Dairy-free

Name: Hummingbird Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp salt; 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 3/4 cup coconut sugar; 5 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk; 6 Tbsp extra light olive oil; 3 large eggs; 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana (~2-3 bananas); 1 cup (8oz) crushed pineapple (with juice); 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted; 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temp (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks); 1/4 cup shortening; 8oz vegan cream cheese, straight from the refrigerator (I used Trader Joe's brand); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2-2 lbs powdered sugar

Hummingbird Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

April 17, 2019 by Rachael Ng 1 Comment

You may know by now that I try to make desserts that are both delicious and (a bit) better for you than traditional baked goods. But when it comes to cake, I simply can’t accept any substitutes for a sugary, buttery frosting. Keep your whipped cream and coconut butter, I NEED BUTTERCREAM. Or in my case vegan buttercream.

I’ve attempted vegan buttercream frostings in the past, and this one is by far my favorite. It’s devilishly sweet, buttery tasting, and stable enough to frost a 3-layer cake in an 80°F apartment. The secret? Add a bit of vegetable shortening. Yes. I know. Maybe you think it’s gross or too unhealthy. But the shortening really helps to stabilize this frosting. You could leave the shortening out and replace it with vegan butter, but I can’t vouch for the results.

As for making the vegan buttercream, it really is so simple. You’ll need vegan butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks), vegan cream cheese (I used Trader Joe’s brand), vegetable shortening, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Lots of powdered sugar. You’ll want the vegan butter to soften to room temperature, but you’ll keep the vegan cream cheese in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make your frosting. Before you add the cream cheese to your mixing bowl, pour out any liquid that has pooled at the top.

The cake itself is pretty straight-forward. I made an 8″ 3-layer cake, but this amount of batter will work for a 9″ 2-layer cake or even a thick 6″ 3-layer cake. For 8″ or 9″ pans, the cake layers will be thin and flat enough that you won’t need to trim the tops off. For a totally vegan cake, check the “notes” section below.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Banana and pineapple make up a classic Hummingbird Cake. I like my bananas mashed and my pineapple crushed but feel free to chop your banana or use pineapple chunks!

Toasted pecans have a more prominent flavor than non toasted pecans, and it takes so little time to pop them in the oven and let them toast.

Extra light olive oil gives this cake moisture while maintaining a low flavor profile.

White whole wheat flour is a whole wheat flour that’s lighter in color and sweeter in taste. It’s milled from the whole hard white wheat berry, so it has more naturally occurring nutrients than all-purpose flour.

All-purpose flour helps keep this cake soft. It balances out the white whole wheat flour.

Cinnamon and nutmeg add a bit of cozy spice. Feel free to play with your spices, adding more or less to suit your tastes.

Yield: 12 servings

Hummingbird Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

A Classic Hummingbird cake made dairy-free! With bananas, pineapple, toasted pecans, and thick layers of you-can't-tell-it's-vegan Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, this cake will not disappoint!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

Hummingbird Cake

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup coconut sugar
5 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
6 Tbsp extra light olive oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana (~2-3 bananas)
1 cup (8oz) crushed pineapple (with juice)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temp (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
1/4 cup shortening
8oz vegan cream cheese, straight from the refrigerator (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2-2 lbs powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your cake pans. Spray each pan with olive oil and then line the bottoms with a parchment paper circle. If your pecans aren't already toasted, now would be a good time to toast them - spread them out on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for around 10 minutes or until toasted. If you plan to frost your cake the same day, you can set out your vegan butter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut sugar. Stir in the toasted chopped pecans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add in the mashed banana and pineapple. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix until no flour pockets remain.
Divide the batter equally into your pans. For three 8" pans, bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs, being sure to rotate your pans halfway through baking.
Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Run a butter knife around the edges, invert a cooling rack over the top, and then flip over. Your cakes should all come out easily. Gently remove the parchment paper circles and throw away.
Once your cakes have cooled completely, you can make your frosting. Drain liquid from the vegan cream cheese, and then, in a large bowl, beat together the vegan butter, shortening, and vegan cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add 16oz of the powdered sugar and beat. Continue adding powdered sugar until you've reached the desired consistency. If you end up adding too much sugar, you can add water or nut milk 1 tsp at a time to thin the frosting out.
Now you can begin frosting your cake! I added 3/4 cup of frosting between each layer and then smoothed the rest onto the sides and top of the cake. Decorate your cake with pecans and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator if your home is warm.

