Orange Olive Oil Muffins

orange olive oil muffins

Dates are an interesting ingredient that I’ve only come to appreciate later in life. I used to think that they were too sweet, but they taste wonderful when understood and used properly in a recipe.

The first thing I learned was that the varieties can be used interchangeably, with the two most common being Medjool and Deglet Noor. I had purchased Medjool in the past, but opted to try Deglet Noor as there are subtle differences between them. The Deglet Noor seemed lighter tasting with a honey quality, and less densely sweet, so I enjoyed the flavor. Another difference was their stickiness, so I made sure to blend them thoroughly before adding to a batter to avoid clumping.

An interesting thing I also discovered was that they weigh quite a bit less when they are older and drier. I would see in a recipe that one should soak dates if they are drier, so I measured out the weight of the dates and put them to soak in water. Surprisingly, they weighed about 10% more once fully soaked. So if you need to soak your dates for this recipe, then you should weigh them after and remove any if needed. And, feel free to use your favorite variety.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Orange Olive Oil Muffins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Dates, High Altitude, Muffin, Recipe

Servings: 18 muffins

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

2 12-cup muffin tins

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons soymilk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¼ cups 200 grams pitted dates (soaked in water if too dry, then drained)
½ cup olive oil
⅔ cup maple syrup
⅔ cup dairy-free yogurt
2 tablespoons date-soaking water or extra soymilk
2 teaspoons grated orange zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Use paper liners to line 18 cups of two 12-cup muffin pans.
Put the 1 cup + 2 tablespoons soymilk in a glass measuring cup and add the vinegar. Whisk to combine, then set aside at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to curdle.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a high-speed blender, add the drained dates, oil, maple syrup, yogurt, soaking water, and curdled milk. Blend until the dates are pulverized. (This will take several minutes). Add the orange zest and blend for 5 seconds to mix it in. Pour the liquid into a large bowl.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until just combined. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and stir again. Distribute the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, filling the cups two-thirds full.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the muffin tins halfway through baking. (You may need to do this one muffin tin at a time for even baking.) The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Set the tins on wire racks for 5 minutes to allow the muffins to cool, then remove the muffins and place them on wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.

Notes

Adapted from Moist Date Cake by addictedtodates

Dark Chocolate After-Dinner Truffles

Feb8

dark chocolate after-dinner truffles

February is National Heart Health Month. It is a time to celebrate everything to do with the heart, including emotional and physical aspects. Fortunately, you can honor it all with dark chocolate truffles.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, while enhancing mood by reducing negative emotions. And with Valentine’s Day sharing this month, a gift of dark chocolate spells L.O.V.E. which definitely boosts positive feelings. It also makes your tummy happy because everyone loves chocolate. (Admittedly not all people consume chocolate, but I don’t trust those people).

This brings me to today’s post on truffles. Finding recipes for truffles is not that difficult, and making them vegan is easy with the current plethora of vegan dairy available (hello plant-based cream). What is most important, however, is the method for making the truffles.

While studying Essential Vegan Desserts with Rouxbe I learned a fantastic way to combine the ingredients. It helps to ensure the most smooth and luscious chocolate base. Using this method I made one batch with olive oil, a trick I saw on an olive oil website, and one simpler batch with just the addition of flavored extract.

The two recipes are below: Mocha Truffles and Peppermint Truffles. They are similar, but I made them separately to keep the chocolate to liquid ratios correct. I also used a darker chocolate for the mocha version to complement the bitterness of the coffee.

They are perfect for a treat after dinner. The question is do you prefer an espresso after dining, like my hubby, or are you team peppermint, like me?

Helpful hint: The maple syrup in the mocha truffles should be at room temperature. Mine was too cold causing my truffle mixture to seize and become grainy. The picture below shows the glossy peppermint truffle mixture on the left, which is how it should look. The mocha mixture on the right is lighter and not shiny, and it was more difficult to work with.

bowls of truffle chocolate

Until next time, happy non-baking!

