Chocolate Banana Bread with White Chocolate Chips

We love to make different quick breads and muffins on a Sunday morning.  I was feeling adventurous this morning because my friend Lisa, from Lisasprojectvegan.com, had given my vegan white chocolate chips a few weeks ago.  I am not a huge fan of white chocolate, and so they sat on my counter for those few days.  Just waiting.  Cookies seemed obvious, and I wanted to use then in something a little more out of the box.
Since we were having breakfast and my nephews had spent the night, I thought something seemingly decadent was in order.  They didn't need to know that I made the bread with spelt flour, flax meal and a high fiber blend of oat bran, wheat germ and more flax.  Oh and 3 bananas to boot.  We barely waited for it to cool...it was moist and sweet and chocolate-y. The entire loaf was finished in just one sitting!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Use a 9x5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.  Leave an inch on each side of the pan to use as handles to lift the loaf out after it is finished cooking.

In a medium bowl whisk together:
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/3 cup pure cocoa
2 tablespoons flax meal
2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill High Fiber cereal (or just more flax meal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (you can use 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla instead, but in the liquids)

In another medium bowl whisk together:
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used oat)
1 tsp  apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup organic sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 ripe bananas mashed very well

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Add 2 tablespoons of warm water.
2/3 cup white chocolate chips (chocolate chips are fine too!)
Fold until just combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then lift it out by the parchment paper handles onto a wire rack.  Eat it or cool it!  Yum either way!

Raw Blackberry Pie

I love the heat.
I love summertime, I love the desert and my favorite thing to do, is a hot yoga class in a 105 degree room.

The other morning though, I was really melting during one of my beloved yoga classes and I started dreaming of these cold little guys.
They are raw blackberry sorbet pies.  Aren't they cute?
Here is an all natural, raw treat that really cools you down.  Perfect for summer, because you don't ever even have to turn on the oven They are made in a high powered blender, and then frozen to set.  Then they get defrosted in the refrigerator so they are still served very cool and a little bit soft.

My husband likes to eat them straight out of the freezer for dessert.  Me...I pop one in the fridge before my yoga class, and then run home to dig right in! They make a really terrific breakfast.

Raw Blackberry Pie

I make these in a cupcake tin.  You can also use an 8 inch round pie pan or a spring form pan and then cut them into pie slices.

For the crust:

Soak  2 cups raw cashews in a bowl of water that covers them for 1-3 hours.

Drain and blend in a high power mixer with:  (I love my vita-mix!)

1 cup of pitted medjool dates

1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

Blend together until the mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of organic raw coconut into the bottom of the cupcake tin

Press 1-2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into the bottom of the cupcake tin pressing firmly and evenly.

Place the tin in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For the filling:

Blend in a high powered mixer until smooth and creamy:

3 cups of organic blackberries

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup pure coconut oil melted

Pinch of sea salt

Pour the Blackberry filling onto the prepared crust.  Tap the tin on the counter a few times to get out the air bubbles.  Garnish with some fresh berries and then place it back in the freezer to set completely and freeze.  

Move them to the fridge about an hour before planning to serve to defrost, otherwise, keep it covered in the freezer where it will stay fresh for up to a month.

Enjoy~

Raw "Cheese"cake

Alright...so it's not exactly baking.
And really, my passion is vegan baking... you know with heat... in an oven.
But this raw treat is so delicious, natural, beautiful and healthy....I had to put it on my baking blog.

This is an early foray for me into raw desserts.  My sister in law eats a raw diet and is always touting its health benefits.  She tells me how it makes her feel so great, and with my own eyes, I have seen how beautiful it makes her look.
The power of natural food.  Sign me up.

A very close friend of mine who is health conscious, but neither vegan or raw, is obsessed with a raw cheesecake that she buys at our local health food store.
She loves it so much, she has been known to eat a slice for dinner.

