Lemon Tea Bread with Blueberries

lemon tea bread with blueberries

lemon tea bread with blueberries

The inspiration for this post was simple. My hubby told me he really liked lemon blueberry bread. After dashing to the store for fresh lemons and some berries, I searched for a tasty lemon bread recipe.

My hunt revealed many lemon cakes and breads, but the most interesting thing I found was on King Arthur’s baking website. Instead of a glaze, they infused a lemon bread with sweetened lemon juice. It sounded sublime.

I took a lemon cake and veganized it by using vegetable oil in place of butter, and aquafaba in place of eggs. To make it more like a tea bread than a cake, all purpose flour was used instead of cake flour. For adaptation at high altitude, I added extra liquid.

The result surprised me. I’m generally not a huge fan of lemon-flavored desserts, especially when they are doused in a very sweet glaze. But the lemony boost inside of this bread allowed the contrasting sweetness to mingle in the cake while offering a distinct lemon taste.

We gobbled the tea bread up quickly, which is good because the extra moisture shortens the shelf life of this treat. It is actually best eaten right after it is baked, so it may be a good time to invite friends over.

Until next time, happy baking!

lemon tea bread with blueberries
Print Recipe

Lemon Tea Bread with Berries

The inspiration for this post was simple. My hubby told me he really liked lemon blueberry bread. I dashed to the store for fresh lemons and some berries.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: Aquafaba, Baking, High Altitude, Lemon, Quick Bread
Servings: 9 people
Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

  • 1 Loaf Pan

Ingredients

for the cake

  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt use a thick one, such as Kite Hill almond milk yogurt
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon aquafaba
  • 1 cup mixed berries frozen and not thawed

for the glaze

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup organic granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper and set it aside.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup sugar into a medium bowl.
  • Combine the yogurt, non-dairy milk, vanilla, oil, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a large bowl. Place the aquafaba in a small dish and whisk until frothy. Add it to the other wet ingredients and whisk together.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined. Add the berries and fold them gently into the batter.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. (If you hit a berry, then try again in another spot).
  • While the bread is baking, make the glaze by adding the glaze ingredients to a bowl and whisking until the sugar dissolves.
  • When the bread is done baking, remove it from the oven and poke holes into it with a toothpick. While the bread is hot, pour the glaze over the top and let it sink into the holes.
  • Place the glazed bread on a cooling rack and let it cool for 15 minutes. When the bread is somewhat cool, pull the bread out of the pan by the parchment paper and return it to the rack to cool completely.

Notes

Notes: If your berry pieces are not the same size, chop them to the size of blueberries and place them back in the freezer until ready to add to the batter. Unthawed berries are less likely to change the color of the batter.
This tea bread is best eaten the day it is baked.
Inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction and King Arthur Baking Company.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Pudding

chocolate cupcakes filled with strawberry pudding

chocolate cupcakes filled with strawberry pudding

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The time of love and chocolate, and sometimes strawberries. To honor this holiday, I like to combine chocolate and strawberries (with love) in a decadent dessert.

There are several vegan chocolate cupcake recipes in my repertoire, so I pulled one up and searched for a strawberry aspect. Simply Delish Instant Strawberry Pudding is quick and vegan, so I knew it would make the perfect match for my chocolate cupcakes.

To give the cupcakes extra love, they were decorated with hearts. I used decorative sugar crystals by Color Garden, rainbow softies sprinkles by Supernatural, and some red sparkly stuff without a label that I found with my decorating supplies. Yeah, it got crazy in the kitchen.

Until next time, happy baking!

chocolate cupcakes filled with strawberry pudding
Print Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Pudding

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The time of love and chocolate, and sometimes strawberries. To honor this holiday, I like to combine chocolate and strawberries (with love) in a decadent dessert.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: Baking, Chocolate, Cupcake, High Altitude, Valentines Day
Servings: 6
Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer
  • 1 Pastry Bag
  • 1 Muffin Tin

