This delicious gluten-free, grain-free strawberry shortcake is one of our family’s favorite recipes! It suits many grain-based allergies, in that it’s made with coconut flour and a secret ingredient. Mashed strawberries and freshly whipped cream set the whole thing off, making it a very impressive (and healthy!) dessert.
This recipe started with a half awake, half asleep dream for a healthy strawberry shortcake, which is awesome right now since strawberries are so delicious and sweet!
The ‘money’ component in this equation is obviously the cake. Comprised of coconut flour, eggs, aaaaaannnnddd…..beans!
I know there are still many who are scared to try beans in a sweet recipe, but you truly can’t taste them. They make the cake so moist and soft while also adding protein and fiber.
The one can of beans used in this recipe adds a whopping 28 grams of protein! You should see my beefy husband light up over this delicious dessert, simply because it’s so protein-packed!
Ingredients and substitutions
- White beans – Cannellini and Great Northern are the ones I use; I prefer the latter.
- Eggs
- Applesauce – Try my Instant Pot Applesauce recipe!
- Powdered stevia extract – If you looking to avoid stevia, take a peek at this stevia conversion chart for the amount of granulated sugar to substitute it with. Don’t use a liquid sweetener or it will throw off the dry/wet ratio of ingredients, and the cake won’t bake correctly.
- Vanilla extract
- Honey – Maple syrup can also be used.
- Coconut oil – Melted butter, olive oil, or grapeseed oil are all excellent substitutes!
- Coconut flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- Strawberries – Fresh or frozen both work; if using frozen, defrost them first.
- Whipped cream – Try coconut whipped cream if you’re allergic to dairy!
Recipe steps
For full directions, see the recipe box below. I just want to highlight some of the steps here for you, as I myself am a visual learner.
Begin by processing the ‘wet’ ingredients, including the beans, eggs, applesauce, stevia (if using), honey, vanilla, and oil. The mixture should be smooth before adding the dry ingredients.
Next, add in the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. You can sift in the flour to ensure there are no lumps, but I find the processor does a good job of incorporating it.
Pour the batter into an 8-inch cake pan and bake as directed below.
While the cake is baking, use the time to mash the strawberries and whip the cream.
Recipe tips
Be aware of over-baking, as this can dry out the cake.
I don’t typically add any sweetener to my strawberries, as they are sweet enough on their own for me, but feel free to drizzle in a bit of your favorite sweetener when mashing them.
If you like this recipe, try it in cupcake form! It makes an awesome birthday treat when topped with a healthy chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
Grain-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can white beans (cannellini or Great Northern) rinsed and drained
- 3 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons applesauce
- ¼ teaspoon powdered stevia extract optional; see Ingredients and Substitutions above
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pound strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- fresh whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Oil an 8-inch cake pan and lay a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom to prevent sticking. Oil the top of the parchment paper as well.
- In a food processor, process the beans, eggs, applesauce, stevia, vanilla, honey, and oil together until smooth and well combined.
- Next, add in the coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Process everything until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake the cake for approximately 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before removing and slicing.
- Mash the strawberries with a potato masher until they are the consistency you desire.
- Pour a spoonful of the strawberries atop a slice of cake and top with whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
This looks so good, Lauren! Love how you came up with it:)
I’m as well fascinated by sleep, I’ve read many books on circadian rhythm and it’s mind blowing. Seriously.
Just like your GF strawberry shortcake, I wish I had a slice tomorrow for breakfast!
This is great! I use white beans in tons of stuff and people are none the wiser. Can’t wait to try this one!
Thanks Chrissy! They really are awesome in desserts. 🙂
i love a high protein dessert. i must try this!
I almost never remember my dreams but when I do its because they were extremely intense. As in waking up crying or laughing. I guess I just don’t half-ass anything 😉
What a beautiful recipe! Loving strawberries right now!
This recipe looks lush. I would like to use maple syrup instead of stevia. Do you know how much I should substitute?
Thanks
Hi Louise,
I would use about 1/2 cup of another sweetener for the stevia. Let me know if it turns out for you! 🙂
Thanks for the info.
Louise
This looks delicious! I love baking with beans 🙂 If you’re interested, I’d love to have you share this at Naturally Sweet Tuesday this week. http://livingfree.aubreecherie.com/2014/06/naturally-sweet-tuesday-june-10-2014/ Thanks for considering! ~Aubree
I am trying this recipe as we speak!! The picture looks so gorgeous. But sadly I’m not sure it’s turning out. I can’t understand what I did wrong. And my whipped dream didn’t firm up either. I’m so sad.
Making this now because the picture looks so gorgeous. Sadly I’m. It sure it’s turning out!! It was definitely not done when I scraped it from the pan do I just popped it back in. And my whipped cream won’t firm up either. I’m so sad!
Hi Shelby,
I can’t comment on the whipped cream, as the recipe isn’t mine, but for the cake, perhaps it just needs a bit longer in the oven. You can top it with an aluminum foil ‘hat’ so that the top doesn’t burn, and let it continue to bake until firmed. My oven is practically new, so it probably operates at a higher temp than some. I hope this helps!
Lauren, although it didn’t look perfect it was really yummy. My husband and kids loved it and came back for more!! Thanks for the great recipe, I love your site.
Hi, Thank you for this lovely recipe. Have you happened to try chickpea eggs (chia/flaxseed eggs) with this recipe? Not sure if it would work with beans….
Hi Irene,
I have tried chickpea eggs and while they work when subbing out 1-2 eggs, I don’t know that using them in this recipe would work. If you have any luck, let me know! 🙂
I’m fascinated by how you have used beans in this cake, Lauren! What a great way to make delicious really healthy! Your Strawberry Shortcake looks absolutely delicious. Pinned and will tweet. Thank you for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.
Delicious love this healthy shortcake, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning.
This and your cupcakes are my favorite recipes from this site!!
The recipe includes applesauce in the ingredient list but I don’t see where to add it in the instructions. Tasted amazing without the applesauce anyway!
Sorry about that, Janette! I’ve fixed the recipe to include it, but I’m happy it worked for you without it! 🙂
I am not a fan of coconut flour or the oil
Could you recommend a substitute
Strawberry shortcake is my all time favorite, so I was happy to read your recipe to try
Thank you
Hi Eileen,
Unfortunately, coconut flour is very unique in how absorbent it is, so I can’t offer an equal substitute, sorry.
Thank you for responding
This recipe is amazing!
Could I sub in banana in this recipe or mixed berries?
Which ingredient are you trying to substitute?