Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Month: October 2020

  • Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    October is over and I hadn’t baked any pumpkin cake yet this year! I made other pumpkin things like pumpkin bars and cookies but no cake, my favorite thing!  It has been a bit busy this Fall, more busy than normal it seems for me.  But it is being busy with all good things like getting engaged (and starting the wedding planning process), doing activities with family and friends and working more so it is ok.  But I haven’t had as much time to bake. So I was thankful I had time this week to make my pumpkin cake!  I was going to make a classic one with cream cheese frosting but decided instead on a chocolate pumpkin cake.

    Because I am in a chocolate mood lately.  I think it is because I am enjoying some of my home made chocolate Halloween candy and it just made me want more. Plus nothing beats a rich chocolate cake!  I like pumpkin spice mocha lattes so I figured a chocolate pumpkin cake would be just as fabulous!

    For the base of this roll cake I use a batter made with dates to sweeten it.  Why dates?  They help keep the cake nice and moist along with the pumpkin so it is much easier to roll plus give it an almost brown sugar caramel like flavor.  Nothing is worse than a roll cake breaking so I try to make mine more roll-able.  If you are not a date fan, don’t worry, you can’t really taste them in this.  I personally love them though, I think they taste like nature’s candy!

    To fill the cake, I made a pumpkin cream filling with pumpkin spice and it was heavenly! So lovely with the chocolate cake on the outside!  Lastly I topped the cake off with a rich chocolate ganache.  I could not wait to try the finished masterpiece. It was sooo good!  The cake was soft and sweet and paired perfectly with the lightly spiced pumpkin cream and dark chocolate ganache! If you are a chocolate cake fan, definitely give this a try this pumpkin season!

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll
    Makes one 15 inch long rolled cake, serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    15×10 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (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. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, 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.
    6. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    7. Cool cake completely.
    8. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before frosting.
    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!

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *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 Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    In the deli I work in, we usually make pumpkin cookies.  They are soft, with a maple glaze and just the right amount of pumpkin spices.  I tried one years ago before I was vegan, and they were delicious!  They are a seasonal item that is made every year, and everyone loves them!  I have never really made a veganized version at home, but I decided it would be fun to this year when I had some leftover canned pumpkin from another recipe. Also I wanted to test a vegan version out in case I would like to make some at work, since I have made vegan baked goods there for about a year now, but that involves making new recipes since we didn’t have any before.

    I based this recipe off of a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I use for work with a few tweaks like adding in the pumpkin and spices!  This dough is really easy to make, and not fussy.  It uses melted coconut oil as the fat in the dough, which gives them a nice texture once baked!  They do need to chill a little bit if the dough is really warm and sticky, but other than that they are just roll, press down and bake!

    I could not stop sampling the dough, it was sooo good!  I am a sucker for cookie dough, and honestly it is my favorite part of the cookie baking process.  You have to make sure it is good after all, or you didn’t miss an ingredient. One time I forgot the sugar in my cookie dough, and it was a really good thing I tasted it so I didn’t mess up the whole batch. Anyways, this time I was testing for the spices to see if they had the proper amount and they were perfect!

    The cookies smelled so good while baking!  Once they had been removed from the oven and cooled down a bit, I gave them a sweet maple glaze like the ones at work. I did not use powdered sugar though, I used a mixture of coconut butter and maple syrup which is my go to glaze.  The cookies were super delicious!  Soft and sweet with aromatic pumpkin spices, and that maple scented glaze was the perfect touch!  These ones are just as good as the ones at work, and honestly less fussy to make (I have watched my coworker make the other ones).  If you are a pumpkin cookie fan, give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze 

    Makes 12 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder

     

    Glaze:

    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla until well combined.
    3. Mix in the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and powder, until smooth.
    4. Put the dough in the refrigerator until it is a little more firm, about 30 minutes.
    5. Roll the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches round), and place on the baking sheets, spread a few inches apart and flatten slightly.
    6. Place in the oven and bake until starting to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
    8. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth adding more water if necessary to create a pourable glaze.  Drizzle over the cookies, and allow to set (you may pop them in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make it set faster).

     

    Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *If you wish to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat flour 1:1 for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this flour and know it works well.