Print Recipe

Dark Chocolate After-Dinner Truffles

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Chocolate, Gluten Free, Mocha, Peppermint, Recipe, Truffle, Valentine Day

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Ingredients

for the Mocha Truffles

5 ounces quality bittersweet chocolate not chocolate chips
½ cup dairy-free cream
pinch salt
¾ teaspoon espresso granules
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
decorative sugars for coating

for the Peppermint Truffles

4 ounces quality semisweet chocolate not chocolate chips
⅓ cup dairy-free cream
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
crushed peppermint candies for coating

Instructions

for the Mocha Truffles

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Pour the dairy-free cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt and bring to a low boil. Quickly stir in the espresso granules then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately pour the flavored milk over the chopped chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is completely submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Remove the plate and whisk the chocolate into the milk from the center out, whisking only until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and whisk gently to combine.
Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for one hour until it gets to a solid but workable consistency. Place the decorative sugars in shallow bowls.
Scoop the mixture into balls the size of two teaspoons. Further shape the balls by quickly rolling them in your hands. Roll them in the sugars to coat.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

for the Peppermint Truffles

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Pour the dairy-free cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately pour the milk over the chopped chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is completely submerged. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Remove the plate and whisk the chocolate into the milk from the center out, whisking only until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the vanilla and whisk gently to combine.
Place the truffle mixture in the refrigerator for one hour until it gets to a solid but workable consistency. Place the crushed candies in a shallow bowl.
Scoop the mixture into balls the size of two teaspoons. Further shape the balls by quickly rolling them in your hands. Roll them in the crushed candies to coat.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Strawberry Tea Bread

Dec30

Strawberry Tea Bread

Just in time for Sunday brunch – I needed bread that would go great alongside eggs and mimosas. Strawberries are available everywhere so they were my first choice to flavor a bread. A short search of my files revealed a recipe for a vegan quick bread that incorporated these lovely berries.

For altitude I reduced sugar and baking soda. I added milk, although there was none, to help with dryness at altitude.To make it a little healthier, I took out some regular flour and put in whole wheat. The last change was substituting ginger for cinnamon, but that was merely to please my own taste buds. Add vegan cream cheese and fresh strawberries to a slice, and you’re set.

Strawberry Tea Bread adapted from Strawberry Quick Bread
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cups canola oil
1 TBS arrowroot powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TBS unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 1/2 cups mashed strawberries with their juice
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp powdered ginger
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 3 cavities of a mini loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix sugar and oil. In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and applesauce, then add to large bowl and stir. Stir milk and strawberries with juice into sugar mixture. Add baking soda, baking powder, and lemon juice, and whisk to combine evenly, without lumps. Stir in vanilla and ginger. One cup at a time, add flours and stir to incorporate into a smooth batter.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 30-33 minutes until tops turns golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and run a knife around the edges of each loaf. Allow loaves to cool for at least 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a wire rack.

Until next time, happy baking!

Lavender Earl Grey Tea Bread

Dec30

It’s January so the celebration for National Hot Tea Month is in full swing. Although, if you ask me, we should have a hot tea season that would span several months. I love drinking hot tea, especially when it keeps me warm.

What goes well with a cup of hot tea? Tea bread, of course. And the perfect tea bread contains an infusion of tea to permeate the baked good.

To come up with a complementary treat for my cuppa, I found a recipe for a tea cake with Earl Grey tea in it. The classic Earl Grey is black tea flavored with orange-scented bergamot. A new twist has the addition of lavender buds which rounds out the tea nicely, so I knew I wanted to include the floral profile.

I first altered the recipe by including the lavender flowers. Next, I changed it from gluten free to using all purpose flour because that’s what I had on hand. Feel free to use a gluten free flour blend instead.

Then I reduced the recipe so it would make four small loaves that would bake better at high altitude. For altitude I also switched it up to include a combination of baking soda and baking powder. There was no need for vegan changes because the recipe was already vegan.

