happy little vegan banana cake?

 i swear this tasted like a really yummy banana bread to me... but the recipe says its a cake.

 i think the fact that i veganized the recipe, subbed half the all purpose flour with whole wheat, and baked it in a bread loaf pan, contributed to it's breadyness. 

wacky banana cake

recipe adapted from new baking book (better homes and gardens)

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

(or even better... 3/4 cup all purpose and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour)

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)

6 tablespoons butter, melted

(nooooooo!!! don't use butter use earth balance instead)

1/4 cup cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

(i used apple cider vinegar... i know you have some leftover from all those awesome vegan cupcakes)

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/4 cup almond brickle pieces or chopped mixed nuts

(I left this out. where to get almond brickle anyways huh?)

1. preheat oven to 350. in an ungreased 8x8x2 inch baking (or loaf pan for more breaddy version) pan stir flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. add the bananas, melted butter (or earth balance) cold water, and vinegar to the dry mixture. mix until combined.

3. sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the cake.

4. bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 min our until wooden toothpick comes out clean.

sprinkle the hot cake with almond brickle or nuts. cool in pan on wire rack.

this banana bread/cake... whatever you wanna call it was really good! i liked the top of it the best because of the chocolate! strangely my husband (who loves anything chocolate) didn't really go for the chocolate chips. he loved the rest of the bread though... him and i are a good match. good thing we like each other.

happy little rice crispy cupcakes

these were super fun to make! 

the bottom was made with chocolate marshmallows. 

decorated with rainbow sprinkles and candy melts.

someone told me they look like little brains.

happy little chocolate chip coconut cookie cupcakes

this is my favorite vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe! this recipe is so good it needed to be made into cupcakes!

i love making these cookies! this batch of cookies was un-vegan because I used leftover milk chocolate chips. i wish i had some vegan chocolate chips on hand to make these extra delicious but they still tasted good!

cute cupcake platter given the me by my mother in law...just waiting for some cupcakes

cookie dough baked in mini cupcake liner

frosted and sprinkled

unwrapped

ready to eat! 

recipe!

vegan chocolate chip coconut cookies 

recipe adapted from vegan a go-go!, by sarah kramer, 2008, arsenal pulp press

2 tbsp ground flax seed
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup vegan margarine
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small dish, mix together the ground flax and water. In a food processor or large bowl, blend or mix together the flax mixture, margarine, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and set aside. 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut and chocolate chips. Add the margarine mixture and stir until well incorporated. Roll dough into balls, lay on cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes before removing from sheet.

Makes 18 to 24 cookies

* sometimes i use half whole wheat flour/half all-purpose flour. I always add in lots of extra coconut!

watch the step by step cookie making process here!

happy little summer vacation cupcakes

this week was the last week of school...aka last week of work! now i have the whole summer to bake cupcakes!  this school year was a stressful one and i am really looking forward to a break. to celebrate my husband decided to throw a party for me in our tiny little house. he gave me a day notice so i whipped up some quick and easy cupcakes. i was in a rush and didn't take a lot of fancy shmancy pictures but, i remembered to snap a couple shots just before they were eaten!

chocolate pink sprinkle cupcakes filled with cream cheese frosting 

green tea cupcakes filled with lemon curd

these were my favorite! i adapted an easy cake mix recipe found at kirbi cravings

green tea cupcakes and mini chocolate cupcakes

cupcake kabobs inspired by cupcakes take the cake

these were super cute and so fun to make! it's really hard to see in the pictures, but the bottom layer of kabobs have mini chocolate and mini pink cupcakes. 

i love these... the cupcake kabob combinations are endless! i will definitely be making more of these this summer. 

other fun plans/goals/ideas for the summer:

• purchase our first house
  
• make some monkey cupcakes for my nephew's birthday
  
• move into the super wonderful house i buy
  
• read lots of books
  
• visit my best friend in cabo
  
• make some pumpkin cupcakes for jack
  
• learn how to paint the inside walls of a house
  
• paint the inside of  my new house
  
• bake these vegan black bean brownies 
  
• lots of yoga 
  
• organize my cupcake/cake decorating stuff
  
• get a dog
• eat blueberries 

summer is the best