     

  • Individual Vegan Apple Pies

    Individual Vegan Apple Pies

    I have been enjoying lots of apples lately since we went to the apple orchard a couple of weekends ago.  Nothing beats a fresh Minnesota apple as far as I am concerned, especially for apple pie!  I made some last week, because I have been craving it and finally had the time.  My Mom always made the best apple pie when I was little.  People would always ask her to bring it to gatherings or Holidays like Thanksgiving.  She didn’t make her own pie crust usually, she used the store bought, but what made it so good were the Haralson apples and dash of lemon juice in the filling plus not as much sugar as most people use.  It was the most balanced apple pie ever with a little bit of tartness plus sweet from the apples.

    I make my apple pies the same way now.  Plenty of apple flavor.  It absolutely matters what type of apples you put into the pie you make.  I would recommend ones that taste good to you before you bake them.  If you use really mild flavored ones the pie might come out somewhat bland.  One time we had to use these frozen ones to make something at work and I think they were red delicious apples (my least favorite) and they needed a lot of doctoring up.

    I decided to make two smaller pies, because I wanted to share one and keep one for myself.  It is kind of fun after all to have your own little dessert!  I got two servings out of it though.  I made my classic pie crust, with vegan butter as opposed to coconut oil for a more pliable crust to work with for a double crust pie.  I admit I tend to make crumble top pies more because they are a little less fussy, but I felt like cutting cute shapes out of the dough this time.

    My kitchen smelled amazing while it was baking, and I could not wait to try it!  The pie turned out sooo good! I served it warm with coconut milk ice cream.  If you just want a really good classic apple pie, give this one a try!

    Individual Vegan Apple Pies
    Makes two 4 inch inch deep dish pies

    Filling:

    • 4 cups Haralson (or other tart sweet apples) cut into 3/4 inch cubes
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar (or brown sugar)
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • juice of one lemon
    • a pinch of sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour

     

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup Earth Balance buttery sticks (pressed into the measuring cup), or your favorite vegan butter to bake with
    • about 6-12 Tbsp cold water

     

    Topping:

    • thick coconut milk
    • maple sugar

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven tp 400F degrees.
    2. To make the filling, combine the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice, sea salt and flour in a bowl.
    3. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in Earth Balance 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 more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    4. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each out into a 5 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer two of them to two 4 inch deep dish pie plates.  Pour the apples into the pies, cut a hole in the remaining dough circles right in the center with a cookie cutter, then place them on top of the pies.  Pinch the edges down to seal them, and trim off the excess (you can roll this out and create cute shapes for the top of the pie). Flute the edges.
    5. Brush the pie with a little coconut milk, top with any extra dough shapes if you want to decorate it, and brush those with a little milk too.  Sprinkle with maple sugar, and place on a baking sheet.  Prick the crust a few times with a fork, and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then check to see if the top is getting too brown, if it is tent with foil and place back in the oven until the pie is bubbling about another 15 minutes.
    6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack.
    7. Allow to cool completely before serving.

     

    *If you want to make this 1 8 inch pie instead of the two smaller pies, roll the dough into 2 9 inch circles instead of 4 and proceed the same with the recipe, just keeping in mind it might take about 15-20 minutes longer to bake.

    *If you want to make this gluten free  swap the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking flour, or your favorite GF flour.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    I know a lot of people hate all of the hype of pumpkin spice lattes, and I get it.  There are many chain coffee shops that just use a mix that doesn’t even contain real pumpkin and isn’t that good.  But once you have had one at a coffee shop that makes their own artisan drinks with real pumpkin and spices it is hard not to love them.  Or if you make your own like I do sometimes. I actually love them as long as they are good quality.  I love getting fall themed coffee with Eric at one of our favorite local shops and going for a walk, sipping it as we go.  It is one of my favorite things ever!

    I also love making pumpkin spice latte flavored things.  I have made a few cakes, and candies.  But I thought some pumpkin spice ice cream would be amazing!  So I whipped some up last week.  I have my ice cream maker in the freezer at all times ready to go in case the need to make it strikes, and I use it pretty often because I always have to have some ice cream on hand even in the cooler months.

    I usually start with coconut milk as my base, because it always turns out so rich and creamy.  For this one, I combined it with cashew butter to give it almost a cheesecake like quality.  If you are not a fan of cashew butter though, feel free to substitute almond butter.  I combined the base with a good amount of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices plus dates.  I like sweetening it with dates because they give it a caramel like flavor and don’t add as much moisture as liquid sweetener does. If you would prefer to use maple syrup instead though, you can it will just freeze a little harder.

