Category Archives: dessert

Cinnamon Walnut Cake

. dessert, holidays . ,

This former Sour Cream Walnut Cake – Mom’s recipe –  was veganized into a yummy cinnamon cake, and taste-tested by friends and neighbors. Even the non-vegans loved it! Soon you’ll be filling your kitchen with the scent of cinnamon and patiently waiting until the cake is cool enough to eat!

1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup sugar
1 flax egg*
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8” square pan with oil.

Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk margarine, applesauce and sugar until well-blended and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the egg substitute and whisk briefly. Add vegan sour cream and vanilla. Whisk until sour cream is blended in.

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half topping mix over batter. Drop remaining batter by spoonsful, spread out gently, then sprinkle with the rest of topping mix.

Bake about 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*In this recipe, you can make a flax egg to act as an egg substitute. A flax egg is made by placing 1 tbsp. ground flax seed or chia seed in a small bowl and adding 2 ½ to 3 Tbs. water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Flax seed is mildly flavored and adds the protein and similar structure and consistency of an egg to the cake batter.

lemony donuts

. breakfast, dessert, USA . , , , , ,

20150325_064309Delightfully lemony, these vegan donuts are light, not too sweet, and take just a few minutes to throw together! It’s best to bake them in a donut pan – the donut shape looks really cool – but a muffin pan works just as well. These donuts are best eaten fresh, although they will keep for a couple days (if they last that long!).

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Zest of one lemon
2/3 cup almond or soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs. water, if necessary to make glaze thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add wet ingredients, and stir just enough to remove dry spots. You may need to add a bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, so that batter is not too thick to pour into pan. Fill the indentations 2/3 full. Bake for 11-15 minutes. Makes one dozen.

Cool donuts on paper towels on a rack, and when cool, dip the top into glaze. Before the glaze dries, you can add toasted almonds, poppy seeds, or whatever you like.

peanut butter rum balls

. dessert, holidays . , , ,
vegan peanut butter rum ballsLauren requested a holiday candy recipe with peanut butter or “something like that.” Sue got busy in the kitchen and concocted these festive rum balls. A natural-foods store visit may be necessary to get high-quality vegan and organic ingredients, but the resulting great flavor is worth it! These rum balls are very rich, so you’ll want to make them small. With only 5 ingredients, they’re easy to make, so add some flash to your holiday stash!

2 cups vanilla wafers (almost a whole 9-ounce package)
1/2 cup organic peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1/3 cup good-quality light rum
1/2 cup agave nectar

Mix all ingredients together. Add the remainder of the crumbs if the mixture is not stiff enough. Chill for 10 minutes.

Roll a small clump of dough between your palms briefly. Balls should be about 3/4 inch or 2 cm in diameter. Place on cookie sheet and refrigerate. When chilled thoroughly, you can place them in a sealed storage container in the fridge.

Optional: Drizzle with melted vegan chocolate or carob chips.

 

peanut brittle

. dessert, holidays, USA .

peanut_brittle
This recipe is easy, although it may take 10 to 15 minutes to boil the ingredients. You can also use chopped almonds, pecans, or pistachios instead of peanuts.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup peanuts
1 tsp. baking soda

1. Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

2. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, bring sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in the peanuts. Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan, but don’t let it touch the bottom. Continue boiling the mixture on medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 300 degrees.

3. Remove candy thermometer, add baking soda, stir, and quickly pour mixture onto the baking sheet. Spread it out with a fork. Allow the pan to cool on a rack, and then break candy into pieces.

raw doughnut holes

. dessert, raw

raw_doughnut_holesRaw foods are even more delicious in the summertime, when the hot temperatures deter even us diehard cooks from venturing near a stove. I came across this recipe for raw doughnut holes on the Rawmazing site. I happened to have a bag of Brazil nuts on hand, so I tried it right away. Yum. Let the doughnut holes sit in the refrigerator for a bit before you eat them or else the texture won’t be quite right (but they’ll still be delicious).

auntie sue’s peach cobbler

. dessert, USA . ,

This dessert is perfect for a fast weeknight meal.

2 15-oz. cans sliced peaches in syrup, drained
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted

Place peaches in a 1-quart shallow baking dish. Combine flour, sugar, oats, walnuts, and cinnamon. Stir in melted vegan margarine until crumbly; sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite frozen soy or rice dessert, if desired.

banana streusel pie

. dessert, USA .

Bananas and streusel? It’s an unusual combination, and it works.

1 vegan pie crust (homemade or prepared; we used a Wholly Natural frozen pie crust from a natural foods store)

filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 medium bananas, sliced

streusel topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup vegan margarine

1. Prepare the pie crust; set aside. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine and heat the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and continue to stir for 2 minutes. The mixture will gradually thicken. Remove from heat; add banana slices. Pour filling into prepared pie crust.

