Merry Christmas, everyone! It's the time of year for family, friends, and tons of holiday treats. I have recently been on a coconut kick, baking bread pudding and vegan chocolate cake. The recipes were so awesome, I'm going to share them with you.
Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake (with Coconut)
Adapted from The Novice Chef
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. ripe bananas (I used 1 large banana)
1/3 canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mash together banana and coconut milk in a large bowl, followed by sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir or whisk until well mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and combine until smooth with no dry lumps. Pour batter into bundt pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Mixture will fill pan less than halfway. Bake 24 minutes. If toothpick does not come out clean, bake an additional 2 minutes until complete. Let cool before transferring to a serving plate.
White Chocolate Glaze (optional)
*Note: This cake is very moist on its own, but I made mine as a birthday surprise and used this glaze to write a message on the cake*
1 handful of white chocolate chips (about 1/2 c.)
2 tbsp. coconut milk
Combine ingredients in microwave safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds. Stir until glossy. If chips are not completely melt, heat an additional 20 seconds. Pour glaze into baggie and cut the corner of the bag. Apply pressure to the frosting and slowly pipe glaze on cake. If you want extra coconut flavor, sprinkle fresh or toasted coconut on glaze.
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Almond Joy Bread Pudding
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 c. milk or half n half
3/4 c. Coconut Silk or coconut milk
2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 c. dense, sweet bread, torn into pieces and left in fridge for a week or oven overnight
1/2 c. milk or dark chocolate chips
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 8x8 or 9x13 pan, set aside. Whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, coconut milk, and almond extract. Place bread chunks into pan, and sprinkle with chocolate chips and almonds. Pour egg mixture over bread, and push down on bread until all pieces have soaked up the custard. Bake for 35 minutes, remove, and evenly distribute coconut over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes until custard is set and top is slightly golden brown. Devour hot or cold. For a glaze, I recommend simply placing a good spoonful of Haagen Daaz vanilla ice cream over the top of the hot bread pudding.
*Note: I used Panera raisin bread in the pudding. The raisins worked well with the chocolate and coconut, but it's really about your personal taste.*
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~The Vegetarian Cat