Ingredients

for the cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup soy milk
  • 1.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3/8 cup natural cocoa powder not Dutch process
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons aquafaba
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup vegan granulated sugar

for the filling

  • 1 box instant strawberry pudding (I used Simply Delish)
  • 1.25 cups plant-based creamer

for the frosting

  • 6 tablespoons cold vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons vegan shortening
  • 3 cups vegan powdered sugar sifted
  • 3 teaspoons non-dairy milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cups and set aside. Place soy milk in a jar and add the apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and shake gently to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes to curdle.
  • Put cocoa powder in a large heatproof bowl. Add boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in curdled milk, oil, aquafaba, and 3/4 tsp vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl, sift flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
  • Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until they are half full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make the filling. Empty the packet of pudding into a mixing bowl with the creamer. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat on slow for 3-5 minutes until light and creamy. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with the tip cut off. (No pastry tip needed). Set aside.
  • Next, make the frosting. Place the vegan butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the non-dairy milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla, until it is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  • When the cupcakes have cooled, use a small knife or a cupcake corer to make a small well in the center of each cupcake. (Remove the cupcake bits to snack on). Using the pastry bag with the pudding filling, pipe the filling into the well to be level with the top of each cupcake.
  • Spoon a dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake, thus covering the filling. Smooth the frosting with a regular or offset spatula. Decorate as desired with whatever you have on hand.
  • Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Notes

You will have leftover pudding and frosting. This is not a bad thing. They are great sandwiched between two cookies.

5 No-Bake Vegan Recipes to Keep You Going Strong in Veganuary

We are almost at the end of Veganuary. If you made the commitment to be plant-based this month, then Congratulations! I know that jumping right in to being vegan can be a difficult task, so to keep you on track I compiled my favorite easy no-baking-required recipes. And since desserts are kinda my thing, the recipes are all for sweet treats. Oh, and there’s lots of chocolate involved.

  1. Easy Chocolate Pudding Parfait

It is fun to reimagine recipes I’ve made in the past. Often this is spurred on by scrounging around in my cupboard and discovering an ingredient that needs to be used up. In this case it was an aseptic box of tofu that was hovering near to its expiration date.

2. Chocolate Tahini Bars

Bar cookies are often rustic looking and are best to grab for a quick dessert. But these bars are different. They are elegant, delicious, and decadent, making them a perfect party treat. They also have no refined sweeteners so they are a healthier option. But if you don’t tell your guests, I won’t.

3. Vegan Espresso Date Shake

With a scorcher of a weekend imminent, it’s time to turn off the oven (no baking??) and bring out the blender. Thoughts of blended beverages has my imagination conjuring up frosty glasses filled with cool drinks. But then, an old memory surfaces.

4. Chai Spiced Milk and DIY Plant-Milk Tips

I’m still celebrating World Plant-Milk Day (or Week, as the case may be). If you’re new to the event, and wondering what I’m talking about, then catch my post from earlier this week. If you’re ready for some advice on making your own plant milk, then read on.

5. Chocolate Crispy Rice Treat Cake

Argh! It’s still too darned hot to turn on the oven. But I won’t let that stop me from enjoying an indulgent treat. Rice crispy treats are a good one to turn to when the weather is a scorcher.

Until next time, happy non-baking!

Vegan Chick’n Pot Pie, gluten free option

vegan chick'n pot pie
vegan chick’n pot pie

We’ve made it halfway through January, the time when our new year resolve falters. To those who have accepted the Veganuary challenge, you could be looking for more inspiration right about now. Eating vegan may have sounded fun, but now your hungry for more. And by hungry, I mean you want something to eat now that is easy to make and offers some warm comfort in this cold month.

So, I am straying from my usual dessert fare into the realm of main dishes. Pot pies are often considered the ultimate comfort food, and making them vegan is quite simple. With a ready-made crust, the hardest part of this dish is waiting for it to bake in the oven. (I suppose chopping up lots of vegetables is also difficult for some people; maybe you can get a friend to help.)

You can choose a gluten free crust, if desired. If you get the frozen ones by Wholly Gluten Free, as I did, they come in pairs. This leaves you with a second crust which is perfect for making my Apple Blueberry Streusel Pie for dessert.

Vegan Chick’n Pot Pie inspired by Vegan Pot Pie

1 store bought frozen pie shell, gluten free if desired
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes (yellow or red), diced
1.5 cups diced vegetables (see Note), lightly sautéed
1/4 teaspoon mushroom powder
2 teaspoons dried sage, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 – 8 ounces vegan chick’n strips (not a breaded variety), cut into chunks
1/2 cup bread crumbs, gluten free if desired
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Check defrosting/baking instructions for your pie crust.

Add cashews and 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to a high-speed blender. Blend into a thick cream. (If you do not have a high-powered blender, then soak the cashews in the broth for 30 minutes prior to blending). Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the potatoes, vegetables, and 1/4 cup of broth. Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes just begin to soften.

