cakes Archives - Forks Over Knives

Incredible Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

Dreena Burton — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:08:51 +0000

You’d never guess that orange sweet potatoes are the secret ingredient behind this lusciously moist vegan chocolate cake. The tasty tubers lend their creamy texture and subtle sweetness to both the cake and the frosting to create an undeniably delicious dessert sans dairy. Nut butter makes the decadent frosting extra smooth while the batter delivers a one-two punch of chocolate goodness thanks to both cocoa powder and vegan chocolate chips, which get tantalizingly gooey as it bakes. This sweet potato cake would be great topped with fresh berries, edible flowers, or a light dusting of powdered sugar—with or without the frosting. So what are you waiting for? Get out a fork and satisfy your sweet tooth!

Tip: Orange sweet potato is ideal for this cake because it is a little sweeter and looser than yellow sweet potato. It’s best to use a blender or food processor (versus a stand mixer) to ensure the sweet potato in the batter and frosting become deliciously smooth.

Adapted from dreenaburton.com

For more chocolate vegan desserts, check out these tasty ideas:

Yield: Makes one 9-inch round cake

Ingredients

Frosting

1 cup peeled, cooked, and cooled orange sweet potato (see tip in intro)
½ cup coconut sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup cashew butter or almond butter
2 tablespoons plant-based milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt

CAKE

¾ cup peeled, cooked, and cooled orange sweet potato
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
⅓ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup miniature or regular nondairy chocolate chips
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch round or 8-inch square silicone or other nonstick cake pan with parchment paper.
For frosting, in a blender or food processor combine sweet potato, coconut sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cashew butter or almond butter, plant-based milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Cover and blend until very smooth, scraping sides as needed. If necessary, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar to make desired consistency and sweetness. Cover and chill until ready to use.
For cake, in a blender combine sweet potato, maple syrup, vinegar, vanilla, and ½ cup water; cover and blend until completely smooth.
In a large bowl stir together flour, coconut sugar, chocolate chips, and salt. Sift in cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add sweet potato mixture to flour mixture. Use 1 tablespoon water to rinse blender to remove any remaining puree and add to flour mixture. Mix just until well incorporated. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake 21 to 23 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan and top with frosting.

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Persimmon Cake with Pistachios

Shelli McConnell — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 18:17:56 +0000

Fuyu persimmons are best for these picture-perfect baby cakes. These fruits are similar to tomatoes in appearance and feel the same when ripe. They can be hard to find fresh, so this recipe takes advantage of dried persimmons. If you don’t have a doughnut mold, use a standard 2½-inch muffin pan to make these cakes, filling the cups two-thirds full with batter.

*Tip: Persimmon pulp can be found in some food markets and online. If you can’t find it, make your own. Choose ripe Fuyu persimmons. Remove stems; quarter persimmons. Remove seeds; place persimmons in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Press pulp through a fine-mesh sieve. Or chop ½ cup (2 oz.) dried persimmons. Top with 2 cups boiling water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving ⅔ cup soaking liquid. In a small food processor combine drained persimmons and reserved soaking liquid. Process until smooth.

Yield: Makes 12 cakes

12 small dried persimmon slices
2 tablespoons + ½ cup dried cranberries or chopped dried cherries
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup mashed persimmon pulp (*see recipe intro)
⅓ cup packed pure cane brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup shelled whole pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons shelled chopped pistachio nuts

Instructions

Place persimmon slices and the 2 Tbsp. dried cranberries in two separate bowls. Cover with boiling water. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes to soften. Drain, reserving soaking liquids. In a saucepan bring 1 cup of the combined soaking liquids to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; simmer about 15 minutes or until reduced by half.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 2½-inch muffin cups with foil or silicone cup liners. Arrange soaked persimmon slices and soaked cranberries in bottoms of muffin cups.
In a bowl combine flaxseed meal and ¼ cup water. Let stand 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl whisk together the next five ingredients (through salt). In a separate bowl whisk together flaxseed mixture and the next four ingredients (through vanilla). Add wet mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in the ½ cup cranberries and ½ cup pistachios. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, spreading evenly.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in cups on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool slightly on wire rack. Invert cakes and remove cup liners. Brush cakes with reduced soaking liquid and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Serve with remaining soaking liquid.

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Polenta Cake with Apples and Cherry Compote

Darshana Thacker Wendel — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 22:46:52 +0000

Applesauce and polenta form the base of this naturally sweet and perfectly moist vegan cake, which makes a gorgeous addition to any Thanksgiving or holiday spread. A homemade cherry compote with autumnal spices adds extra sweetness and a hint of tanginess. This recipe is gluten-free if you use gluten-free oat flour, and can be baked up to two days in advance. The cake tastes best served warm: If you make it ahead of time, place it on an oven-safe platter and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.

