Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Month: July 2020

  • Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    I haven’t had more than a few days of vacation here and there for at least two years.  I have also been working all throughout the quarantine since I am an essential worker, so not a lot of time off then, so when I had an opportunity to go on a road trip vacation with Eric to see his Dad who lives in Michigan of course I went!  I haven’t even been on an actual road trip since I was in middle school so it sounded like fun. It was a fun trip, lots of outdoor state parks to visit along the way, and of course the time with his family was the best part.  While we were there his Dad, took berry picking. He makes the best fruit jams I have ever tried so he knows what is good.
    We picked a total of 10 lbs of wild blackberries together and they were the most flavorful delicious berries you can imagine! Of course nothing beats fresh picked off the bush!  We took the ones we didn’t eat home (I have been eating so many berries lately I should look like Violet Beauregarde blue from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).  At least I know I am getting my antioxidants!
    So when I got home, I decided that a blackberry pie sounded amazing. I don’t usually get that many blackberries when I find them at the store because they are usually a bit spendy here, but since I had a large amount I could finally make a pie!  I haven’t made pie in ages also, so it was about time.  Sadly none this summer yet because of the kitchen remodel and being busy so it was about time!
    I didn’t even need to sweeten the berries that much because they were packed full of flavor.  I just used my classic coconut oil crust, and put a nice crumble topping on the pie because it is my favorite. Double crust pies may be a little bit prettier, but nothing beats a good crunchy streusel!  This pie turned out super delicious!  I had to wait until it cooled to cut it so it would look pretty in my pictures, but it is amazing served warm with coconut milk ice cream!  I hope you all had a wonderful July!
    Vegan Blackberry Crumble Pie

    Makes 1 8 inch pie

    Crust:
    1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    3 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    6 Tbsp coconut oil, in its solid form
    about 2-3 Tbsp cold water

    Filling:
    6 cups fresh or frozen organic blackberries (if they are frozen, thaw them first, and drain off any liquid)
    juice and zest of one small lemon
    1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    2 Tbsp arrowroot powder or organic whole wheat pastry flour
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    pinch sea salt

    Topping:
    1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    2 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar
    3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
    pinch sea salt

    To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a 2-3 Tbsp water as needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    Roll out into about a 9 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Place dough into an 8 inch pie pan and fit to edges (being careful). If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Flute the edges, or crimp with a fork. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix together and squeeze together until it is clumping up a bit. Set aside.

    Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the filling ingredients. Spoon into crust. Scatter the topping over that. Bake for 1 hour in the middle rack of the oven until berries are all jammy and it is and bubbling (after 15 minutes check it and if it is getting too dark, tent it with foil for the rest of the time in the oven).

    Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

  • Vegan Mocha Roll Cake

    Vegan Mocha Roll Cake

    I feel like my Birthday crept up on me this year. There has been so much crazy stuff going on, and so many changes, including my kitchen remodel that just wrapped up a couple weeks back (thank goodness) that I forget what month we are in.  But I still decided to make a birthday cake this year and give the new oven a go baking a larger cake.  My old oven was a little touchy and sometimes would malfunction, but this one seems to work great and I am grateful to be able to use it from now on.  I baked a mug cake with sprinkles last Friday, but that was my test cake before the Birthday cake, so this one was the first full sized one I have made. This year I decided to make a roll cake. This past year has pretty been the year of the roll cakes for me, I have fallen in love with them.

    Funny, because I used to be so intimidated by them in the past and now I find them easier and faster to make than a traditional layer cake.  I wanted something with coffee, so I made a mocha cake this time!  Chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven after all!  For the cake portion, I like to use my date sweetened cakes for the roll cake, because they are a bit more forgiving and pliable.  Plus I just like date sweetened cakes in general.  The dates give the cake a slight caramel flavor, similar to how brown sugar would. I just added some of my favorite strong brewed coffee to it to give it mocha flavor and it tasted amazing!

    For the coffee cream filling, I used a combination of coconut milk and raw cashew butter to make it nice and creamy, and added a bit of coffee and cacao to it to give it that mocha flavor.  It was heavenly even before I added it to the cake!  Lastly it needed something on the outside so I gave it a ganache icing.  It was lovely!  I am a big fan of ganache on cakes if I am in a chocolate sort of mood!

    I could not wait to try it!  But I let it sit overnight because I was making it in the evening for the next day and I wanted it to cut nicely.  It was well worth the wait!  Sooo heavenly!  That rich coffee cream, soft dark chocolate cake and gooey ganache were a perfect trio!  If you are a chocolate and coffee fan, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Mocha Roll Cake
    Makes one 15 inch long roll cake

    Ingredients:

    10×15 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter (or your preferred nut butter, just make sure it is smooth)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp espresso powder
    • 2 cups strong brewed coffee
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp espresso powder
    • 2 Tbsp cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Ganache:

    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
    • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
    3. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    4. Place dates, coffee, almond butter, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.
    6. Cool cake completely.
    7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
    8. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling because the cake will be covered.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the ganache.  Once it has chilled, cut off the ends to make it nice and even.
    10. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
    11. Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!

