Vegan Bourbon Apple Pie Cake

Apples and Bourbon.
Bourbon and Apples...
It's a match made in Heaven.
After using bourbon in so many of my desserts of the holidays,
I figure, why stop now?
People love bourbon!
And they also love when I add bourbon into anything that I bake.
So, what could be better than combining my apple pie cake with my bourbon apple pie.
Boom!
Delicious!

Vegan Bourbon Apple Pie Cake
*Prepare the apple marinade and soak apples overnight

Apple Marinade:
3-5 Granny Smith apples or other tart apple
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3-4 Tablespoons of bourbon
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, rice, coconut, almond- whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Night Before:
1. Peel and slice apples.
2. Place apples in a medium bowl and add the marinade ingredients.
3. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Next Day:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour cake pan.  The more design on the pan, the better it turns out since this cake just has a glaze.
3. Combine all of the dry cake ingredients and mix well.
4. Add non-dairy milk, oil, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar into the dry ingredients.
5. Place a layer of marinated apples in the bottom of the pan. (This will be the top of the cake)

6. Pour a layer of cake batter over the top of the apples.
7.  Now alternate layering apples and batter until you've used it all up.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Let it cool completely before adding a sugar glaze.
Share and enjoy with those you love!

Apple Pie Vegan Cupcakes

I was born loving apples.
Whenever I was asked if I wanted juice,

I would pick apple over orange.
Same thing when I had any choice with fruit...
if there was something with apples, then my decision was really easy because I was going with the apple dish.

I guess the apple doesn't really fall far from the tree,
because my dad loves anything with apples too.
Apple pie was a staple growing up for holidays
and it continues to be something that can be found at family gatherings.

So when I was thinking about what kind of cupcakes I wanted to make for a friends' baby shower, I thought back to what she loved to order from me as a comfort food.  Immediately I knew...apple pie.  She orders my Dutch Apple Pie when she needs a little hug from my oven to her tummy, so making apple pie cupcakes with dutch apple crumbles seemed the perfect thing to spoil her.

~Apple Butter~

Apple Pie Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (soy, rice, coconut, almond- whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 apple butter or cinnamon applesauce 
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbs.  non-dairy milk 
1 tsp vanilla extract
water- add a tsp at a time until you get the consistency that you would like.

Dutch Crumbles

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted vegan margarine

1/4 cup flour

1 cup quick oats

-------Stir all the ingredients together and broil until crispy.

Directions 
1. To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with oil spray.  Or use my favorite baking cups.  I LOVE these! 
3. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in bowl. 
4. Stir in non-dairy milk, apple butter, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
5. Mix well. 
6. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool completely.

8. To make Icing: Beat all ingredients with electric mixer until smooth. 
Pipe onto cupcakes and sprinkle crumbles over the top. 

Let the cupcake icing set up a bit and then enjoy!

Dreamsicle Cupcakes- Vegan

I'm living in a test kitchen.
 It's a difficult job, but someone has to do it.

I don't really HAVE to...but I really like trying out new recipes.
At least this time I have a reason to test things out.  This weekend is the Annual Fences for Fido Gala, and yours truly will be donating cupcakes and cakes to be auctioned off to raise money for unchaining dogs.  If that's not a good reason to test recipes, than I really, really don't know what is!

Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. orange extract
• 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbs. grated orange zest

Filling 
Filling recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup soy milk powder
• 2 tsp vanilla 

 -For filling, mix well for at least ten minutes...you want this very light and fluffy.  Also, make it right before you fill the cakes.

Icing

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbs. soy milk
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 1 Tbs. orange zest
• Orange food coloring (Mix red and yellow)

Directions

1. To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with oil spray.
3. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
4. Stir in juice, oil, vinegar, orange extract, and orange zest.
5. Mix well.
6. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely.
8. Make the filling according to the directions above.
9. Cut the centers out of the cupcakes and add the filling.

10. To make Icing: Beat all ingredients with electric mixer until smooth. Spread on cupcakes.

Let the cupcake icing set up and decorate any way you'd like.
Enjoy!

 

Murphy agrees that these cupcakes are fabulous and that you must try them!

Apple Pie Bread-Vegan

In my family, there is nothing better than my Mom's apple pie.

She has this magical way of transforming simple ingredients

 into the most delicious thing you've ever tasted.

It's a beautiful mix of tart apples, cinnamon, and sugar,

that makes even those that don't like apple pie, 

re-think everything that they've ever though about pie.

Yes, it's that good.

It's so certifiably good,

that people (me) 

dream about the beautiful thing that is a classic apple pie.

I knew that if I was to ever call myself a baker, 

I too would have to master the gorgeous, simple beauty of my mom's pie.

It's taken a few years, 

but I feel that I can now say that I have it down...well, almost.

Somehow, her pie still tastes like Heaven on Earth to me. 

So I thought...

and I had a little time to think while sick this past week...

What if I made a bread that tasted like a little slice of pie?

Wouldn't that be fun and delicious?

Well, heck yeah it'd be fun!

But you be the judge,

does this taste like apple pie to you?