Yield: Makes one 9-inch cake + 1¼ cups compote

1½ cups frozen cherries
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 whole star anise (optional)
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup dry polenta
1 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup oat flour
¼ cup almond flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 medium unpeeled apples

Instructions

Make Cherry Compote: In a small saucepan combine cherries, 1 cup of the applesauce, the cinnamon, star anise (if using), cloves, and 1 cup water. mix well. Cook over medium-low about 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; discard star anise. Use a potato masher to crush cherries to a pulp. Cool and chill until ready to serve.
In a large mixing bowl stir together the remaining 1 cup applesauce, the polenta, plant milk, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla. Let stand 20 minutes. In a small bowl whisk together the next five ingredients (through baking soda).
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Core apples and slice into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Arrange apple slices in rows or a spiral pattern in the cake pan, working from the center outward to completely cover the base of pan.
Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture, stirring well. Pour batter over apples, spreading evenly.
Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan at least 30 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm with Cherry Compote.

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Triple Apple Cake

Chef AJ — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 17:13:02 +0000

This apple cake is so delicious, sweet, and moist that people won’t believe it’s free of sugar, oil, and flour. It can be served at room temperature, but the texture gets even better after chilling.

Tip: No apple pie spice blend on hand? Make your own by mixing 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon with ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Yield: Makes one 9-inch square cake

2 cups rolled oats
6 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 tablespoon apple pie spice (tip, above)
1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)
3 unpeeled apples, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
2 oz. dried apple rings (about 1 cup packed), finely snipped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl stir together the first six ingredients (through vanilla powder). Add apples, applesauce, and dried apple; mix well. Pour batter into a 9-inch square silicone baking pan, spreading evenly.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. For best texture, chill at least 1 hour before serving. If desired, sprinkle with additional apple pie spice.

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Peach Upside-Down Cake with Whole Grain Flour

Darshana Thacker Wendel — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 17:12:42 +0000

Enjoy a slice of summer with this delightful peach cake. A blend of whole grain flours makes this cake lighter than it would be with whole wheat flour. If you don’t have oat flour but you do have rolled oats, you can easily grind them into oat flour using a blender or food processor.

Yield: Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

4 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
¾ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour
¾ cups sorghum flour
½ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan with a round piece of parchment paper.
Arrange the peach slices in the bottom of the pan in an overlapping fashion so that there are no gaps.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, vinegar, ground flaxseed, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix well.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for at least a couple of hours. Remove the sides of the pan. Invert onto an oven-safe platter. Remove the parchment paper.
If the top of the cake is soggy, bake at 325°F for an additional 30 minutes or until dry.

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Pear Spice Cake

Shelli McConnell — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 18:39:21 +0000

Add interest to the holiday dessert table with this warmly spiced homemade cake, which is topped with pears and pecans. The beautifully arranged pear slices make it a spectacular way to end a meal. Or serve it at a festive brunch. This recipe is included in Forks Meal Planner’s Holly Jolly Christmas Dinner Featured Plan: Sign up for a free trial of Forks Meal Planner today and see the complete menu!

Yield: Makes one 9-inch cake

2 medium pears
1¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup light molasses
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
Powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Core and cut 1 pear lengthwise into very thin slices. Peel and chop remaining pear.
In a large bowl stir together the next seven ingredients (through cloves). In a medium bowl stir together the next four ingredients (through vanilla) and 2 Tbsp. hot water. Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture; whisk just until well combined. Stir in chopped pear. Spoon batter into a 9-inch round or square silicone baking pan, spreading evenly. Arrange pear slices over batter. Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. If desired, remove cake from pan. Sprinkle cake lightly with powdered sugar. Serve warm or cooled.

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Purple Potato Cake with Autumn Fruits

Darshana Thacker Wendel — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 23:27:20 +0000

Purple potatoes lend tenderness and unexpected color to this rustic cake. If you don’t have purple potatoes, use any sweet potatoes or yams in their place.

Yield: Makes one 9-inch loaf cake

Ingredients

CAKE

½ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup grated purple potato (grated using large grate)
½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 apple, thinly sliced

GLAZE

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 pinches pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a bread pan with a piece of parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, vinegar, and flaxseed. Let sit for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy.
Add the maple syrup and vanilla to milk mixture. Mix well. Add potatoes and cranberries.
In a separate bowl, combine pastry flour, almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well using a whisk.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture; mix well.
Pour batter into bread pan. Spread out evenly. Arrange the apples on top in a nice pattern.
Bake 60 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out dry.
Transfer the cake in its pan to a cooling rack to cool.
To make glaze, in a bowl whisk together maple syrup, lemon juice, and pumpkin pie spice. Drizzle over the cake and let the cake cool down completely. Let the drizzle seep to the bottom of the cake, peeling the parchment paper from the sides of the cake if needed.
Chill cake in fridge for 1 hour or until ready to serve.

