Orange Olive Oil Muffins

orange olive oil muffins

Dates are an interesting ingredient that I’ve only come to appreciate later in life. I used to think that they were too sweet, but they taste wonderful when understood and used properly in a recipe.

The first thing I learned was that the varieties can be used interchangeably, with the two most common being Medjool and Deglet Noor. I had purchased Medjool in the past, but opted to try Deglet Noor as there are subtle differences between them. The Deglet Noor seemed lighter tasting with a honey quality, and less densely sweet, so I enjoyed the flavor. Another difference was their stickiness, so I made sure to blend them thoroughly before adding to a batter to avoid clumping.

An interesting thing I also discovered was that they weigh quite a bit less when they are older and drier. I would see in a recipe that one should soak dates if they are drier, so I measured out the weight of the dates and put them to soak in water. Surprisingly, they weighed about 10% more once fully soaked. So if you need to soak your dates for this recipe, then you should weigh them after and remove any if needed. And, feel free to use your favorite variety.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Orange Olive Oil Muffins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Dates, High Altitude, Muffin, Recipe

Servings: 18 muffins

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

2 12-cup muffin tins

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons soymilk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¼ cups 200 grams pitted dates (soaked in water if too dry, then drained)
½ cup olive oil
⅔ cup maple syrup
⅔ cup dairy-free yogurt
2 tablespoons date-soaking water or extra soymilk
2 teaspoons grated orange zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Use paper liners to line 18 cups of two 12-cup muffin pans.
Put the 1 cup + 2 tablespoons soymilk in a glass measuring cup and add the vinegar. Whisk to combine, then set aside at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to curdle.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a high-speed blender, add the drained dates, oil, maple syrup, yogurt, soaking water, and curdled milk. Blend until the dates are pulverized. (This will take several minutes). Add the orange zest and blend for 5 seconds to mix it in. Pour the liquid into a large bowl.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until just combined. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and stir again. Distribute the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, filling the cups two-thirds full.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the muffin tins halfway through baking. (You may need to do this one muffin tin at a time for even baking.) The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Set the tins on wire racks for 5 minutes to allow the muffins to cool, then remove the muffins and place them on wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.

Notes

Adapted from Moist Date Cake by addictedtodates

No Bake Key Lime Pie Parfaits

Jun28

No Bake Key Lime Pie Parfaits

It’s hot all over right now. Definitely too hot to turn on the oven. And it’s hard to concentrate on creating dessert, but a yummy treat does make me feel better. The answer to the dilemma is a no-bake sweet.

When I was a kid I would make a key lime pie whose recipe was on the package of a pre-baked pie shell. It was so simple to make, providing quick gratification without working up a sweat. It seemed perfect, so I dug up the recipe.

After I found vegan versions of the ingredients I had a revelation. The pie could be deconstructed for a fun, somewhat elegant, and still easy dessert. I mixed the base, layered the ingredients in a glass, and the Key Lime Pie Parfait was born.

key lime pie parfait ingredients

Until next time, happy non-baking!

Print Recipe

No Bake Key Lime Pie Parfaits

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Key Lime, No Bake, Pie, Summer, Sweetened condensed milk, Whipped Topping

Servings: 6

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Ingredients

1 can vegan sweetened condensed milk
5 ounces frozen limeade concentrate from a can thawed slightly (see note)
1 container vegan whipped topping thawed per package directions
cookies for layering such as graham crackers, chocolate or vanilla wafers, or Biscoff

Instructions

Place the sweetened condensed milk and limeade concentrate in a large bowl and mix well. Using a spatula, fold in the whipped topping until combined. Refrigerate for one hour to allow filling to firm up.
Put as many cookies as desired in a plastic bag and gently bash with a large spoon until crumbs of various sizes remain. Place a spoonful of crumbs in the bottom of a parfait glass. Cover the crumbs with two spoonfuls of key lime filling. Repeat the layers, then finish with a sprinkle of topping. Repeat the process in fresh glasses until no filling remains. Serve immediately.

