Individual Chocolate Espresso Cake... with zucchini

The last few weeks my recipes have been heavily influenced by my farm share, as it should be this time of year. Two of my most popular posts, chocolate dipped strawberry creamsicles and lavender marionberry mason jar pie have both been born from farm share goodies. So when I found zucchini in my crate this week, the wheels in my head started turning. I played around with different ideas all week and yesterday I went to work in the kitchen. The result: a moist, rich chocolate espresso cake.

Chocolate Espresso Cake

serves: 2

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp molasses

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp water)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 small zucchini, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1 tbsp + 1 tsp instant coffee

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 half pint mason jars or similar sized baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil two half pint mason jars.

In a medium sized bowl combine wet ingredients (oil, sugar, molasses, flax egg, instant coffee, vanilla, and zucchini), stirring together until uniformly mixed.

In a separate bowl combine the dries (flour, baking soda and powder, and salt). Add dries to wet and mix together. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chip.

Fill 1/2 pint jars between 2/3 and 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until knife comes out clean. Allow cake to cool at least 30 minutes before removing from jar.

Enjoy with a fresh cup of coffee.

Marionberry Lavender Pie for one

Did you know it's National Pie week? I just found out yesterday via Facebook. Good thing I did because I found another pint of marionberries in my farm crate and I wanted to do something very special for them.

You know how mason jars are the big thing these days? If you're on Pinterest you know what I'm talking about. There are numerous blog posts about ways to use old mason jars, from decorating to gift giving to baking. And I love it all. So it was time to try my own Mason Jar experiment.

Marionberry Lavender Pie
serves: one
1/2 pint mason jar (wide mouth)

Pie Crust
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup pastry flour (all purpose will work)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cold water


Marionberry Pie Filing
1 cup fresh marrionberries
1 tbsp agave
1 tsp crushed lavender
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt


* I chose coconut oil for this recipe because it's healthier than margarine but because it resembles shortening in texture it will still allow for a flaky crust. For this recipe keep the coconut oil in it's solid form, do not melt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil mason jar.
To make crust combine flour and salt in small bowl. Add coconut oil and cut in until dough is crumbly. It will be very dry. Add cold water a little at a time and combine until dough starts to form. Do not over-mix.

Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8th inch thick. Using the top ring of the mason jar cut out your circle for the top. Press in the remaining dough inside the mason jar, about a quarter inch past the top lip.

*Please note, my pictures have a shorter pie with a lattice top. This is because I skimped on the dough and realized it too late. I doubled the dough recipe so you will be enough to cover sides and top.

Place in refrigerator while making the filling.

To make the filling mixall ingredients in a medium pot and place on stove over med-high heat, stirring often. Bring to a boil, stir constantly for 1 minute then remove from heat. Pour into chilled dough. Top with dough circle and press sides together like this:

This picture is not mine, it's from here. But this is how it ought to look before baking.

At this point, it you made a larger batch, you could cover jars with lids and freeze, baking individually whenever you have a craving. Or you can bake right away. Brush top with soy milk, melted margarine, or melted coconut oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

What's your favorite thing to do with Mason Jars? I do a lot of decorating with mine, candle holders, vases, things like that. I also like making cookie or cake mixes (drys only) and gifting them. These pies could also make great gifts around the holidays.

A day of red, white, and blue

A very happy July 4th to y'all!

I'm don't usually get so excited about holidays, but this year is different. This year, for the first time in many years, I am enjoying a day off with my family. Probably the hardest aspect (for me) of working in bakeries is coming in on big holidays and making pies and cakes for other people's picnics. So to all my friends who are working today: I hope you feel appreciated and recognized for your hard holiday work. 

This morning I enjoyed sharing the time off with Jason and Eden and started the day off right with some festive waffles.

I used Isa Chandra-Moskowitz' Classic Waffle recipe from her cookbook, Vegan Brunch (which is one of my favorite cookbooks by the way) and then, as you can see, smothered them with berries.

Later today I will be heading out to my parent's farm to enjoy a potluck with entire family. 

This is what I'm bringing:

I got the recipe for this red velvet cake here. This was my second attempt. In my first attempt I tried to make a red velvet cake using beet puree. I did a lot of research, found myself reading about pH levels and types of acidity and after reading numerous blog posts and looking at many Google images, I choose a very un-vegan recipe that I was certain I could veganize. I don't know if it was the process of veganizing it or the recipe itself but the result was a brown cake that tasted like beets.
But this recipe from the tolerant vegan was great, incredibly easy, and I learned that sometimes it's okay to use a little red food coloring.

I made a full batch and bake it on one large cookie sheet for about 23 minutes (until knife comes out clean). After it cooled for several hours (best to put it in fridge), cut it into four even strips. Place the bottom strip on a cutting board (or large platter) and pipe a boarder of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Scoop about 1/2 cup of frosting in the middle of boarder and smooth over with an offset spatula. Top with second layer of cake and repeat twice ending with the final layer of cake.