Add the mushroom powder, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and chick’n to the skillet, stirring to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the chick’n begins to soften.

Add the cashew cream and remaining 1.25 cups of broth to the skillet and stir. Let the mixture come to a boil, then simmer on low for five more minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced into a somewhat thick gravy.

Unwrap the pie crust and place it on a baking tray. Use a ladle to scoop the filling mixture into the pie crust. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the filling.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake the pie for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Remove the tray from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Sprinkle the pie with parsley, then let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Note: Choose 3 or 4 vegetables from broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, green peas, kale, yellow squash, and zucchini. All should be finely chopped (except the peas).

Until next time, happy baking!

New Year’s Eve Raspberry Brownie Truffles

raspberry brownie truffles
raspberry brownie truffles

To celebrate the year’s end, a bit of chocolate is nice with champagne. Truffles and bubbly make a great pairing, along with a touch of raspberry. It makes me look forward to popping the cork on a bottle of sparkling wine.

To keep the truffles from causing too much of a sugar rush while sipping champagne, I borrowed the idea of using dates as the sweetener and adding nuts for a protein hit. That may sound too healthy but, trust me, these truffles are also decadent. They are the perfect way to welcome the New Year.

New Year’s Eve Raspberry Brownie Truffles inspired by Raspberry Chocolate Truffles

1 cup raw cashew pieces
pinch fine sea salt
1/2 cup date paste
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 teaspoons non-dairy milk
4 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
raspberry-flavored vegan jello mix (I used Simply Delish raspberry gel dessert)

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the cashews in a food processor and pulse until they have a fine crumb, similar to almond meal.

Add the processed cashews to a large bowl along with the salt, date paste, raspberry jam, and cocoa powder. Stir until a thick dough forms, adding non-dairy milk as needed. Place the dough in the fridge while you melt the chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. When the chocolate has almost fully melted, turn the burner off and stir the chocolate until smooth. If your kitchen is cold, leave the double boiler on the stove to keep the chocolate warm.

Remove the bowl of chocolate dough from the fridge. Scoop out small balls of dough and place them on the parchment lined pan. Place a truffle ball on a fork and dip it into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off then place the coated truffle back on the lined pan. Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle a bit of jello mix overtop the truffle. Repeat until you have no more chocolate balls.

Until next time, happy non-baking and a Happy New Year!

Cranberry Orange Shortbread with Hibiscus Glaze + gluten-free option

cranberry orange shortbread - gluten free option
cranberry orange shortbread with hibiscus glaze

This time of year adds more parties to my calendar, and that means cookies! I love to bring cookies along because they are tasty and easy to snack on while chatting with other guests. And they can be made in quantity without much extra effort.

With several events scheduled this season that included gluten-free attendees, I scoured my files for vegan and gluten-free treats. I discovered a book in my collection with a cookie recipe that fit the bill. To allow for all foodie types to enjoy my offering, I decided to bake a batch gluten-free, as listed in the cookbook, but also one with regular flour. It was a fun and interesting experiment, and it tasted great, too. You can find the gluten-free substitution at the end of the recipe.

To amp up the holiday taste I added orange zest to the dough. I also borrowed a red cookie glaze from a Food Network recipe. The shortbread turned out colorful and festive, and they combined my favorite holiday flavors.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Shortbread with Hibiscus Glaze inspired by Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays and The Food Network

for cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
for glaze
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup (17 grams) dried hibiscus
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease the sides and removable bottom of a 4” x 14” tart pan. If you prefer wedge-shaped cookies, then use a 9” round tart pan. Set aside.

Put the flour, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.

Add the coconut oil and maple syrup to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream until combined. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until it comes together.

Add the walnuts and cranberries and mix on low speed to just incorporate. The dough should be a bit stiff, but if the mixture is too crumbly you can beat in a small amount of water until it just holds together.

Press the dough into the prepared tart pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup.

Bake for 20 – 22 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Place the pan on a heat-safe surface and cut the shortbread into squares or wedges while still warm. Leave the cookies in the tart pan and move the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove them only once they have fully cooled.

While the cookies cool, start the glaze by bringing the water and hibiscus to a boil in a small pot. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain, pressing to remove all liquid, then discard the hibiscus. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and add the warm hibiscus water a bit at a time, mixing as you go, until you reach your desired consistency. Let it sit until fully cooled. (Note: You may not use all of the hibiscus water.)