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Vegan Double Chocolate Instant Pot Cake

Darshana Thacker Wendel — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:43:08 +0000

Multicookers such as the Instant Pot aren’t just for soups and stews: They can make delectable, luscious desserts, too. This incredibly moist vegan Instant Pot cake steams in a 6×3-inch springform pan inside a multicooker. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can easily substitute a 6-inch regular cake pan lined with parchment paper.

Yield: Makes 1 cake

1⅓ cup unsweetened plant milk
1½ teaspoons ground flaxseeds
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
⅔ cup pure cane sugar
⅔ cup + ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
¼ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Date Paste
1 tablespoon almond butter
Fresh berries (optional)

Instructions

Fill a 6-qt. Instant Pot multicooker with 1 inch water; add steamer rack. Set cooker on Sauté setting and allow to heat on Normal temperature 10 to 15 minutes or until water starts to steam.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine 1 cup of the plant milk, the flaxseeds, vinegar, and 1½ teaspoons of the vanilla. In a medium bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, sugar, ⅔ cup of the cocoa powder, the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until combined. Pour batter into a 6×3-inch springform or round cake pan.
Place filled cake pan on rack in cooker. Lock lid in place; set pressure valve to Venting. Set cooker on Slow Cook setting and High temperature and cook 90 minutes. Open lid carefully. Turn off cooker and let cake stand in cooker 10 minutes or until steam subsides.
Using oven mitts, lift out cake. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan or remove cake from cake pan; cool completely on rack
Meanwhile, for frosting, in a blender combine the Date Paste, ⅓ cup of the plant milk, ¼ cup of the cocoa powder, the almond butter, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth.
Generously spread top and sides of cake with frosting. Chill 20 minutes or until frosting is set. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. If desired, serve with berries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksLlwJ_3TIs

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Perfect Vegan Carrot Cake

Cathy Fisher — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:52:29 +0000

Perfectly moist and studded with raisins, this vegan carrot cake is sweetened with dates and banana and gets its rich flavor from cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. A blender is used to grind the oats into a flour and combine the liquid ingredients, then the batter is mixed by hand to avoid overbeating. No need to peel the carrots before shredding them—just give them a quick wash to remove any dirt or grit. The cake will keep for up to five days and tastes even better the day after it’s made. It also freezes well. Spread with Vanilla Bean Frosting or serve on its own.

Recipe from straightupfood.com

Yield: Makes 1 8-inch square cake

Time: 90 minutes

1½ cups unsweetened plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
4½ ounces pitted whole dates, chopped
¾ cup raisins, divided
½ cup sliced ripe banana
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
1¾ cups regular rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1½ cups finely shredded carrots
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup Vanilla Bean Frosting (optional)

Instructions

Combine the plant milk, dates, ¼ cup of the raisins, the banana, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes or until dates are softened.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper (or use a silicone baking pan).
Place the oats in a blender. Cover and blend until a powder forms. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves.
Transfer the date mixture to the blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Add the date mixture to the oat mixture in bowl; stir just until combined. Fold in the remaining ½ cup of raisins, the carrots, and walnuts (if using).
Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan; cool on a wire rack. Spread the cake with Vanilla Frosting (if using).

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Cranberry Carrot Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Darshana Thacker Wendel — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 22:22:52 +0000

This rustic vegan carrot cake has a subtly cornbread-like texture thanks to the addition of cornmeal. Cranberries add a punch of color and tartness, and the chocolate ganache is downright decadent. You can garnish the cake with chopped cranberries (optional) for added drama.

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup plant-based milk
2 carrots, peeled and finely grated (2 cups)
¾ cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (3 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
¾ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1½ cups cornmeal
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Ganache

½ cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons plant-based milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the base and 2 long sides of a loaf pan with parchment paper, or use a silicone bread pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the milk, carrots, cranberries, maple syrup, and vinegar.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, and mix well.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Transfer cake pan to a cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cake from pan to cool completely.
To make the Chocolate Ganache, pour about 1 inch of water into a saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Place a mixing bowl over the saucepan, add the chocolate chips, and allow them to gradually melt. Once the chocolate is completely melted, add the milk, and mix well using a whisk or spatula. Remove from heat.
Pour the chocolate sauce over the cake; allowing it to drip down the sides.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped 2 tablespoons cranberries on top of cake, if desired, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

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