Vegan Treats: Hacks for the lazy baker

Landmark Department Store's kitchen supplies section was on sale last week (not sure if the sale is ongoing up until now though) and I chanced upon some mini cake moulds which are perfect for portion-controlled, single-serving desserts. 

Today, I woke up with a sweet tooth and decided to put my new tools to good use with some vegan sweet treats for a healthy snack. Since I was feeling lazy and didn't want to make use of a recipe, I used my simple blend of Bob's Red Mill Low Carb Baking Mix and their Soy Flour as a base, and adjusted the "recipe" of the cakes for flavour variations.

These cakes are loaded with "clean" non-refined, non-processed sugars a bit of protein, and some amazing and energizing carbs. 

Dutch chocolate banana cake

A simple chocolate cake which I topped with shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, and crushed cashews. I needed a boost of flavour and sweetness so I added a dash of vanilla extract and a few chocolate chips. Dutch chocolate makes the cake a darker Oreo-like colour instead of a lighter brown milk chocolate look.

Oatmeal-banana cake with shredded coconut and coconut cream

Oatmeal and bananas are a no-brainer when it comes to flavour pairings because they go extremely well together. For this cake, I used a mix of oat bran (more protein), old-fashioned rolled oats, and quick cooking steel cut oats. Coconut cream and shredded coconut add creaminess and a more "asian" taste.

For both cakes, I used half a banana and a teaspoon of chia seeds (soaked in just enough warm water for a few minutes) to replace the use of eggs. Bananas add the right touch of sweetness, and chia seeds add more protein. Instead of butter, I used coconut oil cooking spray to coat the baking pans, and a few drops of extra virgin coconut oil added to the batter. 

Both are also drizzled with Earth Balance Coconut Peanut Butter -- vegan and seriously the best nut butter in the whole world. 

Here are some basic and easy to find vegan baking substitutes 

for your everyday lazy baker:

Substitute for egg/binding agent: 

• banana

• chia seeds

• flaxmeal

Substitute for cream/how to make your recipe creamier: 

• coconut cream

• almond butter (any vegan nut butters)

• powdered peanut butter

The best thing about vegan baking (since there's no egg) is that you can eat the batter raw! Happy baking!