Dip half of each cooled cookie in the cooled glaze and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Place cookies in the fridge to allow the glaze to set. If you prefer a darker shade of glaze, you can dip the cookies again and place them back in the fridge to set. (Note: you may have leftover glaze depending on how much you apply to your cookies.)

Gluten Free option: use an equal amount of buckwheat flour in place of the all purpose flour. You may need to add extra maple syrup and/or water because buckwheat flour is thirstier with a bolder flavor than all purpose flour.

Note on the photograph: the darker cookies are gluten-free and the lighter dipped cookies are made with all purpose flour.

Until next time, happy baking!

Vegan Breakfast Oat Muffins

vegan breakfast oat muffins
vegan breakfast oat muffins

As the year nears its end, I can spend countless hours in the kitchen. So why am I so hungry all the time? Well, a lot of the baked treats made during the holidays are for gifts or parties. So, in other words, the fruits of my labor are for others to enjoy.

To help allay any future hangries, I stock the fridge with easy to heat-and-eat foods. It helps to avoid eating all of the imperfect cookies while I’m baking. Not that that’s a horrible task, but sometimes I deem the majority of them not perfect enough and there are none left for gifting.

Having a protein-filled snack nearby is the perfect solution. It not only curbs a blood sugar spike caused by testing many sweets, but ensures a meal won’t take a lot of time when time is a precious commodity. I can bake a few dozen cookies, concoct a coffee cake, and prepare a batch of peppermint bark, and still have a chance to throw together an easy meal. Add some slices of spiced apple alongside these Breakfast Oat Muffins and you have a well-rounded lunch.

Vegan Breakfast Oat Muffins veganized from Natural Grocer’s Savory Oat Muffins recipe

1.5 cups almond flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons spices of your choice (I used a mix of granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika, and thyme to equal the 2 teaspoons)
1.5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Just Egg (a vegan liquid egg replacer)
3⁄4 cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
1/2 cup dairy-free cheese style shreds (I used Violife cheddar)
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (see note)
1 roasted red pepper (if from a jar then blot it dry on a towel), finely diced (see note)
4 Beyond Breakfast Sausage links, cooked and crumbled (see note)

Preheat oven to 375F. Thoroughly grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or use a silicon muffin pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, breaking up any clumps. Stir in the oats.

In a medium bowl, add the Just Egg, non-dairy milk and melted vegan butter. Whisk well to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until completely combined. Let sit for 5 minutes so the dry ingredients can absorb some of the moisture. Add the dairy-free cheese, thawed spinach, diced red pepper, and cooked Beyond Sausage. Stir to distribute the ingredients throughout the mixture.

Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. Push the batter in each cup down with the back of a spoon, then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in the oven or toaster oven at 300F for 10 minutes.

breakfast with oat muffins
breakfast with oat muffins

Note: You can customize the add-ins. I used spinach, red pepper, and sausage, You can add drained and chopped olives, diced jalapeños, a different leafy green or diced vegetable that has been squeezed dry. You want the add-ins to total 1 ½ cups.

Until next time, happy baking!

Layered Nutty S’mores Bars

layered nutty s’mores bars

As I was rummaging through my cupboard I saw a few ounces of chocolate bar here, a handful of flavored chips there, and a smattering of nuts. Sitting in the middle was the sweetened condensed oat milk I yearned to experiment with. Add to all of this the fact that Halloween was fast approaching, and an idea formed.

I could take the bits of chips, chocolate, nuts and condensed milk, throw in a few pantry staples, and use them all to create a sweet treat perfect for the holiday. It would be part candy, with a nod to a bar cookie.

The result reminded me of soup. Yes, that sounds odd, but I mean that making a soup with an adaptable recipe can have the outcome of clearing out odds and ends in the fridge. This recipe does that for desserts. Feel free to use any nut or flavored chip or chocolate or sweet cracker.

My layered bar consists of a combination of less sweet ingredients because I didn’t want something that was over the top. If you’re looking for a sweeter indulgence then go right ahead!

Layered Nutty S’mores Bars adapted from Peanut S’mores Magic Bars

6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
14 vegan graham crackers
(1) 11.25-ounce can sweetened condensed oat milk
1.5 cups vegan chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup peanuts or other nuts
8 ounces vegan marshmallows

Preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the center. Line a 9 x 9” broiler-proof baking pan with foil, leaving a 2” overhang on both sides. Butter the bottom and sides of the foil and set aside.

