Raw Vegan Birthday Cake, Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

My Sun loves raw vegan desserts, so I wanted to do a raw cookie type cake for his 3rd birthday. He's also currently way into dinosaurs, so I topped it with dinos and one of his other favorites, strawberries for good measure!

Raw Vegan Cookie Cake
2c unsweetened dried coconut
1 1/2c almonds
1/2c brazil nuts
1/4c mulberries
10 medjool dates, pitted
10 barhi dates, pitted
1tsp pure vanilla extract

Blend all nuts in food processor into small pieces. Do not over blend or it will become too oily. Add in coconut and blend until all pieces are small, but not pasty.

Add in dates, mulberries and vanilla and blend until crumbly mix forms.

Optional, reserve 1/4c for topping. Pour into spring form pan or pan of your choice. I used a 9" spring form lined with saran wrap for easy removal and presentation. Put it into the freezer while you prepare your chocolate bar topping.

Chocolate Bar Topping
1 1/2c cocoa butter
1/4c pure maple syrup
1/2c cocao nibs powder
the seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean

In a double broiler, melt all ingredients except vanilla bean. Once completely melted and well incorporated, add in vanilla bean seeds. Pour onto cookie cake bottom and put it back in freezer while you prepare the caramel frosting.

Raw Caramel Frosting
24 barhi dates
1tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1tbs coconut cream

For this, you want to use very soft dates. If your dates aren't soft, soak and drain them before use.
Blend all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.

Remove the cake from the freezer and take it out of the spring form pan.

Top with caramel frosting.

The options are endless for decor and toppings. Since I was going for a dinosaur theme, I used reserved cake crumbles, cocoanibs, fresh strawberries and of course, dinos!