CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY PUDDING CAKES

This dessert is soooo good!  It comes courtesy of one of my favorite blogs www.fatfreevegan.com.  I was looking for something new to try for an upcoming dinner party.  I don't like to make new recipes to serve to company unless I try it before hand, and besides its a good excuse to make something sweet.  I made the recipe as follows and used 4 ramekins and it was perfect for 4 servings.  However, next time I will double the ingredients and try it in a cake pan.  We ate it warm with non-dairy vanilla ice cream, and it was so good that way that the next night we put the leftover ramekins in the microwave to reheat them a bit. Note:  the cherries are frozen to start with, then you have to let them thaw with the sugar for 1-2 hours to extract the juice.  So make sure to allow this time before baking.

Don't be scared by all the ingredients.  Assemble everything first and it honestly goes together very quickly. 

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY PUDDING CAKES

-20 frozen pitted cherries
-1 tsp sugar
-1/3 cup of brown sugar
-2 TB of unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 tsp of cornstarch
-1/2 cup flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/3 cup of sugar
-1 1/2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 1/2 tsp vanilla
-1 1/2 TB of soy yogurt
-1/4 cup soy milk (or other non dairy milk)
-boiling water

1. cut cherries in half while frozen and put them into a small bowl along with the sugar.  Allow them to thaw for 1-2 hours.
2. oil or spray 4 ramekins.  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Mix together in a small bowl the brown sugar and 2 TB of cocoa.
3. Pour the cherry juice (from the thawed cherries) into a measuring cup and lightly press the cherries to get as much juice as you can. Put to the side
4. Sprinkle the cornstarch onto the thawed cherries and mix well to coat the cherries. Divide the cherries into the prepared ramekins.
5. In a medium bowl mix the flour, salt, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 TB of cocoa and baking powder.  Stir in the vanilla, yogurt, and soy milk.  Mixture will be thick.  Divide this mixture evenly into the ramekins and spread with a spoon to cover the the cherries.
6. sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the batter and level nicely
7. Add some boiling water to the cherry juice till you reach 3/4 cup.  Pour gently over the brown sugar in the ramekins...about 3 TL per ramekin.
8. bake for about 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling around the edges, and the tops look mostly dry (but there will still be streaks of wet looking areas...don't overcook).

Let cool for 10-15 minutes and dive in.  You can thank me later!

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

I love chocolate frosting, but some of my family prefer buttercream instead and this is a great recipe.

BUTTERCREAM  FROSTING

1/2 cup of Earth Balance non-dairy butter
2 cups of confectioners sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 TBLS of nondairy milk (or a little more as needed)
food coloring (optional)

With an electric mixer cream the butter then add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, milk and food coloring if using. Beat on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.  Add more milk if it is too dry, but just add a few drops at a time.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

You can make any frosting recipe vegan by using nondairy milk and Earth Balance type of butter spread, as long as the spread is non-hydrogenated.  But this recipe is excellent and I use it whenever a recipe calls for Chocolate frosting.  It makes a lot so cut the recipe in 1/2 if making a one-layer cake.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup of Earth Balance, softened
3 cups of confectioners sugar
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3-4 Tablespoons of nondairy milk

With an electric mixer cream the butter for 60-90 seconds. Add the confectioners sugar and cream for another 2 minutes (the mixture will be dry but you want to make sure that the butter and sugar mix well). Add the cocoa, vanilla and milk and beat on high speed for about 3 minutes until the frosting is really creamy and  smooth.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

I make these cookies and pop them into a large freezer bag and freeze them.  When hubby feels like a snack with his evening coffee he takes a couple out of the freezer and microwaves them for 25 seconds and they taste like they just came out of the oven.  I tried this system when my daughter was visiting with her family but it was a waste of time....they were sneaking into the freezer all day and the cookies were gone that same day!  You may want to think about doubling this recipe if you really like peanut butter cookies. These are from The Joy of Vegan Baking http://www.compassionatecooks.com/ 

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 3/4 cups of flour
3/4 tsp of baking soda
3/4 tsp of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fo Ener-G-Egg Replacer (see note at the bottom of the page)
2 TBLS of water
1 1/4 cup of packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup of smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 Earth Balance nondairy butter
3 TBLS of nondairy milk
1 TBLS of vanilla extract


Preheat over to 375 and line three cookie sheets with parchment paper or use non-stick cookie sheets.  Even with non-stick sheets I still use the parchment paper.  I find that the cookies brown evenly so I use parchment paper for all my cookies recipes.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt and put bowl to the side.  Whip the egg replacer and water together until thick and creamy.  A food process with the small bowl attachment is perfect for this.

In a large bowl combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, milk and vanilla.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Add the egg replacer mixture and blend again.  Add the flour mixture and beat again until just blended.

Take a rounded tablespoon of the mixture and roll it with your hands into a ball and put on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Then flatten slightly in a criss-cross pattern with a fork. Bake of 10-12 minutes until they just begin to brown. Do not overbake.  Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes them transfer them to a rack to cool them.

NOTE:  Ener-G-Egg Replacer is available at Whole Foods and health food stores.  In come in a box and is in a powder form.  A lot of vegan baking recipes use this egg replacer so it won't go to waste.

Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes

Vegans can have their cake and eat it too!  I know that is corny but this eggless cake is amazing.  I had another recipe that I thought was great also, but this one has become number one. The best part is that it is so easy to make and you don't even need to drag out the electric mixer.  You can just stir it well with a large spoon and you're done. It makes a 9"cake or 8 cupcakes....double recipe for a double layer cake.  Frosting recipes to follow. Another recipe from the Colleen Patrick-Goudreau http://www.compassionatecooks.com/

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Set over to 350 and lightly grease cake pan or muffin tins

-1 1/2 ups of flour
-3/4 cups of sugar
-1/2 teaspoon of salt
-1 teaspoon of baking soda
-1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
-1/3 cup of canola oil
-1 Tbls of white vinegar
-1 cup of cold water

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.  Make a well in the middle and all the liquid ingredients and stir just until combined.  Pour into prepared pan (s)
Bake for about 30 min for cakes, and approx 15 minutes for cupcakes.  Insert tooth pick in the center until it comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack.  Frost when cool.