Tag: sweets

Vegan banana bread & cashew cream frosting

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Another Sunday, another recipe! Lately, I’ve really been enjoying plant-based eating more so than my usual vegetarian diet, and so I’ve filtered this into this week’s bake. I absolutely adore banana bread, so I figured a vegan-friendly version would be a quick and easy go-to for anyone wanting to experiment with baking with substitues.

A note on the ingredients – I’ve left out the eggs and butter, instead opting for the classic ‘flaxseed egg’ and dairy-free butter which both work a treat. The cake itself is quite close textured and dense because of the wholemeal flour, and the addition of soft, chewy dates gives a subtle caramel sweetness. The finishing touch is the fluffy cashew cream frosting which is super simple to make and the perfect substitue for mascarpone, traditional butter icing or cream cheese.

Serves 8-10 | Prep: 15 mins | Cooking: 1 hour

For the cake batter: 

  • 100g (organic) self-raising flour
  • 100g (organic) wholemeal flour
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 200g dairy-free butter (Pure, Flora or Vital are good brands)
  • 2 over ripe bananas, mashed
  • 10 soft pitted dates, chopped
  • 2 grated carrots
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
  • 1/4 cup water

For the frosting:

  • 50g dairy-free butter
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 100g soaked cashew nuts
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond or oat)
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Step one: Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 20cm loaf tin. Set aside.

Step two: In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, baking powder, salt and spices and mix well. In a smaller bowl, add flaxseeds and water and leave for 5 minutes to thicken.

Step three: In a seperate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until creamy or use an electric mixer. Add the ‘flaxseed egg’, oil, grated carrot and chopped dates, then mix well.

Step four: Blend the bananas for 1 minute or mash well by hand. Add to the wet ingredient mixture.

Step five: Add the dry ingredients to the wet bit by bit, ensuring you continue to mix well for an even finish. You should have a thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Pour into your lined tine and bake for approx 1 hour. You can adjust the temperature if the cake browns too much on top. The knife test will check the centre is cooked through.

Step six: Blend the softened cashews and milk until a thick yet smooth texture is achieved. Set aside.

Step seven: In a bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar until whipped and smooth. Add the cashew mixture and set aside in the fridge to keep cool.

Step eight: Once the cake has cooled, finish with the frosting and grated lemon zest to serve. Et voila!

Coconut, almond & honey granola

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Autumnal Sundays… bliss! Like most people, the weekends are my excuse for a bit of a treat come breakfast time, and this nifty recipe gets things started on a high. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love a good granola. Whilst trying to stay mindful and start the day off on a positive note, I always reach for granola, yogurt, and fruit/seeds. It’s a satisfying combo and if you’re on the go, you can always take it with you. I’ll have those lazy days where a Pret granola or bircher pot is a damn good substitute, though, but there’s nothing better than making your own. I feel like granola has joined the health craze just like green smoothies, matcha tea and almond milk, but before this breakfast item became all the rave, I’d always experiment with ways make my own. There’s only pot involved and one oven tray, meaning minimal fuss and washing up. On an evening or weekend, you can whip a batch up in under 30 minutes and store the remainder in an airtight kilner jar for the next few days. Winner for those who like to meal prep!

You’d be surprised how many variations of this recipe you can make, from adding dried fruits and raw nuts, to things like nutmeg, flax seeds and even dark chocolate! I’ve gone for a classic combo here with dried coconut, flaked almonds and runny honey. I like a good chunky texture, which is the only main difference between this and a shop bought version as I find those way too crumbly, plus there’s a hint of vanilla extract which makes the whole thing smell incredible. Why not switch up your weekend routine and try this super quick granola? I best enjoy mine with chopped apple, cinnamon, and my favourite greek yogurt, but a natural or soya yogurt will work just as well.

Makes 1 large kilner jar | Method: 10 mins | Cooking: 20 mins

For the granola mix:

  • 100g softened unsalted butter
  • 250g rolled oats
  • 60g flaked almonds
  • 75g unsweetened desiccated coconut
  • 25g raisins or sultanas
  • 25g demerara sugar
  • 3 tbsp runny honey
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
  • Pinch of salt

To serve:

  • 1 small apple (preferred variety)
  • 1 small pot or three tbsp thick Greek yogurt (preferred variety)

Step one: Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees for 10 minutes while you prepare the granola mix.

Step two: Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to a large pot. Melt on a medium heat until evenly mixed.

Step three: Add the almonds, coconut and saltanas then slowly add the oats and finish with the salt. Mix until everything is well coated with the butter mixture.

Step four: You’ll want to turn off the heat at this stage and add the honey. Adding it at the end will stop it from melting too much and will allow the mixture to become sticky and pliable.

Step five: Whilst the mixture is still warm, take handfuls and begin to mould with your fingers. The idea is to take small chunks and scatter onto the baking tray. The bigger the chunks, the more texture you’ll have once baked.

Step six: Bake for 20 minutes in the centre of the oven. Once baked, cool for 10 minutes before eating and decanting into a jar. This will keep for 3 days.

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Salon du Chocolat

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Is anyone else desperate for the weekend? A repeat of last weekend would be greatly appreciated and might just give me a little motivation to reach Friday! For the third year, The Chocolate Show returned to West London’s Olympia National for the UK’s biggest chocolate event. Three days of pure indulgence from 16th – 18th October. I’d never been before, but this year I thought I’d end Chocolate Week on a high and give my usual Sunday activities a miss. I quite enjoy these kind of exhibitions with various stalls and interesting things to look at and of course try – there’s always a real excitement in the air.

The event itself was teaming with people, from couples and families, to bloggers, students and tourists armed with their Canons and mouths full. There was a press room in one corner and a fashion show on the other. Who ever knew clothes could be made out of chocolate!?  I spent the afternoon milling around watching live demonstrations, trying decadent chocolates and sweets and learnt about the chocolate making process from bean to bar. I tasted liquid chocolate from a tap (literally!), tried Magnum’s brand new premium range, talked with several international vendors and generally soaked up the atmosphere!

A few stand out places included the insanely good salted caramel brownie from Bad Brownie (pictured above), one of my favourite French brands Valrhona, the beautifully packaged Rococo Chocolate and every travellers essential read, Food and Travel Magazine. It was an insightful day to say the least and for the avid chocolate lover, it’s definitely worth the £12.50 ticket whether you want to learn more about the craft or just experience a different side of London’s food culture. Here’s a few snaps from the day… enjoy!