The resulting mini breads were moist and extremely flavorful, reminiscent of honey cakes. With a hint of lavender when warmed and depth from the maple syrup, they are fantastic alongside a robust tea as well as an herbal blend. I froze a few loaves so I can savor them this month, and also enjoy them on a future tea drinking day.

Lavender Earl Grey Tea Bread adapted from Earl Grey Tea Cake

1.5 cups boiling water
3.5 teaspoons Earl Grey loose leaf tea
1/2 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers
1/3 cup dried currants
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Grease the sections of a mini bread tin (mine makes four breads measuring 5 x 2.5” each) and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the water, Earl Grey tea, and lavender in a heat-proof container. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the leaves. Add 1/2 cup of tea back to the container, saving the other 1 cup of tea for later. Place dried currants in the 1/2 cup of tea, cover, and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the oil and maple syrup to a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the vanilla and 1 cup of tea to the oil-syrup mixture. Whisk until combined, then stir in the tea with the currants.

Add the liquid mixture to the ingredients in the dry bowl and stir until combined and no longer lumpy. Distribute the batter evenly into the sections of the tin. Bake for 34-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a bread comes away clean or with a few small crumbs.

Let the breads fully cool in the tin placed on a wire rack. Run a knife along the outside edges of each bread to loosen, then tip the loaves out.

Until next time, happy baking!

Festive Holiday Cookies roundup

Dec14

These cookies are sure to impress at a holiday gathering or have them oohing over a gift tin.

Ginger Maple Shortbread -- vegan and gluten-free

Check out this recipe

cranberry orange shortbread - gluten free option

Cranberry Orange Shortbread with Hibiscus Glaze + gluten-free option

Check out this recipe

Spritz Style Butter Cookies

Check out this recipe

Amazing Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Check out this recipe

Apricot Pistachio Bark with Tahini Swirl

Check out this recipe

Oreo Cookie Pie

Sep28

oreo cookie pie

The weather is cooling down, an indicator that fall had finally arrived. The lower temperatures and color-turning leaves take me back to my childhood and the return to school. Books, studying, and snack-packs of Oreo cookie sandwiches come to mind.

I still have my head in books, and I’m a perpetual student, so bring on the chocolate cookie sandwiches. But this time, make them in a decadent pie form with extra creamy goodness.

The following recipe, that I adapted from Cookies and Cream Pie, only required vegan swaps for the regular dairy ingredients. Fortunately, Oreo cookies are “accidentally” vegan making this dessert fairly simple. The hard part was not devouring half of it in one sitting.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Oreo Cookie Pie

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Chocolate, Fall, Oreo Cookie, Pie, Recipe

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

1 8 x 8-inch baking pan
Stand Mixer

Ingredients

for the crust

24 Oreo sandwich cookies or other chocolate creme-filled cookie sandwiches
4.5 tablespoons vegan butter melted

for the filling

1 cup plant cream cold
3/4 cup powdered sugar sifted, divided
8 ounces brick-style vegan cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 Oreo sandwich cookies or other chocolate creme-filled cookie sandwiches, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Pulse the 24 cookies in a food processor until you reach a fine crumb. Place the crumbs in a bowl and stir in the melted vegan butter. Pour the crust mixture into the lined baking pan, pressing it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. You can use the bottom of a clean glass for this. Bake for 10 minutes, then set on a wire rack to cool.
While the crust cools, prepare the filling by placing the plant cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip the mixture into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, for about 4 minutes. Scoop the whipped cream into a bowl and set aside.
Wipe out the bowl of the stand mixer and add the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla and the remaining 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to the bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, stopping to check once or twice to ensure there are no large lumps remaining.
Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream and chopped Oreos into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Keep as much air in the whipped cream as possible. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled crust. Use an offset spatula to flatten the top. Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours and up to 2 days.
To serve, remove from the refrigerator and cut into slices with a sharp knife. Enjoy immediately, as the pie gets mushy if it gets too warm.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Aug25

fresh peach ice cream

We may be nearing the end of summertime, but the high temperatures still linger. While I sit in my house with the air conditioning blasting, I daydream of strolling along the beach. A refreshing breeze rustles through my hair as I collect sea glass. And after I gather my treasures, I wander to the nearest scoop shop and dig into a cool bowl of ice cream.