Pulse 11 graham crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor. Put the crumbs in a bowl, add the melted butter, then combine them with your hands (the mixture should hold together when squeezed). Transfer this mixture to your prepared baking pan and press it into the bottom in an even layer.

Pour the sweetened condensed oat milk over the crumbs. Sprinkle the chocolate, peanut butter chips, and peanuts over the condensed milk. Break the remaining 3 crackers into chunks with your hands then sprinkle evenly over top.

Nature's Charm oat milk products
Nature’s Charm oat milk products

Bake until the sides of the bars are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the broiler on. Scatter the marshmallows over the top of bars. Put the pan under the broiler until the marshmallows are dark golden and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, place the pan in the fridge for an hour so the bars can firm up. Using the foil overhang as handles, pull the bars out of the baking pan and remove the foil. Cut into squares while still cold, but serve the bars at room temperature.

Tips:
Use any combination of chocolate or chocolate chips. I used dark chocolate chips and also a chopped up salted 70% chocolate bar.
Because my chocolate bar was salted, I opted for unsalted peanuts.
My marshmallows were full-sized so I cut them into quarters. No need to with minis.

Until next time, Happy Halloween and happy baking!

Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples

applesauce spice cake
applesauce spice cake with spiced apples

Pumpkin Spice season has arrived! Admittedly, I do not like pumpkin spice in my beverages, however unpopular my idea may be. Cinnamon yes, but not the blend. However, the mix of spices is delicious in baked goods.

Apple season has also arrived, and apples and pumpkin spice pair together perfectly. Spiced apples are lovely to cook up, but I wanted something more substantial to make. The idea struck to use applesauce cake as a backdrop for spicy warm apples.

In my search for an applesauce cake, I looked at many recipes for cakes, quick breads, and cupcakes. What I came up with is a vegan mashup of all of them. I hope you enjoy my Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples for dessert, breakfast, or whenever you want a snack. It is best warm because the smells and tastes come alive.

Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples

for the cake
shortening, to grease the baking pan
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup maple or coconut sugar
1.25 teaspoons baking powder
.75 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cups apple juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons canola oil
for the spiced apples
4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two 8-inch round baking pans with shortening, then line them with parchment paper and grease the paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup maple sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, apple juice, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, then whisk to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the spiced apples.

Sauté the apples in a nonstick skillet set on medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 tablespoon oil, 3 tablespoons maple sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the apples are tender, about 5 more minutes.

When the cakes have cooled, tip them out onto serving plates and top with warm spiced apples.

Until next time, happy baking!

Gluten-Free Summer Peach and Blueberry Snack Cake

summer peach and blueberry snack cake
summer peach and blueberry snack cake

It’s that time of year when peaches are peaking. Where I live, fresh juicy peaches are in abundance and demand to be eaten in everything. They complement muffins and pretty layered cakes, but I like them best when added to an easy snack cake. No muss, no fuss.

The cake recipe that crossed my path was already vegan, and gluten-free as well. The first way I changed it was to add peaches instead of apricots, but you could even use plums or cherries here. The next swap was to use aquafaba instead of packaged egg replacer because aquafaba helps maintain the structure that can be lacking in gluten-free baked goods.

For high altitude baking, I reduced the baking powder and baking soda. I also swapped the water for milk, for more flavor, then curdled it with apple cider vinegar for a greater leavening effect that boosts gluten-free flours at altitude.

Gluten-Free Summer Peach and Blueberry Snack Cake adapted from Gluten-Free Blueberry Apricot Cake

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1.5 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
scant 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan butter
3/4 cup organic sugar
2 tablespoons aquafaba, cold (the liquid from canned chickpeas)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 small peach, pitted and sliced

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Stir apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and it set aside to curdle. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegan butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for 2 more minutes. Whisk the aquafaba and add it to the mixer bowl along with the vanilla. Beat until incorporated.

Reduce the mixer’s speed to low and beat in half of the flour mixture then half of the curdled milk. Scrape down the bowl and repeat the sequence with the remainder of the dry and wet mixtures.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the sliced peaches and blueberries on top.

gluten free peach blueberry cake
gluten free peach blueberry cake

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 33 to 38 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before slicing.

The cooled cake can be covered in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Until next time, happy baking!