    To make this coffee flavored, I added some ground espresso powder.  If you like it strong you can use two Tbsp or if you just like a light coffee flavor just use one.  The base for this tasted sooo good I could not wait to try it once it was churned.  It was totally heavenly!  Sweet, creamy and rich with all of the pumpkin spice coffee flavored goodness!  This would actually be really good as affogato (with coffee poured over it).  If you are a pumpkin spice latte fan, give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 
    Makes 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk or coconut cream (unsweetened)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1-2 Tbsp espresso powder  (depending on how much coffee flavor you like)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 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 scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.
  • Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes

    Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes

    The weather has been fabulous here lately, and I have really enjoyed getting out and enjoying the fall colors and activities.  Last weekend we went for a hike along the St. Croix and then made a stop at Pleasant Valley Orchard to do some apple picking.  I normally do this earlier in the season but it has been a hectic year so we waited until later.  But it worked out because the drive was lovely!  It was the perfect day to be at the orchard, nice and sunny and moderate temperatures.

    Last year when we went it was a chilly rainy day so we felt lucky this year!  We picked a bunch of honeycrisp and haralson apples, which was what was available that day and they happen to be our favorites.  They were developed here in Minnesota, so maybe I am biased, but they are also the perfect balance of tart and sweet which makes them perfect for baking with!

    I decided to make some apple pie cupcakes with them.  I recently saw a non vegan recipe for some and  decided I needed to make my own.  I haven’t made cupcakes in a while, and filled cupcakes sounded even better.  Anything apple right now makes me happy!  It is a little longer process since you have to make the filling and not just a frosting but it is totally worth it and the perfect day off activity if you feel like spending time in the kitchen.

    For these, I used my vanilla cake base made with a bit of applesauce.  You don’t need to buy applesauce either, just take one of your apples, cut it into pieces and throw it in the blender until it is finely pureed. That is what I do!  This cake batter is really easy to make too, no fussy instructions with that, just mix, pour into the tins and bake! For the filling I just cut the apples small and cooked them with a bit of maple syrup and cinnamon and they were perfect!

    Lastly the cupcakes needed a cream cheese style frosting because I love that with apples or on an apple cake!  I used a combination of coconut cream and cashew butter to make it nice and rich tasting.  These turned out sooo good!  The apple filling tasted just like apple pie and it was perfect with the soft sweet cake and dreamy cream cheese frosting!  If you are looking for an apple baking project, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Apple Pie Cupcakes
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup apple sauce
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Filling:

    • 2 small tart sweet organic apples (such as honeycrisp), diced into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp cornstarch

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 1/4 cup cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 8 muffin tins or line them with paper liners.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk , apple sauce and vanilla together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Transfer the cake batter to prepared tins.
    7. Place in the oven, and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 17-20 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    9. Meanwhile to make the apples, combine the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a pot and cook over medium heat until the apples have softened, about 15 minutes.  Mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch and cook until the sauce around the apples thickens.  Let cool.
    10. Use a teaspoon to scoop out about a large teaspoon of cake from the middle of each cupcake, and fill with the cooked apples.
    11. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  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 frost.
    12. When ready to assemble, place the frosting in a pastry bag and pipe over the cupcakes.
    13. Enjoy! Refrigerate cupcakes if you have leftovers.

    Cupcakes keeps stored in the refrigerator, covered for up to 1 week.

    Notes:

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

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 

    Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 

       
    I finally got my hands on some Minnesota grown apples.  Although I love to just eat them, I really wanted to bake something with them as well. An apple pie sounded good, but then I also love crust-less things with a topping like an apple cobbler or apple crisp.  I went with the cobbler, because I saw a caramel apple cobbler on Pinterest that wasn’t vegan but sounded really good.  Plus it is a bit easier to make than a whole pie and perfect for two people to enjoy!
    I don’t think I have even made a cobbler since last year!  I love them though!  The bubbly fruit underneath those tender flakey biscuits!  When making apple pies, cobblers and crisps, it is important to me to get a good balance of tart and sweet with the apples.  Which is why I like to use sweet tart apples like honeycrisp or haralson, and add a touch of lemon juice.  The type of apples you use in a pie makes all the difference though.  If you have some bland apples, you will need to add a little more lemon juice and sweetener.
    I didn’t need much sweetener for mine, because the apples were already pretty sweet.  For my biscuits I actually use my scone recipe for the dough.  Because they are rich, flakey and just the right amount of sweet.  I do the method of baking the fruit for a while by itself until it is bubbly then add the biscuits at the end of the baking so that they don’t get overdone and it works pretty well!
    Lastly when the cobbler was all bubbly and lovely coming from the oven I decided it needed some quick maple caramel so I topped it off with that.  It turned out sooo good!  This cobbler was totally heavenly! I served it warm with some coconut milk ice cream and it was crave worthy!
    Vegan Caramel Apple Cobbler 
    Serves 4
    Ingredients:

    Fruit:

    • 3 cups organic sweet tart apples (such as honey crisp or pink lady), cut into chunks
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Biscuit topping:

    • 1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Caramel:

    • 2 Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or more if you need to thin it out more)
    • pinch sea salt

     

    6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil a 6 inch wide pie plate or bowl with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla.
    2. Spoon into prepared bowl or pie plate, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
    3. Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces.
    4. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall rectangle.
    5. Remove baking fruit from oven. Cut small shapes out of the dough using a cookie cutter (or free form it), and place on top of the cobbler.  When all biscuits are on top of cobbler, sprinkle with coconut sugar and return to the oven.
    6. Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm.
    7. Mix together the maple syrup and pecan butter for the caramel, and drizzle it over the top of the cobbler.
    8. Top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!
  • Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Last weekend Eric and I drove up north to Banning State Park in Minnesota to enjoy the fall colors, and it was honestly some of the most spectacular scenery I have seen this time of the year.  The conditions seem to be just right this year, it stayed warm pretty long, and everything is vibrant right now. Everyone else seemed to have the same idea, it was more packed there than I have ever seen it with lines that seemed like a mile long of cars parked outside the parking lot.  We went on about a 5 mile hike to this waterfall and back and hammocked along the way and it was a fun day but we were both pretty tired for the ride back.  While in the car I had time to think about what I felt like baking on my day off.  There was a chill in the air which had me craving warming spices.

    I had some over ripe bananas at home, so I thought a spiced banana bread might be good. But then I remembered how much I liked gingerbread and decided to make it a gingerbread spiced loaf!  I know gingerbread season is usually a bit later into the holidays but why not make something gingerbread now?!  It was the perfect thing to make, because it is easy, and I knew I would love it.

    I tweaked the base for my Grandma’s banana bread recipe, adding in molasses and spices and even the batter was delicious. I always liked gingerbread in the fall, and in fact when I was in cross country I would make cookies for the team and use my acorn cookie cutter to make gingerbread acorns with a maple glaze that we all loved. Speaking of which, I need to make a veganized version of those!  But for now this banana bread was what I was excited about.

    I added in pecans to give it a nice crunch, and it was ready to go into the oven. It made my kitchen smell amazing!  The aroma of warming spices always makes me happy.  I could not wait to try it! Once it was all cooled and ready to cut I was super excited!  It was sooo good!  Moist and delicious but not too heavy with a sweet banana flavor that was perfect with the ginger and the rich molasses! If you have bananas on hand, now you know what to make next!

    Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread 

    Makes 1 loaf

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup maple sugar*
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water (allowed to sit 15 min. before using)
    • 1/2 cup oat milk*
    • 2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil*
    • 1 Tbsp molasses
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil an 8×4 inch loaf pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flax mixture, oat milk, bananas, oil, molasses and vanilla until smooth.
    3. Whisk in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves then the vinegar until combined.
    4. Fold in the pecans until evenly distributed.
    5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few crumbs attached.
    6. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

     

    Bread keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container or wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *Notes:

    Instead of the maple sugar, you could also use coconut sugar or granulated sugar if you prefer those.

    You can use any type of unsweetened plant based milk in this recipe, such as soy, almond or coconut instead of the oat if that is what you have on hand.

    If you would like to make this oil free, use 1/4 cup almond butter ( or your favorite nut or seed butter) instead of the oil.

    If you would like to make a gluten free version of this bread, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (I have tried this brand and know it works well for recipes like this).