Apple Pie Bread (Vegan)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 egg equivalent with Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
1 cup sugar
2 tbls vegan butter or shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
2 granny smith apples, sliced
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Icing Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
water to dissolve and make glaze

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Slice apples and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp cinnamon
2. Sift to combine flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. Use a mixer to blend together the egg-replacer, sugar, vegan butter, vanilla, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
4. Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
5. Add oil and mix well.
6. Layer 2/3 of the sliced apples in the parchment paper lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.

7. Pour batter on top of the apples.
8. Place the remaining apple slices on top of the batter. Optional: Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (Not really optional in my world)

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the bread comes out clean.
10. Let the bread cool completely before adding the glaze. Or opt out of adding a glaze...I did. It smelled too good to wait to glaze it.

Let the glaze set up before slicing. Or not.  :)
Either way, enjoy!

Baked Donuts- Simply Vegan

It's time to make the donuts!
I mean really?
Who doesn't love donuts?!

Over the summer I found a brand-new donut pan at a garage sale.

Which is my favorite way to find "new" baking dishes...

I just wait until a fade finishes being the "new, hot" thing, 

then I swoop in and purchase those items from them.

It's a perfect relationship...

for me. 

As you know by now, 

I can't just make something according to the recipe. 

I need to mix it up.

And in this case, 

since these donuts were going to a fence build in McMinnville, 

I wanted to make these vegan.

Baked Donuts-Simply Vegan

-Chocolate Dipped 

-Vanilla Dipped with Sparkles

Modified from Mom's Need to Know

INGREDIENTS (yields 12)

Donut batter:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
• 2 egg equivalent of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
• 2 tbsp melted vegan butter

Vanilla Glaze:

• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Glaze:

2 cup powdered sugar

3 tbsp coconut milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 tbls. Hershey's cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add lemon juice or vinegar to coconut milk (buttermilk substitute).
2. Preheat oven to 425. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray
3. Combine dry donut ingredients in large bowl.
4. Add coconut milk, egg replacer and melted vegan butter.
5. Stir just until well mixed.
6. Fill each ring of the donut pan about 2/3, try not to overfill!
7. Bake about 8 minutes, until tops rebound when pressed.
8. Leave donut in pan for about a couple minutes.
9. Remove from pan and set on cooling rack.
10. In a small bowl just big enough to dip donuts, combine glaze ingredients and stir until smooth.
11. Dip top of donut into topping of choice.
12. Hold above bowl allowing excess glaze to drip off and back in the bowl.
13. Place donut on wax paper or return to cooling rack.
14. Add sprinkles, if wanted, the glaze dries quickly.
15. Wait a few minutes for the glaze to set.

According to the taste-testers at the fence build for Fences For Fido, these were a tasty treat.

I think that donuts will be a part of my treats in the future too.

Of course, I will be trying different flavors!  Who wants to eat the same thing every build?!

Well, the volunteers might, but I definitely like to mix it up.

ENJOY!!

Simply Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Sometimes a person just feels like making cinnamon rolls.
Actually, sometimes a person just wants to eat a cinnamon roll.
Rather than get in the car and drive to a bakery,
this person...me, would rather spend hours making them.
Sounds a bit crazy, but that's me.
I can be a little nutty.
But that's okay, these rolls are a little nutty too.
So it works.

Now I grew up with my mom making the zenith of all cinnamon rolls...

Her rolls were a little twist of heaven. 

So when I try to make them, I'm always trying to make them as good as hers.

I have her recipe, and yes, I can recreate them, but it's definitely not vegan.

And that is the goal today.  

A vegan cinnamon roll that could rival my mom's...it's a difficult task, but someone's got to do it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, soy, etc.)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup Earth balance (vegan butter), 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 or 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbl sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2- 1 cup chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1/4 cup water to approx. 110 degrees, add yeast, and let it activate for 10 minutes.  The yeast will bubble up to approx 2/3 cup. Then add 1 Tbl sugar, the salt, and stir.
2. In a large sauce pan (or in a bowl in the microwave at 30 sec increments), heat the almond milk and 3 Tbls coconut oil until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees, or the temperature of bath water. 
3. Transfer the yeast mixture and milk mixture together in a mixing bowl.
4. Next add in flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until it forms a loose ball. Rinse your mixing bowl out, coat it with canola or grapeseed oil, and add your dough ball back in. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 2 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with 1/2 cup of melted Earth Balance and top with 1/4 cup sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, chopped pecans, and 1/2 – 1Tbl cinnamon.

6.  Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. Then with a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 – 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 9 x 13 s pan (you should have about 12 rolls). Brush with remaining 2 Tbsp Earth Balance (melted) and cover with plastic wrap. Set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7.  Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, drizzle a simple icing, and then serve immediately.

Finally, as always...share these little rolls of love to those around you.
On reflection (and eating), I would add more of the butter, sugar, and pecan mixture to the middle or add a sticky-bun drizzle to the top before serving.  So, try it out and let me know what you think.  Then together we can try to make a vegan version of the heavenly rolls that my mom makes.

Enjoy,
Lori