     

    *If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

  • Vegan Vanilla Cake In a Mug

    Vegan Vanilla Cake In a Mug

    It was Friday, at the end of a long week, and I was in the mood for some cake.  But I didn’t want to go through a lot of trouble to make it, because I also wanted to relax and enjoy, so I decided to make just one small cake for myself to enjoy that I could eat right away. A mug cake!  I haven’t made one in ages. I don’t think I have even made a vanilla mug cake like this one. I made a souffle one time in a mug that was similar back before I was vegan.  But cake sounds even better. I thought about making a chocolate one, but decided on vanilla because it brings back good memories and my birthday is next week, so I wanted something sort of birthday cake like. Not that I won’t make another birthday dessert, I am all for going all out next week on something.

    This time though I wanted to keep it simple.  I made my classic vanilla cake batter that is super easy, just whisk it all together pour it in and bake!  None of that beating of anything separately and folding it in type of business. I used to make those types of cakes back in the day and although it was fun and exciting at the time, I want something with a bit less steps at this point.

    This cake batter doesn’t actually have any oil, it is made with full fat coconut milk instead to give it that richness and it works out perfect. I used whole wheat pastry flour here, because it is what I prefer, but if you prefer regular AP flour, or even GF flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose baking flour, because I have used it with great results) that will work as well here swapped in. I stirred in some sprinkles at the last minute because why not make it cute?!

    It baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled amazing. Like the name of my blog lol, like Fragrant Vanilla Cake.  It is one of my favorite smells in the world after all.  I could not wait to dive in!  Once it had cooled enough to enjoy, and I got to try it, the flavor was just what I imagined.  That classic mellow sweet vanilla with a nice soft crumb that I wanted to keep eating until it was all gone.  If you are in the mood for some classic vanilla cake, give this a try!

    Vegan Vanilla Cake In a Mug 
    Makes one larger mug cake or 2 smaller

    Ingredients:

    one 2 cup mug or two 1 cup mugs

    Cake:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp vegan sprinkles (optional)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    3. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    4. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    5. Transfer the cake batter to a 2 cup larger mug or 2 1 cup mugs.
    6. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes for the larger mug and about 15 for the smaller 1 cup.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool, at least until just warm.
    8. Enjoy!

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

     

     

  • Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches

    Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches

    It has been quite steamy outside here in Minnesota lately, so it is the perfect time to enjoy cool treats like ice cream!  I have been wanting to make some, and Eric and I had been watching a video on YouTube about this place that makes all sorts of different ice cream sandwiches, and it made me hungry. So I decided that I needed to make my own at home.  I thought long and hard about what kind I wanted to make, that would fit with the ingredients I had on hand, and I ended up landing on PB and J.  Because I am kind of obsessed with that combo.

    I was thinking PB cookies with raspberry ice cream for the “jelly” flavor.  I make peanut butter cookies at work all the time, but not much at home, so those sounded good as well, if I had extras to snack on.  The thing I like about Peanut butter cookies is they are nice and simple.  These ones always turn out good, and the dough is super delicious too if you are one of those people like me that likes to eat the cookie dough and thinks that is one of the best parts of the process.

    For the raspberry ice cream I used a coconut milk base with a bit of cashew butter to make it nice and creamy.  The base tasted amazing even before freezing, like delicious raspberry cheesecake batter. It turned out nicely in the ice cream maker, but if you didn’t have one I have included instructions for how to make it without one as well.  It was heavenly on its own but I knew it would be even better with the cookies!

    I haven’t had an ice cream sandwich in quite a few years, so I was excited about these!  They turned out super delicious!  The creamy smooth raspberry ice cream was the perfect partner for the rich, slightly salty, chewy peanut butter cookies! I did think about swirling PB and J into this too, and you could if you wanted to, I just didn’t want it to be super messy and oozing out. They were perfect as is in my opinion!  If you are a PB and J fan, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches 

    Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
    Makes 12 cookies

    Ingredients:

    Cookies:

    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 3/4 cup organic peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flax seed and water.  Place the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes, this is your flax egg.
    2. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and flax egg, until smooth.  Then mix in the flour, soda, baking powder, and sea salt in until the mixture is smooth.
    3. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a sheet pan with parchment.
    4. Shape the cookie dough into 2 inch balls, place on your baking sheet a few inches apart and flatten with a fork, like you would with peanut butter cookies.
    5. Place in the oven and bake at 350F for 12 minutes or so, until lightly browned and set.  Allow to cool on a rack, then place in the freezer until ready to add the ice cream.

     

    Vegan Raspberry Ice Cream
    Makes 3 cups

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1 1/2 cups fresh organic raspberries
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions.  Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and continue to freeze until firm enough to spread onto the cookies for sandwiches.