Notes

Note: You will not use an entire container. Make some refreshing limeade with the rest.

You Choose Layered Bar Cookie

May24

you choose layered bar cookie

Warmer weather means more social gatherings, and social gatherings mean you may be called upon to bring food for a small crowd. An easy to prepare and even easier to serve treat is a bar cookie. You load ingredients in a layer, then bake them in the pan you will be serving them in. Easy. Besides, these layered cookies will be a hit, making you a baking hero.

The concept of these bars is to choose a flavor combination that suits your mood, what’s in your pantry, and any dietary needs you follow. If the proportions remain the same, then this treat is basically foolproof. The combo for my bars was a riff on chocolate covered cherries, with crunchy pistachios to top them off. And, yes, I was a hero.

Until next time, happy baking!

Note: See Holiday Layered Magic Bars for Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe.

Print Recipe

You Choose Layered Bar Cookie

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Bar Cookies, Chocolate, Cookie Crumb, dried fruit, Nuts, Recipe, Sweetened condensed milk

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

9 x 13-inch pan

Ingredients

½ cup non-dairy butter melted
1 (11 to 12-ounce) can non-dairy sweetened condensed milk, or make your own (see note)
2 cups cookie crumbs such as graham cracker, vanilla wafer, or chocolate wafer
2 cups baking chips such as chocolate chips or peanut butter chips OR no-nut M&Ms
1 ½ cups dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, or cherries, chopped into small pieces if needed
1 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, or peanuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with greased foil or parchment paper.
Stir together the melted butter and cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Spread this into the prepared baking pan then press it down with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle the chips or M&Ms over the cookie base. Sprinkle the dried fruit over top.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over everything. Sprinkle the nuts over top. (I do this last to keep the nuts crunchy.)
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until you see liquid bubbling at the edges. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool the bars thoroughly. Cut when cool, although these are even better hours later when they have fully firmed up.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

See Holiday Layered Magic Bars for Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Apr26

There are times when I’m willing to make something that has 20 intricate steps and fills the sink with dirty dishes. This was not one of those times. For a simple baked good, peanut butter cookies come to the rescue!

For an easy and tasty treat I did some searching. I was scouring recipes that were vegan and some that had very few ingredients, when I realized that my needs fell somewhere in between. With a blending of ideas I created these yummy and undemanding cookies.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Cookies, High Altitude, Peanut Butter, Recipe

Servings: 22 cookies

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup firmly packed organic light brown sugar
½ cup organic granulated sugar
3 ounces almond milk at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Place the peanut butter and both sugars in a large bowl. Mix until creamy. Stir in the milk and vanilla.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine. The dough is stiff, so use a sturdy spoon or your hands to mix it up. (Sadly, I broke my spoon stirring the dough and ended up using my hands).
Scoop walnut-sized balls of dough onto the prepared sheet pans, spacing the cookies 2-inches apart. Use the back of a fork to press a crosshatch pattern onto the tops of the cookies. If you find the fork sticking to the cookies, then dip it into granulated sugar before pressing it into a cookie. You can also sprinkle extra sugar on top of each cookie before baking.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the top and edges are just set. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Makes 20-24 cookies.

Chocolatey Raspberry Muffins

Mar29

chocolatey raspberry muffins

Spring is officially here! It’s my favorite time of year as I watch the blossoms push their way through the ground. There aren’t many flowers yet where I live, except for the occasional tulip or daffodil. But I can dream.

Dreaming of flowers inspired today’s basket of blooms. Okay, they are chocolate muffins in flower paper liners but again, I can dream. If you are dreaming of chocolate accented with a burst of raspberries and the occasional melted chocolate chip, then this recipe will make you smile.

If you only have unsweetened yogurt and milk, as I did, you will need to add extra sugar. I did not and they were definitely not sweet. Muffins aren’t as sweet as other treats, but my first round of muffins needed help. It made me realize that yogurt and milk have plenty of added sweetness, and I forgot to compensate for that in my batter. So, I drizzled chocolate syrup over them which was a pretty decent save.