Notes

For vegan cake: use 3 flax eggs in place of the eggs. 1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp water. Let thicken for 5 minutes.
For 2-layer cake: this recipe will also work for two 9" cakes. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, check cakes, and continue baking until done.
To make ahead: Cakes can be made in advance. Once totally cool, wrap each cake in plastic wrap and then wrap in foil, being sure to seal totally. Refrigerate until ready to frost.
For less sugar: you can use less frosting between the layers and make a "naked" cake.

Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies (dairy-free!)

April 15, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

If you’ve never tried an Orange Sugar Cookie then you’re in for a treat, because these cookies are seriously good and easily a new family favorite. Packed with orange zest and almond extract, they’re super flavorful and soft and chewy enough to stay fresh for days.

I put a little less sugar in these than my other sugar cookies, and I made them nice and thick by using only baking powder. The dough comes together in no time, and then it goes into the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up.

I’ve made this recipe in a few different varieties, so I think it’s pretty fail-proof. As long as you follow the method below, you’ll end up with delicious, soft Orange Sugar Cookies!

Once your cookies come out of the oven, feel free to sprinkle them with a bit of sugar or extra orange zest, or leave them as-is – I’m confident you’ll enjoy them either way!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Cane sugar is much lighter in color than coconut sugar, so I opted to use an unrefined cane sugar for this recipe. I didn’t want brown Orange cookies!

Baking powder is what gives these cookies their thickness. Make sure you don’t use baking soda, which will make the cookies spread too much.

Extra light olive oil is light in flavor and color, which helps these cookies keep their pretty orange color. I don’t recommend using coconut oil in this recipe as I don’t know how it will affect the cookies.

Egg + egg yolk gives these cookies their chewy and soft texture. I added an extra yolk for moisture and ultimate chewiness!

Almond extract makes for a delicious pairing with orange! Since the orange zest is such a strong flavor, you’ll add 2 whole teaspoons of almond extract to make sure both flavors comes through.

Yield: 13 cookies

Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup extra light olive oil
2 tsp pure almond extract
3 Tbsp orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)

Vegan Chocolate Flax Cookies

April 12, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

This is a recipe I created around the time I first started recipe testing. Back then, I would try to come up with new recipes off the top of my head. And with that came a lot of trial and error. Baking cookies with coconut oil was super tricky for me at first. Sometimes the cookies would spread way too much, get too crispy at the edges, or even not spread enough!

These cookies have such a lovely flavor and texture. I’d actually forgotten just how good they are. The best part? They’re vegan and packed with good-for-you flaxseed meal! And they’re delicious. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with lots of chocolate flavor and the tiniest bit of crunch thanks to the flaxseed meal.

I love these cookies, and I enjoyed re-baking them after so long. But you must follow the ingredients and method precisely. You’ll want to measure your coconut oil as a solid and then melt it. If it’s already melted, then pour it into your liquid measuring cup until you have a bit more than 1/3 cup (I know. I know.).

As for the refrigeration, it is mandatory. If your dough is too greasy to handle after it’s first mixed (this has to do with the temperature in your home affecting the coconut oil) pop your scooped dough balls into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before rolling them smooth. Then (no matter what) you must refrigerate your dough balls for 20 minutes prior to baking. Don’t worry, this is all outlined below.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Flaxseed meal (along with water) makes for a wonderful egg replacement. It’s the only vegan egg replacer that I use when baking. Flax seeds are also high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.

Coconut sugar is my go-to low Glycemic Index sweetener. It’s less likely to spike your blood sugar as intensely as cane sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

Coconut oil is a great butter substitute when it comes to cookies. For this recipe, we melt it first to make sure our cookies are tender and soft. If you don’t like the taste of coconut (or just prefer your treats without the flavor) you can use refined coconut oil which has no flavor.