3. Prepare the streusel. Combine topping ingredients in a medium bowl until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over banana filling. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until topping is nicely browned and filling is bubbly.

haroset

. dessert, Middle East . , , , ,

Haroset is a Passover tradition with many regional variations around the world. Rabbis originally created the sweet, fruity, and flavorful dish to counter the bitter herbs used in the Passover Seder. Haroset is a delightful addition to your Passover table.

3 sweet apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 to 3 Tbs. sweet red Passover wine (or more, if necessary)

Place chopped apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add chopped cherries, walnuts, zest, sugar, and cinnamon. Moisten with wine to make a thick paste. Adjust seasonings to your liking.

tropical fruit freezer cake

. dessert, USA .

Mikayla's birthday cake
For a cool summer dessert, you can’t beat the exotic tastes of mango, ginger, and vanilla. Mikayla’s mom made this cake for her on her fourth birthday, and it was a hit!

1 1/4 cups crushed vegan gingersnap cookies (we used the Midel brand)
1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted
1 pint non-dairy vanilla frozen dessert (we used the WholeSoy brand)
1 pint mango sorbet

1. Combine the crushed gingersnap cookies and melted margarine. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to form the bottom crust of the cake. Freeze for 15 minutes.

2. Spoon the vanilla soy frozen dessert on to the gingersnap crust. Soften the dessert first, either by letting it sit outside the freezer for a few minutes or by putting it in the microwave for a few seconds. Use a large spoon and spread the dessert like frosting; as you spread it over the crust, it will soften and spread easier. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour.

3. Spread the softened mango sorbet over the vanilla layer. Cover and freeze for 2 hours.

4. Top with a colorful tropical fruit mixture, some shredded coconut, or maybe some blueberry sauce.

vegan fudge

. dessert, USA . , ,

Vegans love decadent goodies too! Bettina in California submitted this simple and delicious recipe.

6 Tbs. vegan margarine (we used Earth Balance)
3-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup soymilk
1 cup walnuts, pecans, etc., chopped (if desired)

Lightly grease a pan with vegan margarine. Place all ingredients, except for nuts, in a double boiler. Place over simmering water and stir until smooth. Add nuts (if desired) and pour mixture into prepared pan. Chill.

easy vegan peach crisp

. dessert, USA .

Mmmmm…a vegan peach crisp!

1 cup vegan margarine (1 stick)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup of your favorite non-dairy milk
3-4 cups frozen sliced peaches

1. Thaw peaches; drain and reserve juice.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Put vegan margarine in 9 x 13 glass cake pan and place in preheated oven. While margarine melts, mix batter. After margarine is melted, remove pan from oven and pour batter on top of melted butter. Carefully spoon peaches and juice over batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Batter will rise up around peaches.

vegan apple pie

. dessert, USA . ,

If you have one of those little gadgets that can peel, slice, and core apples in just a few seconds, this recipe is a good reason to bring it out and use it.

2 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
7-8 medium apples
2 prepared vegan pie crusts

1. In a small bowl, mix flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. Place one pie crust in pan on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Set aside the other crust on waxed paper.

2. Peel, core, and slice apples, and place in a large bowl. Toss with lemon juice. Pour agave nectar over apples and mix well. Sprinkle flour & spice mixture over apples and mix again.

3. Turn apples into pie crust (apples will mound up in the center). Place the other crust atop apples, crimp edges of crust, and trim excess. Cut a few slits in top crust for steam to escape. Bake at 375° for 55-60 minutes.

vegan pumpkin pie

. dessert, USA . , ,

Here’s a veganized version of a holiday classic.

1 12-oz. package silken firm tofu
1 16-oz. can pumpkin
3/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 9-inch unbaked deep-dish pie shell (Wholly Natural frozen pie crusts are vegan)

Preheat oven to 425°. Rinse tofu and place in blender or food processor. Process on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Add pumpkin, agave nectar, salt, and spices. Process for an additional 2 minutes. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell and bake for 15 minutes at 425°. (You may need to cover crust with foil to prevent burning.) Lower heat to 350° and bake for another 45-50 minutes. Chill and serve.

pistachio brittle

. dessert, USA . ,

Timing is everything when making candy, so prepare your utensils and measure your ingredients before you begin. A candy thermometer will ensure optimum results. Sue says this brittle is so tasty, it’s totally gift-worthy.

Cooking oil spray
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1. Grease a large cookie sheet with cooking oil spray and set aside. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat until bubbling begins. Increase heat slightly until sugar mix comes to a full rolling boil, and insert candy thermometer. Boil, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 300° (in about 5 to 10 minutes).

