Chocolate Cake - Vegan/ Dairy Free/ Gluten Free

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups Gluten Free flour (I used cup4cup brand)
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups earth balance vegan butter softened (or any dairy free butter)
• 4-5 cups powder sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions:

Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans. I also line them with parchment rounds and sprinkle with cocoa powder for easy removal of the ackes later.
2. Measure 1 cup unsweetened almond milk an add the Tablespoon of vinegar to it. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour sub, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to comine.
4. Now add the oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond milk/vinear mixture. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) until well compbined.
5. Lower the speed and carefully pou in the boiling water, continuing to mix into the cake batter until combined. The batter will seem very thick at this point.
6. Divide evenly between your round cake pans. I used a large spoon to divide and press to edges. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After 10 minutes of cooling in the pan, carefully remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1. Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl.
2. Add the softened vegan butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamed and well combined
3. Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk, and mix until combined. Add the rest of the powder sugar and vanilla extract. Mix starting on low, and turn to high. Mix until fluffy and combined.
4. If the frosting seems too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time. If the frosting seems too wet and doesn't hold it's shape, add more powder sugar until it thickens up.
5. Frost he cake using an icing spatula or butter knife. I placed wax paper slightly under edges around the cake, so the cake stand would be clean for presentation.

*Notes:

• For cupcakes, fill liners half full and bake for 20-25 minutes. The whole recipe ill yeild approximately 24 cupcakes
• Double recipe to make a 4 layer cake, or cut in half to make a 1 layer round cake.
• Frosting recipe yields enough frosting for 2 cakes.

Recipe adapted from Nora Cooks

Coffee Cake Banana Bread

Coffee Cake Banana Bread

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Makes: 2 Loaves

Ingredients:

Bread

• 3-4 medium or large bananas
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt

Crumb Topping

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter, cold

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two 8x4 pans. (I did 1 8x4 pan and 1 regular size muffin tin pan)
2. In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. 
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs and beat until mixed.
5. To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Stir until just combined. Add in sour cream and stir.
7. Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined.

Crumb Topping:

1. Combine cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, and mix until the topping looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle coating evenly over the batter in both pans.
2. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
3. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack.
4. Slice and enjoy!

~Mikaila

Fresh Plum Cake

Yields: 12 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
• 2 extra large eggs (or 2 large +1 egg white)
• 6-8 plums (mine were huge so I used 4)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a sheet of parchment over the bottom disk of an 8-9 inch spring-form pan. Fasten the ring around the disk with parchment paper secured in between. Cut off the excess paper. Grease the sides of the pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
3. In the electric mixer, cream 1 cup of sugar with the butter. Add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and mix again.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Slice the plum into eights. 
5. Place the plum slices around the top of the cake in a pretty pattern. Make sure they are close together. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice over the plums. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make SURE not to over bake! Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, and another 10 minutes out of the pan before serving.

*Try with summer peaches, nectarines or apricots!

~Recipe via A Spicy Perspective

Coffee Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients:

• For Cake:
• 1 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 2 cups (scant) sugar
• 3 cups flour, sifted
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk
• 3 egg whites, beaten until stiff
• For the Topping:
• 1 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don't overbeat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9x13 (or larger!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.
3. In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm.

~Recipe adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Crazy Cake (No eggs, milk, butter or bowls)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a greased 8" baking dish.
3. Make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients. (2 small and one larger)
4. In one of the small depressions measure in the white vinegar.
5. In the other small depression measure in the vanilla extract
6. In the large depression measure in the vegetable oil.
7. Pour the water over it all and mix until smooth.
8. Bake on middle rack for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
9. Cool before adding frosting.

*Cooking times will vary depending on elevation and ovens.

~Recipe from sweetlittlebird.com

Easy Angel Food Cake Dessert

 

Ingredients:

• 20-22 ounce can pie filling fruit
• 1 box Angel Food cake (dry)
• Can whip cream

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine contents of Angel food cake with the entire can of pie filling. 
2. Place in an ungreased 9x13 pan at 350°F for 28-30 minutes.
3. Serve with whip cream as topping 

*I find it easier and less messy to fold the dry angel food cake into the pie filling in increments. If making the day ahead you'll want to cover the cake with whip cream the day you serve it, as the cake will deflate and not look as pretty.

~Recipe via Kelli