The ice cream I imagine is from peaches because we are at the height of peach season where I live. Sweet, juicy peaches are everywhere. So, although I am not near a sandy coast, I can still make the peach ice cream from my relaxing vision.

Making ice cream is not very difficult with the help of a machine. Creating a vegan version is also not that hard, especially after getting an inspiration from The Banana Diaries. In their recipe, vegan sweetened condensed milk is used instead of having to melt sugar into heavy cream. This means the ice cream base does not need heating thereby allowing for an almost instant dessert. Except when you have no oat milk sweetened condensed milk and have to make your own. But that is a recipe for another day.

Until next time, happy non-baking!

Print Recipe

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Ice Cream, Peach, Raw, Summer

Equipment

Ice Cream Maker
Blender

Ingredients

3 medium peaches about 2.5 cups, skins and pits removed
1/2 cup vegan sweetened condensed milk cold
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon plant-based heavy cream cold
1 tablespoon limoncello or peach brandy cold

Instructions

Put your ice cream insert into the freezer per the manufacturer’s instructions; many require 24 hours in the freezer prior to making ice cream.
Place the peaches in a high speed blender. Blend until you have a smooth puree. Add the sweetened condensed milk and cream and blend until smooth. Add limoncello (if your peaches are very sweet) or peach brandy (if your peaches are less sweet). Blend until well mixed.
To make the ice cream, prepare in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store in the freezer. Makes 1 quart.

Brown Butter Blondies with Cherries and Chocolate Chips

Jul13

brown butter blondies with cherries and chocolate chips

Vegan butter has come a long way over the years. In the past the only option was run-of-the-mill margarine, but now some butter versions will actually brown. This may not sound like a big deal, but the act of browning changes not just the color but the flavor as well. As the butter turns amber in color, the flavor deepens. And if you are browning butter together with sugar, then you will be treated to a rich, butterscotch scent and taste.

Butter is often melted before adding to bar cookies, so I thought I’d start there but go one step further (as usual) and use browned butter to achieve a deeper flavor. After finding a vegan blondie recipe that called for melted butter, I then went one more step further by adding fresh and dried cherries to the batter.

All of my extras paid off! I achieved a rich dessert with my flavorful blondie. I also had a kitchen that smelled like a bit of heaven.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Brown Butter Blondies with Cherries and Chocolate Chips

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Bar Cookies, Blondies, Cherry, Chocolate, Recipe

Servings: 12 servings

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

8 x 8-inch baking pan
heavy bottomed saucepan

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried cherries chopped
1/2 cup vegan butter a brand than browns
1 cup firmly packed organic light brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons nondairy milk
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup fresh cherries pitted and chopped
1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Place the dried cherries in a small bowl and soak them in water (or complementary-flavored juice). Set aside.
Place the vegan butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan set over low to medium heat. Just before the butter is fully melted, add all the brown sugar at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is uniformly wet. Increase the heat to medium. Stir occasionally until the mixture looks like molten lava instead of wet sand, 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure to stir the entire bottom of the pot, and watch closely to see when the mixture changes.
Take the now molten lava mixture off the heat. Add the vanilla and stir well to incorporate. Add the milk, stir it in thoroughly, and set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl. Add the cooled browned butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Strain the soaked cherries and add them to the bowl along with the fresh cherries and chocolate chips. Fold the cherries and chips gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake the pan to smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool the blondies completely before cutting.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for up to 3 days.