When I revisited the recipe I made sure my yogurt and milk were sweetened and even vanilla flavored. That was a better save.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Chocolatey Raspberry Muffins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Chocolate, High Altitude, Muffin, Raspberry, Spring

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

2 (12-cup) muffin pans

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups organic granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup vanilla non-dairy yogurt
5 ounces vanilla dairy-free milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup vegan chocolate chips or a few more if you want
1 ½ to 2 cups about 230 grams frozen raspberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Line 22 cups of a two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Whisk together the sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just evenly mixed. Gently fold in the raspberries. The batter will be somewhat thick. Divide the batter among the lined muffin cups filling the cups two-thirds full.
Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, rotating the muffin tins halfway through baking. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. (Be sure to avoid chocolate chips and raspberries.) Set the muffin tins on wire racks to allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Dark Chocolate After-Dinner Truffles

Feb8

dark chocolate after-dinner truffles

February is National Heart Health Month. It is a time to celebrate everything to do with the heart, including emotional and physical aspects. Fortunately, you can honor it all with dark chocolate truffles.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, while enhancing mood by reducing negative emotions. And with Valentine’s Day sharing this month, a gift of dark chocolate spells L.O.V.E. which definitely boosts positive feelings. It also makes your tummy happy because everyone loves chocolate. (Admittedly not all people consume chocolate, but I don’t trust those people).

This brings me to today’s post on truffles. Finding recipes for truffles is not that difficult, and making them vegan is easy with the current plethora of vegan dairy available (hello plant-based cream). What is most important, however, is the method for making the truffles.

While studying Essential Vegan Desserts with Rouxbe I learned a fantastic way to combine the ingredients. It helps to ensure the most smooth and luscious chocolate base. Using this method I made one batch with olive oil, a trick I saw on an olive oil website, and one simpler batch with just the addition of flavored extract.

The two recipes are below: Mocha Truffles and Peppermint Truffles. They are similar, but I made them separately to keep the chocolate to liquid ratios correct. I also used a darker chocolate for the mocha version to complement the bitterness of the coffee.

They are perfect for a treat after dinner. The question is do you prefer an espresso after dining, like my hubby, or are you team peppermint, like me?

Helpful hint: The maple syrup in the mocha truffles should be at room temperature. Mine was too cold causing my truffle mixture to seize and become grainy. The picture below shows the glossy peppermint truffle mixture on the left, which is how it should look. The mocha mixture on the right is lighter and not shiny, and it was more difficult to work with.

bowls of truffle chocolate

Until next time, happy non-baking!

Print Recipe

Dark Chocolate After-Dinner Truffles

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Chocolate, Gluten Free, Mocha, Peppermint, Recipe, Truffle, Valentine Day

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Ingredients

for the Mocha Truffles

5 ounces quality bittersweet chocolate not chocolate chips
½ cup dairy-free cream
pinch salt
¾ teaspoon espresso granules
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
decorative sugars for coating

for the Peppermint Truffles

4 ounces quality semisweet chocolate not chocolate chips
⅓ cup dairy-free cream
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
crushed peppermint candies for coating

Instructions

for the Mocha Truffles

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Pour the dairy-free cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt and bring to a low boil. Quickly stir in the espresso granules then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately pour the flavored milk over the chopped chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is completely submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Remove the plate and whisk the chocolate into the milk from the center out, whisking only until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and whisk gently to combine.
Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for one hour until it gets to a solid but workable consistency. Place the decorative sugars in shallow bowls.
Scoop the mixture into balls the size of two teaspoons. Further shape the balls by quickly rolling them in your hands. Roll them in the sugars to coat.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

for the Peppermint Truffles

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Pour the dairy-free cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately pour the milk over the chopped chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is completely submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Remove the plate and whisk the chocolate into the milk from the center out, whisking only until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the vanilla and whisk gently to combine.
Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for one hour until it gets to a solid but workable consistency. Place the crushed candies in a shallow bowl.
Scoop the mixture into balls the size of two teaspoons. Further shape the balls by quickly rolling them in your hands. Roll them in the crushed candies to coat.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Vanilla Spice Cake with Maple Glaze

Jan18

vanilla spice cake with maple glaze

After the sweets explosion that is the holidays, I abstained from goodies for some time. Okay, it was only a week but it felt like forever. Once sugar was allowed back into my life, I still didn’t want anything over-the-top. A vanilla cake seemed like the perfect solution.