     

    Assembly:

    1. Spread some of the ice cream about 3/4 inch thick on half of the cookies, then add the other half to sandwich together.
    2. Place them all on a tray in the freezer until they are firmed up, then enjoy!
    3. Place any leftovers in a container with a lid, and store in the freezer for up to a month (they keep longer but might get freezer burn).
  • BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    When I was a kid, sloppy joes were a staple at just about every summer gathering or party that I went to.  Most likely because they were great for making in a crock pot and having ready ahead of time, and everyone loved them.  They actually weren’t my favorite most of the time unless someone had a really good recipe but I still would eat them as was tradition.  Now of course I have to pass most of the time because I am vegan and ground beef an option for me.  But I have come up with a recipe to make at home that I actually really love, much more than those ones I grew up eating.  I am a big fan of lentils, and I had seen other people make lentil sloppy joes so I gave it a go.

    The only putzy part about this is cooking the lentils, but luckily they cook a lot faster than most beans.  I cooked mine a day ahead of time actually to speed the process.  I like to use french lentils for this, but green lentils or brown will work as well, anything that holds its shape and doesn’t fall apart too much (like red lentils, which would not be a good option).  I made a simple sauce  for these with ingredients I already had on hand and it worked out great!

    I know some people put a lot of extra veggies in their sloppy joe mix but I just went with onions, garlic and tomatoes and kept it simple. To make it BBQ flavored and a bit tangy, I added apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup for a little sweetness and some smoked paprika to give it that smokey flavor.  I don’t like my sauce super sweet, but if you are one of those people that does, feel free to add a little maple syrup. That is what cooking for yourself is all about, making recipes that are tailored to your own tastes!

    These turned out super delicious!  They were way better than the ones I grew up eating.  They had plenty of flavor, and were filling without being heavy.  I served them on buns the first day, but for leftovers the next day I served them over some brown rice and that was good as well!  So you have options here if you are not a bread person or are gluten free.  I hope you all are having a wonderful summer so far!

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/3 cups dried french lentils or green lentils
    • filtered water
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, minced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 6 oz can tomato sauce
    • 1 5 oz can tomato paste
    • 3/4 cup filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
    • 8 whole wheat buns for serving

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a medium pot, combine the lentils and enough filtered water to cover them by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape. Remove from heat, drain well and set aside.
    2. In a medium saucepan, heat the onions and garlic in the oil and saute until starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, paprika, black pepper, and sea salt and bring to a simmer.  Allow to cook for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
    3. Mix in the lentils, and cook until everything is heated through.
    4. Serve the BBQ Lentils on the buns.

     

  • Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

    Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

        

    I can’t believe it is already July!  Time has flown this year with all that is going on, and I feel a bit out of sorts as to what month it is lately since I am not in my usual routine.  I haven’t done much cooking and baking lately because my kitchen has been in the process of being remodeled and it’s been hard to use it. Luckily it is about done, and since July is here, and it is hot, I thought it would be the perfect time to make a no bake cheesecake!  Which is honestly what I usually make anyway because they are just as delicious as the baked but easier.  Since mangoes are super delicious right now, and some at the store were calling my name, I decided to make a white chocolate mango raspberry cheesecake!

    For the base, I used my usual full fat coconut milk. I always have cans of it on hand, and it makes for luscious cheesecake.  I then usually add something like cashews or chickpeas to add bulk and a nice texture but this time I simply used a good amount of sweet mango since this was a mango cheesecake after all.  I also added in a bit of lime juice and vanilla for flavor plus maple syrup to sweeten it and it was heavenly!  Instead of the usual coconut butter I use to thicken my cheesecakes, I used melted cacao butter this time to give it the white chocolate flavor. 

    Although I could have made my raspberry swirl completely with raw raspberries, I mixed them with jam so that they would be a little less runny and more vibrant in color and it worked out perfectly.  That bright red against the pale yellow of the mango cheesecake was lovely! I could not wait to try it, but I had to wait until the next day because I was making it at night. 

    Once I finally unmolded it and got to dive in, it was heavenly!  Rich and creamy with a sweet mango flavor, a hint of lime, mellow white chocolate and jammy raspberries!  It tasted like summer, which is what I was going for, I didn’t have to heat up the oven to make it and it was easy to make!  If you are in the mood for cheesecake give this a try! 

    Vegan White Chocolate Mango Raspberry Cheesecake

    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup almonds (for nut free version use finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut instead)
    • 3/4 cup organic gluten free rolled oats, or quinoa flakes
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk*)
    • 3/4 cup cubed fresh mango
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp lime juice 
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 3/4 cup melted cacao butter

     

    Swirl:

    • 2/3 cup organic raspberry jam mashed together with 1/3 cup fresh raspberries

     

    Instructions:

    1. Oil a 6 inch spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    2. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together (if they are not holding together when squeezed, add a few tsp filtered water and blend). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    4. Pour half the filling over the prepared crust  then drop some of the jam over than randomly (but spaced out) by the tsp as well. Swirl with a knife a few times. Repeat with the remaining filling and jam.
    5. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    6. Remove from the freezer, un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick cream or it will not work in this recipe.