If you want very clean edges, place cake in freezer. When it is mostly frozen cut the edges of the cake with a sharp, hot knife.

Pipe a bottom and top boarder and cover with blueberries.

Store in refrigerator and bring out one hour before serving.

This is a great technique for decorating. It's much easier than working with round cakes or attempting to frost the whole cake, but equally (if not more) impressive. As always, let me know if you have questions.

Coconut Lime Cream Cake

Sweet Summer, how I love you! And this summer is going to be a good one. Wanna know why? Because it hasn't even started and I'm already enjoying a coconut lime cream cake. And now you can too. Get excited about this delicious, creamy, and refreshing dessert because it's so easy, so quick, and one that everyone can enjoy.

Coconut Lime Cream Cake
raw, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free
yields: 4 small tarts or cakes
prep time: 20 minutes + 2 hours freezer time

Crust
1 cup unsalted pistachios
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
pinch of salt

Filling
1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight.
1 avocado
6 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tsp coconut extract
zest of 1lime

Topping
1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight

Lightly spray four small tart shells or an individual cake pan.
Side note: This is what I'm talking about when I say individual cake or brownie pan.

I use this pan all the time (remember the raw chocolate cheesecake and orange creamsicle) and
it has become one of my favorite ways to make individual servings. But if you don't have small tart shells or a pan similar to this, a muffin tin works great for individual servings.

Okay, back to recipe
Mix the crust ingredients (pistachios, agave, and salt) together in a food processor until pistachios are ground up and hold together. Divide evenly between the four tart, cake, or muffin pans. Press pistachios into the bottom of the pans and set aside to make a filling.

In a food processor combine the rest of the ingredients. You only want to use the fatty, cream part of the coconut milk which, if chilled the night before, will be nicely separated to the top of the can and will scoop out easily.  Mix ingredients until well combined. Scoop batter into the tart shells almost to the top and place in freezer.

To make the topping use your second can of coconut milk the same way as the first, scooping out only the solids. Blend with hand mixture until it resembles whipped cream. You may want to sweeten the coconut whipped cream a little in which case you can add about 1 tbsp agave nectar.

Pull cream cakes out of the freezer and create a smooth top with coconut whipped cream. Place back in freezer and allow to set up for 2 hours.

When ready to serve remove from the freezer, take cream cakes out of pans (you may have to run a hot knife around the edges and give it a few thumps upside down) and allow to thaw 15-20 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake for One

This is a simple, rich, and gooey fudge cake. You can make this cake in about ten minutes and you will be glad you did! The subtle caramel flavor combines with the toasted pecans and fudgy chocolate making this one heavenly dessert.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake for One

1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/1 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp chopped pecans (optional)

3 Tbsp brown rice syrup
1 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together flour, 1st cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a single serving ramekin or oven-proof bowl. In a small bowl combine 1st brown rice syrup, vanilla, coconut oil, and milk. Pour over dry ingredients and mix together to form a batter. Fold in chopped pecans.

Combine the remaining ingredients (brown rice syrup, cocoa powder, water) and pour over the batter. Do not stir in! Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. It will be gooey, but cake will be formed on the top. Check out the picture above.

Let cool for 15 minutes. Flip the cake out of ramekin. The bottom will be full of delicious gooey fudge topping. Top with pecans, your favorite ice cream , or coconut whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Orange Creamsicle

Remember these? Creamy and citrus-y on a stick. It's heating up in Portland. We have our kiddie pool set up in the backyard for the dog, the sound of lawn mowers wafting through our open windows, and now orange creamsicles awaiting our consumption in the freezer.

Orange Creamsicles
yield: about 12 popsicles

1 container orange concentrate
2 cans coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp agave nectar

Blend the orange concentrate in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until well combined. Pour into a popsicle tray, dixie cups or really any kind of mold. I made a couple popcicles and poured the rest into an single serving brownie tray. Let set up in the freezer and enjoy!

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

vegan, gluten-free, soy-free no bake cookies

For the next month I'm on a gluten-free, soy-free food challenge. As a vegan this limits my diet substantially.  After five days of incredibly healthy, mostly raw meals I needed some chocolate! I have an old no bake cookie recipe in a family cookbook that I have been veganizing for years and I realized with one quick walk to the store, I could have my chocolaty gluten and soy free dessert. 

My grocery run: Earth Balance soy free "butter". I have actually never tried this product before since I usually buy Earth Balances original "butter" sticks, but I knew this product existed and figured it would substitute fine.

And back home mere minutes later, I was ready to no-bake.

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used hazelnut)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (go with Earth Balance)
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats 


In a medium sized pan mix together sugar, non-dairy milk, margarine, and cocoa. Place over medium high heat and bring to boil. Boil for two minutes (not less) and remove from heat.

Mix in oats and vanilla until well combined and looks something like this:

Drop cookies onto wax paper and let cool at room temperature. Once cool and hard, peel off from wax paper and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

These cookies certainly satisfied my chocolate craving while keeping me honest with my food challenge.