The cake was baked in a Bundt pan because it is a high-altitude baker’s best friend (no sunken middle!). However, Bundt pans do require extra preparation. Be sure to get into the nooks and crannies or your cake may stick. See the photo for a (mostly) well-prepared pan. I did miss a few tiny spots, but the cake came out of the pan just fine.

greased and floured Bundt pan

To make the cake fitting for this chilly time of year, I chose warming spices that are reminiscent of a cup of hot chai tea. Instructions for a maple glaze is included. You can leave the glaze out if your sweet tooth isn’t ready yet, but it’s a nice addition for a bit of decadence.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Vanilla Spice Cake with Maple Glaze

After the sweets explosion that is the holidays, I abstained from goodies for some time. Okay, it was only a week but it felt like forever. Once sugar was allowed back into my life, I still didn’t want anything over-the-top. A vanilla cake seemed like the perfect solution.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Cake, Chai Spice, Cinnamon, High Altitude, Recipe

Servings: 8 servings

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

6-cup Bundt pan

Ingredients

shortening to prepare cake pan
all purpose flour to prepare cake pan

for the cake

½ cup + 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk see note
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup organic granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup vanilla non-dairy yogurt
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

for the maple glaze

¾ cup powdered sugar
2 ½ tablespoons non-dairy milk plus extra if needed
¼ teaspoon maple extract
pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan, making sure to get into every crevice. Set aside.
To make the cake, put the ½ cup + 4 tablespoons milk in a glass measuring cup and add the vinegar. Whisk to combine, then set aside at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to curdle.
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves into a large bowl.
Whisk together the curdled milk, yogurt, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients then stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Hit the pan lightly on the counter to level the batter and remove air bubbles.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes away dry. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack, then gently loosen the cake center and edges from the pan using a small spatula. Invert the pan onto a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 minutes.
To unmold, pick up the rack with the pan on top and lightly tap both on the counter to loosen the cake. Remove the pan from atop the cake and place the cake on the rack to allow the cake to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the maple glaze by sifting the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in the 2 ½ tablespoons milk, maple extract, and pinch of salt. Keep stirring until no dry sugar remains. If some dry sugar remains, then add a little more milk and stir until incorporated. The glaze should be smooth and glossy but not so thick that it won’t pour.
Once the cake is fully cooled, pour the glaze over the cake.

Notes

Of all non-dairy milks, soymilk curdles the best. You can use other milks, but they won’t appear lumpy.

Strawberry Tea Bread

Dec30

Strawberry Tea Bread

Just in time for Sunday brunch – I needed bread that would go great alongside eggs and mimosas. Strawberries are available everywhere so they were my first choice to flavor a bread. A short search of my files revealed a recipe for a vegan quick bread that incorporated these lovely berries.

For altitude I reduced sugar and baking soda. I added milk, although there was none, to help with dryness at altitude.To make it a little healthier, I took out some regular flour and put in whole wheat. The last change was substituting ginger for cinnamon, but that was merely to please my own taste buds. Add vegan cream cheese and fresh strawberries to a slice, and you’re set.

Strawberry Tea Bread adapted from Strawberry Quick Bread
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cups canola oil
1 TBS arrowroot powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TBS unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 1/2 cups mashed strawberries with their juice
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp powdered ginger
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 3 cavities of a mini loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix sugar and oil. In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and applesauce, then add to large bowl and stir. Stir milk and strawberries with juice into sugar mixture. Add baking soda, baking powder, and lemon juice, and whisk to combine evenly, without lumps. Stir in vanilla and ginger. One cup at a time, add flours and stir to incorporate into a smooth batter.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 30-33 minutes until tops turns golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and run a knife around the edges of each loaf. Allow loaves to cool for at least 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a wire rack.

