Banana Cake With Strawberries and Vanilla Icing

Strawberries and bananas are such a classic pair-- and no wonder!! It's such a delicious combination. Stepping away from the standard combinations is definitely a good thing, but sometimes it is nice to have something familiar. It brings about a sense of nostalgia-- at least for me.

The vanilla icing in this recipe is not a make it or break it, but it definitely adds a little extra deliciousness. This cake is extremely moist and dense, but, if you're anything like me, you'll probably find it difficult to not eat the entire thing!

Cake Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
• 5 ripe bananas, mushed
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup soymilk
• 3 cups freshly sliced strawberries

Icing Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegan powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoons corn syrup

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
4. In a stand mixer, add bananas and vegan butter. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
5. While still on low speed, add both sugars. Mix until sugar dissolves. While still mixung, add in bananas, and vanilla extract. 
6. Leaving mixer on, add in 1 cup of dry mixture. Once combined, add in soy milk and remaining dry mixture.
7. Mix until all ingredients are combined, but be careful not to over mix.
8. Remove mixing bowl from mixer, and fold in strawberry slices.
9. Pour batter into greased baking pan, put in oven, and let bake for 55 minutes to an hour. (You can test with a toothpick to make sure the cake is fully baked before removing it from the oven.)
10. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

1. Mix all icing ingredients together until a smooth paste forms. (You can add more sugar if it is too thin, or more water if it is too thick)
2. Pour over the top of the un-cut cake.
3. Spread with a spatula or knife until the icing covers the top (It probably won't be completely even unless your cake baked perfectly flat!)
4. Let the icing harden for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cinnamon

One thing I could never get sick of is chocolate. In fact, I find any excuse possible to use it/eat it whenever I can. When I first met my husband, he insisted that he hated chocolate and refused to eat it... or so he claimed. I couldn't believe it! Well... I believed him... that was until I caught him sneaking some chocolates I made out of the fridge one day. Now I don't feel so bad for putting chocolate into most of my baked goods.

These cookies are packed with gooey chocolaty perfection, and a hint of cinnamon make them a little different than a typical chocolate chip cookie. Feel free to leave out the cinnamon if you're not a huge fan, or heck-- throw in a little extra if you want! I find the best ways to use other people's recipes is to spice it up a little to your own liking.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In a stand mixer, add softened butter and whip on high speed for 2 minutes. Turn off mixer.
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add both sugars, and turn mixer onto medium speed. 
4. Once sugars are fully incorporated, return mixer to high speed and beat for another 2 minutes. Turn off mixer and scrape down the side with rubber spatula.
5. Turn mixer to low speed and add in the applesauce and vanilla extract.
6. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt.
7. While mixer is still on low speed, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture 1/4 cup at a time until all of the mixture has been added. 
8. Add in all of the chocolate and mix until chocolate is evenly distributed into dough.
9. Scoop about 1/4 cup of mixture, roll into a ball, press slightly flat, and put onto prepared baking sheet.
10. Repeat until you have a full sheets, with dough spaced apart to allow for slight spreading.
11. Bake cookies, 1 tray at a time, for 9-12 minutes.
12. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from tray. 
13. Repeat process until all cookies are baked.

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cinnamon Icing

Okay... I know I said I don't over-do the whole sweets for breakfast thing... but sometimes I can't help myself! I dream of sweets occasionally and when I wake up I can't shake the craving. Also it was the last day I had my nieces over and I had to teach them how to make something extra delicious!!

These cinnamon rolls are fluffy and extra cinnamon-y... because I believe that is how all cinnamon rolls should be. Who is with me!?

Roll Ingredients:

• 1 cup soymilk, warmed to 110 degrees
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups flour

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegan butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Mix all filling ingredients in a small bowl, and put in refrigerator until needed.
2. In a stand mixer, pour warmed soymilk into mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the soymilk.
4. Sprinkle about half of the sugar onto the top of the yeast, and let sit in bowl for 5 minutes.
5. Pour remaining sugar, butter, vanilla and applesauce into mixer. Mix on low speed using paddle attachment.
6. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sea salt, and cinnamon.
7. Add dry ingredients into mixer 1/2 cup at a time while still on low speed.
8. Once 3 cups total dry mixture has been added, turn off mixer and switch to dough hook attachment.
9. Turn mixer back onto low speed.
10. Add remaining dry mixture 1/2 cup at a time until remainder is used. (Wait until most of the dry mixture is incorporated before adding another 1/2 cup of it to avoid a mess!)
11. Let dough mix with dough hook for 3 minutes. 
12. Put dough into large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap.
13. Place a hand towel over top of covered bowl and let sit for an hour so the dough doubles in size.
14. Line 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
15. After the hour is over, lightly flour working area and place dough in the center of your working space.
16. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into about a 15x20inch rectangle.
17. Take filling out of refrigerator and sprinkle over the top of dough. 
18. Roll dough tightly (the long way) and cut into 12 pieces. (I used a string that I coated in flour by sliding it under the dough log, folding it in half, and pulling the string tight.)
19. Place rolls evenly spaces into prepared baking pan, swirly side up!
20. Press each roll down so they all end up touching. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and put in the refrigerator overnight. (You can cover and cook after an hour, but I find that refrigerating overnight helps the filling not melt out.)
21. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and take the cinnamon rolls out of the refrigerator. Let sit out for half an hour before baking.
22. Uncover and bake for 18-22 minutes (if top starts to brown too much, you can cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time. If you don't cook them long enough, the centers will be very dough.)
23. Remove from oven and prepare icing.
24. While still slightly warm, ice cinnamon rolls and serve!