She has asked me several times to recreate it, and with her in mind, here is the first of many raw desserts to come. 
For those who are not familiar with raw eating, it is simply, as the name implies, food in their natural state, uncooked.  Cheesecake is a tongue in cheek name, because of course there is no cheese.  It is a rich, cool cream that is made "cheesy" by blending raw nuts with a few other ingredients. Please note though, that the nuts need to soak for 1 to 4 hours, so plan ahead for this.  Otherwise, the dessert assembles in no time, and then just needs some freezer time to set.
Make some and your friends will be wildly impressed.   I promise, it is amazing!
Raw is a wonderful thing.

Raw "Cheese"cake

I chose to make these in individual cupcake tins to form "mini" cakes.  It is also perfect to use a pie tin or a 9 inch spring form pan.  Your choice.

Sprinkle a little bit of unsweetened shredded coconut into the bottom of whichever pan you choose to use.  It adds another delicious flavor but also stops the crust from sticking to the bottom.

For the crust:

In a food processor or high speed blender combine:

2 cups raw almonds

3/4 cup pitted dates (I like medjool)

1 teaspoon agave 

Blend together until a thick paste like consistency forms and the nuts are ground.

Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of your pan and place in the freezer while you assemble the filling.

The filling:
In a food processor or high speed blender combine:
3 cups of raw cashews soaked for 1-4 hours and then drained
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of water
1/2 - 3/4 cup agave
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon organic vanilla

Process the ingredients until smooth, creamy and fluffy.
Pour the ingredients over the prepared crust and give the pan a few gentle taps to get the air bubbles out.  Place the cake in the freezer and allow to set.
When you are ready to serve it, plate it and then move it to the refrigerator and allow it to defrost. Garnish with some fresh berries of your choice.  
Serve... and let the praise wash over you.  Yum!



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Classic Vanilla Cupcakes

This guy turned One last week.  In his first year of life, he hasn't delved too far into the world of baked goods yet.  He is a little more of the breast milk, mashed banana set.

When his mother, my good friend, accepted my offer to bake for his big day, it was a real honor.  I am so pleased that I got to be a part of this baby's first birthday. What a big moment in his history.  There it is, always and forever after...his first birthday was celebrated with VEGAN cupcakes.  What could be better than that?  

This recipe is a slightly adapted version from fabulous vegan bakers Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.  They make the most awesome stuff!  Thanks to them for all my vegan inspiration.

Classic Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Makes 12 cupcakes

In a medium bowl, sift together:

1 1/4 cup organic all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons organic cornstarch

Combine in a measuring cup and set aside for 5 minutes:

1 cup organic rice  or soy milk

1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

1/4 cup organic canola oil

1 cup organic sugar

2 1/4 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

Pour the milk mixture into the oil mixture and whisk together to combine.

Then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, adding in flour by two batches with a spatula.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.  The cupcakes will feel springy on top and toothpick inserted will come out clean when they are done.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.  After 5 minutes, remove the cupcakes to cool completley on the rack.

They must really, truly be cool to eat and or frost.

Otherwise you will end up with just a big, fat, crumbly mess.  

When cool, frost with your favorite vegan frosting.  We especially love vanilla cupcakes with a chocolate frosting.  Store cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

 Chocolate vegan Buttercream Recipe:

Cream together with an electric mixer for about 1 minute:
1/2 cup room temperature Earth Balance natural buttery spread
1/2 cup raw cacao (or baking cocoa) sifted
2 1/2 cups organic confectioner sugar sifted
Then add and whip on high for 3 minutes:
1 tablespoon rice milk
1 tablespoon so delicious coconut creamer
+ 1 tablespoon of either if needed
Note:  Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.  Refrigerate any left overs in an airtight container.  It will keep for 2 weeks.  Blend again before using from fridge.

Chocolate Mini Cake

Recently in a baking store, I spotted a whoopie pie baking pan.  I was in love.
I had made whoopie pies before (see my very delicious sweet potato whoopie pie recipe), and had always used a regular old baking sheet.

But this pan looked magical.  I was envisioning perfect chocolate whoopie pies with pink filling for Valentine's Day.
I thought they would be so romantic, all cute and round and pink.  I thought my kids would find them irresistible, and my husband would be wowed by my vegan baking prowess.

