries, yogurt or tofu, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice (if you are using tofu) until smooth.
8. Pour the blueberry mixture into the chia pudding and mix until fully combined.
9. Over medium heat, bring the agar powder and nondairy milk to a boil. Cook for 1-2 mins (or follow packet instructions). Stir frequently to avoid burning.
10. Remove from heat and IMMEDIATELY stir into the blueberry chia pudding, if not the agar will start to solidify and form large flakes. Then it will not combine with the mixture.
11. Once well combined, pour the filing on top of the crust, smoothing out the top evenly.
12. Cover and fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight until firm.
13. Before serving, you may have to let it defrost for a couple of minutes before slicing!b

Notes

**OR 2 tbsp + 2 tsp OUR stevia pyure blend

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 12 Calories: 198.9cal Fat: 12.1g Carbohydrates: 21.3g Protein: 3.8g

3.5.3251

LOVE,

Zoe, Mia & Raena