Brandy Banana Bread
Most days, I’m an oatmeal kind of girl. But on Saturday mornings in the depths of a New York City winter, I crave banana bread, lightly toasted and covered in peanut butter. When I made the change to a more vegan-ish existence, my first concern was to find a banana bread recipe that would satisfy. I’ve been told by more than one omnivore that this one will pass for the real deal. The bonus? It’s low in sugar and has very little oil. You can’t taste the flavor of the applesauce in the finished product; it just helps with the density. The brandy is a fun addition… I like finding ways to incorporate booze into weekend breakfast!
- 1 cup white flour
- 3/4 cups wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 ripe bananas
- 3 tbsp canola (or your favorite) oil
- 1/3 cups apple sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp brandy
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add dry ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together. In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to blend bananas with the applesauce, vanilla, and brandy. Add dry mixture to banana mixture in thirds, mixing just until combined. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
By Erin
Speaking of bubbles…
Mimosa cupcakes are between daquiri and mojito cupcakes. Un-fancy frosting means they're made by Erin!
Easy Mimosa Cupcakes
orange cake:
one box yellow or vanilla cake mix*
orange juice
oil or butter, as per the mix’s recipe*
eggs*
orange zest or peel for garnish
*to veganize, check the ingredients on your cake mix (the consensus is Duncan Hines is ok), use oil, and an egg substitute or apple sauce.
to make the cake:
Prepare the cake mix according to the recipe, except use orange juice in lieu of 50% of the water called for in the recipe. If you’re feeling feisty, you could use a 1-to-1 mix of champagne and orange juice and omit all the water. Pour into cupcake liners and bake according to the mix’s instructions, removing from oven when a toothpick comes out clean.
champagne frosting:
3 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup butter
3 tbsp champagne
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
vegan champagne frosting:
1/2 cup vegan margarine**
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tbsp champagne
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
** non hydrogenated! Trans fats suck.
to make the frosting:
In a large bowl, cream together butter (or margarine) and confectioner’s sugar. Add the champagne and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Apply to cool cupcakes, then garnish with orange zest or peel.
By Erin