But really, this turned out to be well...just mini cakes.
Guess what? I found nothing wrong with that delicious idea!

This  little cake is so soft, so moist, and with the most wonderful deep chocolate flavor.  I kept to my idea of the rice marshmallow filling inside, pink, of course.  They are the perfect little Valentine's day match!

My kids gobbled them up, my husband sang my praises....and I renamed this creation the Chocolate Mini.

I really don't know how that whoopie pie got its name anyway....it's not even a pie.
I am though, still in love with the pan....

Chocolate Mini Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a whoopie pan pie with non-dairy cooking spray.

This recipe makes 12 layers or 6 minis.  Double the recipe for 12 minis total.

With a hand or stand mixer beat until smooth and fluffy:

1/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread non-soy

1/2 cup packed organic light brown sugar

1 teaspoon best quality vanilla

In a measuring cup mix:

1/2 cup organic rice milk

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Let sit for 5-10 minutes to create buttermilk

In a separate medium bowl whisk together:

1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 raw organic cacoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir to combine.  

Then mix in the buttermilk, again stirring until combined.

Add the other half of the flour mixture and

1 1/2 tablespoons of hot water

Stir until all ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth.

Pour batter into prepared whoopie pie pan, filling evenly about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.  The minis will spring back when touched.

Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack.  Allow the cakes to cool and then run a knife around the edge of the cakes to release them.

In the meantime, make your filling.

With an electric mixer beat until creamy:

3 tablespoons Earth Balance

Then add and continue to beat until smooth:

3/4 cup organic confectioners sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup of Suzanne's Ricemallow Creme (found in health food stores, or check my link to the right of this blog to order online)

1 teaspoon best quality vanilla

Natural food coloring - I  used just two drops of India Tree

When the minis are completely cool use a knife or spoon to spread the filling on one underside of a cake.  Then take another mini and put that one underside down on top of the filling.

Grab a cute plate and a fork....Enjoy!

Note:

The filling can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.  These are best made right before they are served.  Wrap any left over minis individually and store them in the fridge for up to three days.  

Chocolate=Love Vegan Cake (gluten free)

When I served this to my daughters and my nephews tonight after dinner, I cut everyone a pretty generous slice.  They love this cake, and they love chocolate.

When I got around the table to serve the fourth kid their piece of cake, I looked over at my 6 year old, whose plate was empty.  

I said "Oops, did yours drop on the floor?"

But one more quick look at the plate with a couple of crumbs on it made me laugh. 

She had literally finished the whole piece in 30 seconds.

This cake will do that to you.  

It is seriously moist, and seriously good and very seriously chocolate.  

It is all about love.

Chocolate=Love Vegan Cake (gluten free)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly spray a 9inch round cake pan with non-dairy spray.

In a medium saucepan bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly:

1/4 raw cacoa

1/2 earth balance natural buttery spread (this is a healthy non-dairy, heart healthy product)

1/2 cup water

In another medium bowl mix together:

1 cup organic evaporated cane juice

1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture, combine gently and then add:

1 tablespoons warm water

1/4 cup rice milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon best quality vanilla 

Stir until the batter is smooth, then pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until the cake doesn't jiggle in the pan,and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare glaze because you pour the glaze on the cake when it comes out hot.

Glaze:

1/4 cup earth balance buttery spread

3 tablespoons of rice milk

2 tablespoons of cacoa

1/2 teapoon best quality vanilla

1 cup organic confectioners sugar

In a medium saucepan combine the earth balance, rice milk and cacoa, bringing to a boil over medium heat and stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and sugar mixing until smooth.

When the cake comes out of the oven, put the pan on a wire rack, pour and then smooth the glaze on the warm cake.  Let it rest and cool for about 10-20 minutes.Cut into "pie" slices and serve.  Refrigerate, if there are any, leftovers.  Super awesome cold out of the fridge the next day too!