Cocoa powder helps give these cookies that rich double-chocolate flavor. You’ll want to use the natural, regular cocoa powder, or even cacao powder, for this recipe.

Baking powder helps these cookies keep their shape. Be sure to use powder instead of soda.

Yield: 12 cookies

Vegan Chocolate Flax Cookies

Rich and chocolate-y cookies made vegan with high fiber, good-for-you flaxseed meal! These cookies taste so good, no one will be able to tell they're better for you than the average cookie!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 47 minutes

Ingredients

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp water)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (measure solid and then melt)
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions

Make your flax egg by combining 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 Tbsp water; set aside to thicken. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract; set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flaxseed meal until totally combined.
Stir flax egg into wet ingredients and add wet ingredients to dry. Use a wooden spoon or large spatula to mix the ingredients together. Add 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and mix.
Scoop dough balls 1.5 Tbsp in size onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Roll dough balls smooth and press extra chocolate chips into the tops. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Prepare a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough balls to room temperature baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 6 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Move to a cooling rack. Store leftover in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

refrigerating the dough balls is super important for proper shape! Don't skip this step!

Glazed Orange Almond Muffins (dairy-free!)

April 3, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

I feel like I say this about a lot of the things I bake, but these muffins are seriously so delicious you’ll want to eat half of the batch at once! The fluffy Orange Almond Muffins are so good all on their own, but then you add the Orange Almond Glaze and OMG it’s one of the best muffins I’ve ever had!!

Anyone else out there remember the orange cinnamon rolls in a can (or still bake them)? We had those a lot growing up, and these glazed muffins took me right back there (in the best way possible!). Lots of freshly grated orange zest and pure almond extract make for a seriously good flavor combo in these muffins.

The recipe is a standard two-bowl set up. You’ll mix your wet ingredients and then your dry, and then gently mix them together. You can play with the amounts of orange zest and almond extract, but after three test batches, the recipe below reflects the amounts I feel are perfect for these muffins.

You can use regular all-purpose flour if you’d like, though the muffins may not come out as fluffy. The coconut sugar can be replaced with white or brown cane sugar or even Stevia in the raw, if you’re into that. If you’re looking for a vegan recipe, then you can simply use flax eggs in place of the regular eggs (see notes).

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Whole wheat pastry flour makes for excellently fluffy muffins and quick breads. These muffins come out light and fluffy thanks to this special flour.

Unsweetened applesauce is a great substitute for oil + adds natural sweetness and moisture.

Coconut sugar is my favorite low GI sweetener, which means it won’t spike blood sugar levels the same way other sweeteners (like cane sugar, honey, and maple syrup) do. It tastes nothing like coconut, so don’t fret if you’re worried about that!

Orange zest gives you lots of bang for your buck in these muffins. It brings powerful and delicious flavor and pretty sprinkle-like pops of orange to the glaze.

Orange juice adds a bit more of an orange flavor to the muffins. I tested the recipe without it but liked the muffins even more with the extra orange flavor!

Almond extract is one of my favorite flavors for cake. It pairs so perfectly with the orange in these muffins that the Orange Almond Glaze will forever replace any other orange glaze.

Yield: 10 Standard Muffins

Glazed Orange Almond Muffins

Fluffy and moist Orange Almond Muffins made with fresh orange zest and pure almond extract, topped with the most delicious Orange Almond Glaze! If you're a fan of orange, then you will love these dairy-free, better-for-you muffins!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

2 large eggs
1/3 cup coconut sugar
3 Tbsp light olive oil
2 Tbsp nut milk (or oat milk)
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (2-4 oranges)

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1 tsp finely grated orange zest (1/2-1 orange)
4 1/2 tsp nut milk (or oat milk)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your muffin pan with liners or non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the olive oil, nut milk, orange juice, almond extract, and applesauce; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold in the liquid ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Add the orange zest and gently mix.
Fill 10 muffin wells with batter. You want to fill them to about a 1/4" from the top. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a couple of crumbs. To avoid making multiple toothpick holes, you can lightly tap the top of a muffin and see if it springs back. If it's done, it will spring back without leaving a finger dent.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack. Allow muffins to cool totally before making your glaze.
In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar, almond extract, and orange zest. Add nut milk 1 tsp at a time until you reach a consistency that is thin enough for spreading but pours off a spoon (it will thin more once it's warmed up).
Heat glaze on low heat, stirring constantly, until just warm to the touch. Remove from heat and dip each muffin into the warm glaze, allowing the extra glaze to drip off before turning the muffin over. Glaze will crust within a few minutes so work fast! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

For Vegan: use 2 flax eggs in place of the regular eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp water; let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.