Icing Ingredients (and preparation)

• 2 cups vegan powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. (If the icing is too runny add  powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency. If icing is too thick add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until you've reached you desired consistency.) 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Coconut Ganache

If you're having a serious chocolate craving, this recipe is for you! Or if you're like me, and wish you had 'the chocolate touch', these are also for you. (Did anyone else read that book growing up? I. loved. it. It's probably still my favorite book of all time. I am pretty sure that would be my version of Fifty Shades of Grey. Everything that touches to my lips turning into chocolate?!... count me in!! I would love to have a room in my house dedicated to my love for chocolate.)

Anyway... these brownies have a very rich chocolate flavor and subtle hint of coconut from the ganache. You definitely don't need the ganache, but it doesn't hurt a thing. Except maybe your waist line.

Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1 1/4 cups melted vegan butter
• 2 2/3 cups agave
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Ganache Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Preparing the Brownies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease 9x13 inch baking pan
3. In a stand mixer, mix cocoa powder and baking soda on low speed until combined
4. While still on low speed, add water and melted butter. Mix until a paste forms (if needed- help mash dry and wet ingredients with a rubber spatula)
5. Once paste is formed- add agave, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Turn the mixer off.
6. Add flour, sea salt and chocolate chips and turn mixer on low speed. Mix until flour is fully dissolved into batter, but be careful not to over-mix. 
7. Spread batter into greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick-- and when only a few wet crumbs stick to the toothpick, the brownies are done! (Test a few inches from the edge, not the center of the pan) Be careful not to over bake them!!
8. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Preparing the Ganache:

1. Warm the coconut milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate chips, and let stand for 2 minutes. 
3. Mix the chocolate and coconut milk together. Let cool to room temperature. 

Assembly!

1. Once brownies have cooled completely, cut them into desired size. (They are pretty heavy, so smaller may be better in this case)
2. After brownies have been cut, do not separate them yet! 
3. Spread room temperature ganache over the top of brownies (it is a lot less of a mess to cut brownies before covering with ganache!)
4. I would recommend storing the brownies in a airtight container in the refrigerator. 

ENJOY!

Hard Cider and Caramel Apple Cupcakes

This recipe is pretty time consuming, but if you like apples, or caramel, or just delicious treats in general-- IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT. I had to make a second batch of the filling, because I couldn't stop 'taste testing' it. I mean... I wouldn't want to give anyone cupcakes that were filled with a subpar filling, right? 

I made mine with Stella Artois Cider, because my husband brought home 3 cases from work, and I figured I had to use it up somehow. I would have to make quite a few more batches to even make a dent in it... but it was a good thought! Mostly I just used it as an excuse to try out a new recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Hard Cider Cupcakes:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup hard cider 
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup soymilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar 

Caramel Apple Filling:

• 4 medium/large apples (skinned, cored, and cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup hard cider
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons soymilk mixed with 3 tablespoons corn starch (make sure you mix it well and while the milk is cold- this will help the cornstarch blend all of the way into the milk.)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Vanilla Maple Cinnamon Frosting:

• 1/2 cup vegan shortening 
• 1 tablespoon maple extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 2-5 tablespoons soymilk (more or less depending on desired consistency)

Preparing the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Line standard cupcake pans for 16 cupcakes
3. In a stand mixer, put all of the dry cupcake ingredients into mixing bowl. Allow to mix on the slowest speed while preparing wet ingredients. 
4. In a separate bowl (I just put everything into a 2 cup measuring cup) add all of the wet cupcake ingredients and just mix slightly to combine. 
5. While still on the lowest speed, slowly add the wet mixture to the dry. Mix until all of the wet mixture is incorporated.
6. Split evenly into the lined cupcake tins. (about 2/3 full)
7. Bake for about 16-18 minutes, until the top of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. 
8. Allow to cool completely before filling.

Preparing the Filling  

1. Put prepared apple pieces, cinnamon, and hard cider into medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until apples soften. (Be careful not to cook too long, because you will want the apple pieces to keep their shape!)
2. After apples are done cooking, drain the remaining liquid and let the apples cool.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat.
4. Once butter is melted, add the sugars and vanilla. Stir until sugars melt into the butter.
5. Once sugars melt, add the milk/cornstarch mixture. Mix well and keep on medium heat.
6. Let mixture come to a boil; once it reaches a boil, stir continuously and cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat on low.
7. Carefully add apples to the mixture and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure sugar does not burn.
8. Allow Mixture to cool before filling cupcakes.

Preparing the Frosting

1. In stand mixer, beat shortening for 3 minutes on a medium speed to smooth it out. Turn to lowest speed.
2. While still beating, add extracts.
3. Slowly add powdered sugar. (Make sure you don't add it too fast, or you're going to make a mess!)
4. Add soymilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you've reached your desired consistency. When you've finished adding the soymilk, turn the mixer to a high speed and beat for 5 minutes to fluff the frosting!

Assembling the Cupcakes!

1. Using a cupcake corer, or a knife, remove the center of each cupcake, leaving a layer on the bottom so the filling doesn't leak out. (Save the centers!)
2. Fill the cupcakes with the caramel apple filling.
3. Use the centers you saved to cover the filling. Push the centers down a little to stick them in securely. If you want a flat cupcake surface, you can use half of the center.
4. Frost the cupcakes. I piped my frosting, but you can just spread it on if you don't have a piping bag.
5. Use any remaining filling mixture to top the cupcakes for an added bonus!
6. Enjoy!!