2. Remove thermometer; add nuts, vanilla, and baking soda to sugar mix. Stir quickly and immediately pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Work quickly, and spread mixture evenly. Allow to cool completely before breaking into small pieces.

caramel-pecan rolls

. breakfast, dessert, USA .

If you’re expecting guests, roll out the red carpet and fix a batch of these caramel-pecan rolls for breakfast. They’re guaranteed to rival the offerings of your neighborhood java joint, and your guests may never leave.

Dough:
1 .25-oz. package active dry yeast
1 2/3 cup warm water
1 tsp. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbs. vegan margarine
Additional margarine for greasing bowl and pan

Caramel:
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. vegan margarine
3 Tbs. light corn syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans

1. To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes; add salt. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of flour to yeast mixture. Dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, incorporating the remaining flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough sticks to your hands.

2. Grease a medium bowl with vegan margarine. Place dough in the bowl, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the caramel. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with vegan margarine and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, vegan margarine, and corn syrup. Stirring constantly, heat until smooth and thick (about a minute and a half). Pour caramel into the bottom of the springform pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle pecans over the caramel mixture and set dough aside.

4. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. When dough has doubled in size, punch it down and let it rise for about 5 more minutes. On a floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle. Spread margarine on dough with a butter knife, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges, and sprinkle sugar over the margarine.

5. Beginning with the side of the dough closest to you, begin rolling the rectangle tightly into a log. Trim the edges off and discard. Slice the log into 1″ rounds and place them in the springform pan on top of the caramel. Cover with the clean dish towel and let rise until doubled in size (about 40 minutes).

6. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake caramel-pecan rolls for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and invert pan onto serving plate (be careful!). Open the springform pan, carefully using a knife to help free any rolls that stick to the pan. Lift off the springform pan bottom to reveal the beautiful caramel-pecan topping. Your guests will be impressed!

sue’s vegan chocolate walnut cake

. dessert, USA . ,

When a reader asked for a vegan chocolate cake recipe, Sue took up the challenge in the test kitchens. The results are delicious.

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
3 Tbs. vegan cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine
5 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, stir first six ingredients with a wire whisk. Add remaining four ingredients. Mix until smooth (about 1 minute).

2. Grease a 9x9x2 pan with canola oil or cooking oil spray. Pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool; dust with powdered sugar.

HIGH-ALTITUDE (over 5000 ft.) adjustments:
Add 1 Tbs. flour and reduce oil to 1/4 cup. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes.

strawberry tofool

. dessert, Europe . , ,

Maybe you’ve heard of a classic dessert called a fruit fool? Sue found an English recipe for strawberry fool that dates back to 1764! The basic recipe consists of berries and an equal amount of cream, with sugar added. After blending well, the consistency is similar to a pudding. Some modern recipes use cream and yogurt. Sue came up with this veganized version. YUM. Try it. It’s easy and fast.

1 12-oz. package SILKEN tofu
12 oz. fresh strawberries (or 12-oz. package frozen strawberries, thawed)
1/2 cup agave nectar

Blend in a food processor; chill. That’s it!

mango dessert topping

. Asia, dessert, India, sauces .

If you’re fortunate enough to have an Asian market nearby, check the produce section for good deals on large quantities of mangoes. Serve this tasty topping over your favorite frozen vanilla soy or rice dessert.

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs. vegan margarine
12 cups sliced mangos (about 8 large mangoes)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water and cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add margarine; stir until blended. Add sliced mangoes and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mangoes are tender and turn a caramel color. Serve over your favorite frozen dessert.

best ever vegan oat nut date bars

. dessert, USA . , , , ,

Our friends at The Vegetarian Site claim that this is one of their favorite desserts of all time. Try it and see for yourself!

filling:
3/4 pound dates, chopped
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
1 cup water
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped

crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegan margarine (never hydrogenated)
1 cup unrefined sugar

1. In medium saucepan, combine dates, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (approximately 8 minutes). Remove from heat and cool. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and walnuts.

2. In separate mixing bowl, sift flour, salt, and baking soda. Add oatmeal, applesauce, margarine, and sugar. Combine well. With wet hands, press half of the oatmeal mixture into a greased 13x9x2-inch or 11x11x2-inch pan. Spread with filling. Cover with remaining oatmeal mixture.

3. Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature and cut into squares. Refrigerate if desired. Enjoy!

More vegan recipes from the Vegetarian Site are available here.

thumbprint cookies

. dessert, Europe .

One of our favorite cookies!

1 cup vegan margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the margarine, sugar and almond extract at high speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and salt; don’t overmix. Chill for about 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350º. Roll cookie dough into small balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Place a thumbprint in the middle of each. Bake for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill indentations with jam. Return to oven and bake for about 5 more minutes.

3. Remove from oven and cool.