All-purpose flour will work just fine in place of the whole wheat pastry flour

You will have leftover glaze, but I found that it's easier to dip the muffins if there's a bit more to work with. You can cut the recipe by 1/3 if you'd like

Grain-Free Orange Brownies (dairy-free!)

March 31, 2019 by Rachael Ng 1 Comment

Where are my fudgy brownie lovers at?! I love an ooey-gooey fudgy brownie! You know, the kind that you’re not quite sure are even done. There’s just something so good about warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownies.

These Orange Brownies are by far one of my favorite recipes. They’re made with low GI coconut sugar (and also a cup and a half of chocolate chips!), coconut oil, and arrowroot starch in place of any flour. So they’re gluten/grain-free and dairy-free. And seriously delicious! I adapted this recipe from Amanda at Running with Spoons, and it’s one of the best “healthier” brownie recipes!

For this recipe, you’ll use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and oil together, whip up the sugar and eggs, and zest a few oranges. As long as you follow the recipe and instructions exactly as-is, then you’ll end up with ultra-fudgy, perfectly crinkle-topped brownies that rival any other traditional brownie. For real.

I baked this recipe up three times and found that it’s vital to use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate in order to get that beautiful, shiny top. I used chopped dark chocolate for one batch, and the brownies came out dull and smooth – not crinkly at all! So I suggest only using chocolate chips!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is a low GI, unrefined sugar. This means that it places lower on the glycemic index scale than cane sugar, honey, and maple syrup, so it has less of an effect on blood sugar levels. It tastes nothing like coconut, and, in my opinion, tastes less sweet than regular white sugar.

Coconut oil is a great dairy-free alternative to butter (and it’s better for you!). These brownies are so rich I don’t taste the coconut, but if you prefer a dessert with no trace of coconut then I recommend making these with refined coconut oil.

Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free, corn-free starch that can work with any recipe that calls for corn starch. It lends to a softer, lighter texture in baked goods.

Instant coffee (as well as espresso powder) is great for adding to chocolate baked goods, because it enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor. So your brownies will taste more chocolate-y!

Yield: 16

Grain-Free Orange Brownies

Ultra-fudgy chocolate brownies flavored with freshly grated orange zest. These rich brownies are loaded with delicious chocolate and made with no dairy or grain!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
1 1/2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tsp instant coffee granules
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)
4 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I like to use olive oil spray) and parchment paper. Cut your parchment paper long enough that it hangs over the sides of your dish for easy brownie removal. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate chips, coconut oil, instant coffee, and cocoa powder. Place on top of a pot of simmering water (making sure it's not touching the water), stirring the mixture frequently until everything is melted. Set bowl aside to cool off.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add your eggs and coconut sugar. Set to medium speed and add in the vanilla extract. Whisk for 5-10 minutes or until mixture has thickened and is light brown in color.
Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together until totally combined - move slowly so you don't deflate the mixture. This will take a couple of minutes. Stir in the orange zest and then the arrowroot starch and salt.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the center looks set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a little batter. You want to under-bake these brownies a bit so that they stay fudgy.
Allow brownies to cool in the baking dish on top of a cooling rack (or dig in while they're warm!). Once cool, use the parchment paper to lift the whole dish of brownies up and onto the cooling rack. Slice into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between each slice. For serving, use a fork or small spatula to gently lift each brownie onto a serving dish. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For a richer chocolate flavor, you can use dutch-process cocoa powder instead of regular, natural cocoa powder

I only recommend using chocolate chips for this recipe as my test with chopped chocolate came out with a dull, smooth surface instead of a shiny, crinkly one

Dairy-free

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Ingredients

Hummingbird Cake

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

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