Notes

Based on Chocolate Chunk Blondies by Robin Robertson

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Pudding

Feb10

chocolate cupcakes filled with strawberry pudding

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The time of love and chocolate, and sometimes strawberries. To honor this holiday, I like to combine chocolate and strawberries (with love) in a decadent dessert.

There are several vegan chocolate cupcake recipes in my repertoire, so I pulled one up and searched for a strawberry aspect. Simply Delish Instant Strawberry Pudding is quick and vegan, so I knew it would make the perfect match for my chocolate cupcakes.

To give the cupcakes extra love, they were decorated with hearts. I used decorative sugar crystals by Color Garden, rainbow softies sprinkles by Supernatural, and some red sparkly stuff without a label that I found with my decorating supplies. Yeah, it got crazy in the kitchen.

Until next time, happy baking!

Print Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Pudding

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The time of love and chocolate, and sometimes strawberries. To honor this holiday, I like to combine chocolate and strawberries (with love) in a decadent dessert.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: Baking, Chocolate, Cupcake, High Altitude, Valentines Day

Servings: 6

Author: The Decadent Vegan Baker

Equipment

1 Stand Mixer
1 Pastry Bag
1 Muffin Tin

Ingredients

for the cupcakes

1/2 cup soy milk
1.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/8 cup natural cocoa powder not Dutch process
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons aquafaba
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup vegan granulated sugar

for the filling

1 box instant strawberry pudding (I used Simply Delish)
1.25 cups plant-based creamer

for the frosting

6 tablespoons cold vegan butter
2 tablespoons vegan shortening
3 cups vegan powdered sugar sifted
3 teaspoons non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cups and set aside. Place soy milk in a jar and add the apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and shake gently to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes to curdle.
Put cocoa powder in a large heatproof bowl. Add boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in curdled milk, oil, aquafaba, and 3/4 tsp vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl, sift flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until they are half full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Empty the packet of pudding into a mixing bowl with the creamer. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat on slow for 3-5 minutes until light and creamy. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with the tip cut off. (No pastry tip needed). Set aside.
Next, make the frosting. Place the vegan butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the non-dairy milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla, until it is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
When the cupcakes have cooled, use a small knife or a cupcake corer to make a small well in the center of each cupcake. (Remove the cupcake bits to snack on). Using the pastry bag with the pudding filling, pipe the filling into the well to be level with the top of each cupcake.
Spoon a dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake, thus covering the filling. Smooth the frosting with a regular or offset spatula. Decorate as desired with whatever you have on hand.
Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Notes

You will have leftover pudding and frosting. This is not a bad thing. They are great sandwiched between two cookies.

Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples

Sep30

Pumpkin Spice season has arrived! Admittedly, I do not like pumpkin spice in my beverages, however unpopular my idea may be. Cinnamon yes, but not the blend. However, the mix of spices is delicious in baked goods.

Apple season has also arrived, and apples and pumpkin spice pair together perfectly. Spiced apples are lovely to cook up, but I wanted something more substantial to make. The idea struck to use applesauce cake as a backdrop for spicy warm apples.

In my search for an applesauce cake, I looked at many recipes for cakes, quick breads, and cupcakes. What I came up with is a vegan mashup of all of them. I hope you enjoy my Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples for dessert, breakfast, or whenever you want a snack. It is best warm because the smells and tastes come alive.

Applesauce Spice Cake with Spiced Apples

for the cake
shortening, to grease the baking pan
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup maple or coconut sugar
1.25 teaspoons baking powder
.75 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cups apple juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons canola oil
for the spiced apples
4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two 8-inch round baking pans with shortening, then line them with parchment paper and grease the paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup maple sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, apple juice, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, then whisk to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the spiced apples.

Sauté the apples in a nonstick skillet set on medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 tablespoon oil, 3 tablespoons maple sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the apples are tender, about 5 more minutes.

When the cakes have cooled, tip them out onto serving plates and top with warm spiced apples.

Until next time, happy baking!