Until next time, happy baking!

Lavender Earl Grey Tea Bread

Dec30

It’s January so the celebration for National Hot Tea Month is in full swing. Although, if you ask me, we should have a hot tea season that would span several months. I love drinking hot tea, especially when it keeps me warm.

What goes well with a cup of hot tea? Tea bread, of course. And the perfect tea bread contains an infusion of tea to permeate the baked good.

To come up with a complementary treat for my cuppa, I found a recipe for a tea cake with Earl Grey tea in it. The classic Earl Grey is black tea flavored with orange-scented bergamot. A new twist has the addition of lavender buds which rounds out the tea nicely, so I knew I wanted to include the floral profile.

I first altered the recipe by including the lavender flowers. Next, I changed it from gluten free to using all purpose flour because that’s what I had on hand. Feel free to use a gluten free flour blend instead.

Then I reduced the recipe so it would make four small loaves that would bake better at high altitude. For altitude I also switched it up to include a combination of baking soda and baking powder. There was no need for vegan changes because the recipe was already vegan.

The resulting mini breads were moist and extremely flavorful, reminiscent of honey cakes. With a hint of lavender when warmed and depth from the maple syrup, they are fantastic alongside a robust tea as well as an herbal blend. I froze a few loaves so I can savor them this month, and also enjoy them on a future tea drinking day.

Lavender Earl Grey Tea Bread adapted from Earl Grey Tea Cake

1.5 cups boiling water
3.5 teaspoons Earl Grey loose leaf tea
1/2 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers
1/3 cup dried currants
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Grease the sections of a mini bread tin (mine makes four breads measuring 5 x 2.5” each) and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the water, Earl Grey tea, and lavender in a heat-proof container. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the leaves. Add 1/2 cup of tea back to the container, saving the other 1 cup of tea for later. Place dried currants in the 1/2 cup of tea, cover, and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the oil and maple syrup to a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the vanilla and 1 cup of tea to the oil-syrup mixture. Whisk until combined, then stir in the tea with the currants.

Add the liquid mixture to the ingredients in the dry bowl and stir until combined and no longer lumpy. Distribute the batter evenly into the sections of the tin. Bake for 34-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a bread comes away clean or with a few small crumbs.

Let the breads fully cool in the tin placed on a wire rack. Run a knife along the outside edges of each bread to loosen, then tip the loaves out.

Until next time, happy baking!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake Pan Cake

Dec30

The very ripe bananas on my counter were calling my name. Although I do love my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, I wanted something more decadent and more banana-y. A banana cake seemed appropriate. With plenty of mashed bananas in an easy cake pan form, the recipe I found sounded perfect. I just had to make it vegan and high altitude friendly.

To veganize it, I used whipped aquafaba instead of eggs. I also traded butter with Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread. (Note: I did not use the sticks because I wanted the lighter texture of the spread.) To help counter the affects at altitude I added more liquid and flour. However, vegan banana baked goods can be heavy so I added apple cider vinegar and a smidgen of baking powder to boost the lift.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake Pan Cake adapted from Banana–Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup aquafaba, cold (the liquid from canned chickpeas)
2 cups + 1 TBS all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
scant 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegan buttery spread (see note above)
1 cup + 3 TBS vegan sugar
1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 bananas, very ripe)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8 x 8” baking pan. Stir apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and set aside. Add aquafaba to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk for 5 minutes. Place whipped aquafaba in a separate bowl, and replace the whisk attachment on the stand mixer with the paddle.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat the buttery spread on medium-high speed for a minute. Add the sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Fold in whipped aquafaba. Add bananas and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Stir in half of the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Transfer the batter to prepared pan and smooth top with the spatula. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips evenly over top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack. The cooled cake can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Until next time, happy baking!