Chocolate Cherry Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Makes One 9” Cake

Recipe from From My Bowl 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh!!  This cake!!!  It was beautiful and so delicious that everyone had a second piece!!  It looks quite fancy, but it was very easy to make.  You can make it a layer cake by doubling the ingredients.  

My friend, Juliet, the birthday girl,
getting ready to make a wish.

Ingredients:

1¼ cup (133 g) quick-cooking oats, blended into a fine flour*
⅓ cup (27 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 flax “eggs” (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 Tablespoons water)
1 cup unsweetened soy milk*
½ cup (130g) unsalted almond butter
½ cup (75g) coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
(I added 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients as suggested by one of the reviewers.)
For the Cherry Jam:
2 cups of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) (I used frozen.)
2 Tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 Tablespoon filtered water
For Serving:
1 cup coconut whipped cream* (I whipped 1 cup of Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative and then added ¼ cup powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla.) 
Chopped and/or shaved chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease or spray a 9” cake pan with a neutral cooking oil.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients: Mix the ground flax together with filtered water to create a flax “egg” in a small bowl. Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in the base of a medium bowl – the vinegar will curdle the milk to create a “buttermilk”. Let both mixtures sit for at least 5 minutes, then add the thickened flax egg to the larger bowl with the almond butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Whisk until well-combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients together in a separate, larger bowl. Form a well in the center of the mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and use a spatula to mix everything together until no clumps remain. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 20-22 minutes. (If you are baking multiple cakes, bake for 23-25 minutes).
Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before loosening the edges with a butter knife and flipping onto a baking rack to let cool completely.
Make the Cherry Compote: in the meantime, add all of the ingredients of the cherry compote to a large, nonstick pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the cherries cook down for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set the compote aside and let cool completely.
Assemble the Cake: top the cake with a layer of coconut cream, then spoon the cherry compote (and extra liquid) on top. Garnish with chopped and shaved chocolate, if desired. Serve immediately – leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes: The recipe listed above makes one cake. If you would like to create a layered cake, double all of the ingredients (compote and cream included)
Nut Allergies: replace the almond butter with tahini or sunflower butter
Coconut Whipped Cream: If you don’t want to make it yourself you can replace it with store-bought coconut whipped topping or a vanilla frosting of your choice! You can also use a super-thick coconut yogurt for a completely sugar-free option.
Other Substitutions: Almond butter can be replaced with another nut or seed butter and coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or another granulated sweetener. I do not recommend replacing the soy milk* as other plant milks do not create a good “buttermilk” due to lower protein content. This recipe has not been tested with any other flours.

Homemade Fudge Pops

Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 10 (2 oz.) popsicles

 

It’s just too darn hot right now to bake a summer berry pie. No need to fret though.  We can still have dessert that doesn’t heat up the kitchen or the cook to make.  These Homemade Fudge Pops are delicious and refreshingly cool.  All that is needed are a few ingredients, a whisk, and popsicle molds.

 

2/3 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used the “special dark” variety.)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

1¼ cups milk or unsweetened almond milk

 

In a medium bowl with a lip (for easy pouring), whisk together the syrup, cocoa powder, and vanilla until thoroughly combined and no clumps are left.  Slowly whisk in the yogurt and milk.  Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, add a popsicle stick, and freeze.  When you are ready to eat them, run a little warm water on the outside of the molds to loosen them up so the popsicles come out easily. 

 

Nutritional Information: (One (2 oz.) Fudge Pop) 104 calories; 18 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 27 mg sodium; 192 potassium; 20 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 16 g sugars; 3 g protein; 75 IU vitamin A; 0.1 mg vitamin C; 93 mg calcium; 0.6 mg iron

 

Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan)

Recipe from SammyandSarahCook YouTube Channel

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 16 brownies

If you are wanting a little hit of chocolate and just a smidgeon of sweetness, these brownies will satisfy.  You will see only wholesome ingredients in this treat and so guilt can be kept at bay ;-) While waiting for the brownies to bake, you might enjoy watching more of the videos of little Sammy and Sarah (and now Abby), three darling children who show us how easy it is to make vegan meals and treats.

Cooking spray

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

¼ cup peanut butter or almond butter

¼ cup agave syrup or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup oat flour

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare an 8” X 8” baking pan by lining it with parchment paper with a little overhang for easy removal of the brownies.  Spray the parchment paper with the cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potato, the nut butter, the syrup, and vanilla extract.

In medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.  The dough/batter will be very thick and somewhat dry.

Press the dough into the parchment lined baking pan.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.  Remove the brownies from the pan by carefully lifting them out with the parchment paper overhang.  Place on a cooling rack.  Cool to room temperature before cutting them into 16 squares.  Serve.

Cranberry Curd Pie with Gingersnap-Walnut Crust

Makes one 9-inch pie

Recipe from theviewfromgreatisland.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This unusual pie is downright delicious!  The sweet crumbly gingersnap crust is the perfect foil for the sweet-tart cranberry filling.  (Its tartness reminded me of the tartness of a lemon merengue pie.)  Serve each slice with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.  What a perfect dessert for a special occasion where the color red is in order or cranberries are called for.  (Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving, perhaps?)

Crust

5 ounces gingersnaps

1 cup walnuts

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries (frozen berries can be used, thawed)

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

¼ cup water

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Pinch of salt

½ cup fresh lemon juice

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces

Garnish (optional)

A few sugared cranberries (Reserve a few cranberries, coat them in a bit of egg white and then roll them in sugar and allow them to dry before using.)

Fresh thyme sprigs or mint leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.  Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs.  (This should equal a heaping cup.)  Add the walnuts and sugar to the processor.  Process until everything is finely ground.  Add the melted butter and process briefly to combine.

Pat the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and up the sides.  (See photo.) Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Use a measuring cup to press the crust into the pie plate.

Put the cranberries, 1 cup of the sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the mixture is thick.  Let cool slightly and then puree until completely smooth.  Whisk the puree, the eggs, the yolks, the lemon juice and ½ cup sugar and then set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. (See photo.) 

The thickened curd should coat the back of a spoon.  

Use a finger and draw a clear trail through the curd to test.

Push the curd through a mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to get it all through.  Let the curd cool for a few minutes.  Drop the room temperature butter in, bit by bit, while you stir to melt it.  Pour the curd into the pie crust and smooth out evenly.  Chill the pie until it is firm, about 2 hours.  Decorate with the sugared cranberries and herb sprigs, if desired.