Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Raspberry Coulis

This pound cake was not ready until way after dinner.
Then I had intentions of getting a better picture the next day in the daylight in traditional Pumpkin's Pantry fashion since I have zero photography skills to make food look pretty at night.
Then everyone (ahem, my husband) ate all the cake.
So you will just have to trust me that this cake is yumbalicious even if the above photo suggests otherwise :)

This recipe is grain-free and vegan! It seems as though the trend these days is that if you are eating grain-free, then you are most likely eating "Paleo" or "Primal" which seem to be the opposite of "Vegan". In our family, however, most of our desserts are grain-free because that makes us feel better, and "vegan" because we have way too many allergies for one household (dairy, eggs,..and on and on :)! I don't know of many "Vegan Paelo" eaters, but if you have met one, please share :) And as always, this is very low in natural sugars but still a sweet treat.
Chocolate Chip Pound cake with Raspberry Coulis
Grain-free, vegan, and refined sugar free
Yields: 1, 9" x 5" loaf pan (1 large loaf- or 2 small loaf pans)
Ingredients

• 175 grams chickpea or peanut flour (I use dehydrated sprouted chickpeas for a sweeter taste, simply grind them in a coffee grinder or high speed blender and sift out the larger pieces before measuring)
• 100 grams fine almond flour (**See note)
• 60 grams arrowroot powder (can substitute tapioca or potato starch)
• 25 grams Tbsp flax seed meal
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 150 g canned coconut milk (usually about 7 oz- or 1/2 a can, and a thick, full fat type of coconut milk would work best here. If your brand of milk is very thin, I would decrease by 2/3)
  
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 170 grams coconut oil (can also use a butter alternative like Earth Balance spread for a more buttery flavor)
• 170 grams coconut sugar
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 2 Tbsp canned pumpkin (can also sub apple sauce)
  
• 1 1/2 large bananas
• Optional: 10 drops English Toffee Stevia (this is not necessary, but gives the pound cake a richer flavor)
• 90 grams mini dairy-free chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)
  

**Note: You can use grind blanched almonds in a coffee grinder, food mill, or high-powered blender before measuring if you are not wanting to purchase and expensive almond flour. Bob's Red Mill brand almond meal/flour will not produce the same result in this recipe.

Method

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9"x 5" loaf pan (or 2 small loaf pans). I grease and place a large piece of 9" wide parchment paper along the long sides and bottom of pan so I can just pull the loaf out when it's cooled and ready by pulling the parchment paper out.
  
• Sift all dry ingredients together (chickpea flour- salt) in a large bowl.
• Place the remaining ingredients except the chocolate in a blender, blending the milk through the banana (and English Toffee Stevia, if using).
• Blend on high for about 1 minute.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry in a bowl, and stir until combined. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
  
• Spoon the batter into your loaf pan (s).
  
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 20 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Be sure to let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and topping with the Raspberry Coulis (below) as I did not let mine cool, which you can see in the above photo.....but mushy cake still tastes good :)

Raspberry Coulis

Ingredients

• 10 oz (or 1 bag frozen) raspberries
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• at least 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (you can use more if you have a stronger sweet tooth)

Method

• Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
• Then reduce heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Blend on high in a blender. At this point you can strain if a thinner consistency is desired, but I like the seedy version so I do not.
• This should keep in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks if you desire to double and use on other things.
  

This recipe is listed with weight measurements for certain ingredients. If you don't have a scale at home you can usually find good deals on a digital one at places like Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon, or even Marshall's or TJ Maxx type stores. Scales make for more efficient and consistent baking. If I make this again, I will try to measure out volume measurements; however, baking with weight measurements is always best since everyone's measuring cups are different!

This recipe has been linked up to the following: (be sure to check out the links below for other tasty treats and healthier dishes ;)

Gooey Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce

I love it when I come upon an easy recipe by accident!

First, let me begin by saying that if you are a big baker-type and like using coconut sugar, check out Amazon's Subscribe and Save for this brand of Organic Coconut Sugar for about @$2.72 a pound (these bags can run $5 + at the grocery store so this is almost at 50% off!).

Now, that being said, I have been using coconut sugar for anything that calls for sugar and doing some experimenting since I have some cheap stock of it on hand. This morning I made these cinnamon rolls from the Cinnamon Quill, and I accidentally happened upon this gooey frosting by adapting the frosting recipe using coconut sugar.

I love using cocnout sugar for it's natural caramel and maple-like flavor. Coconut sugar also benefits both you and the environment! It's a fairly sustainable produce (little environmental impact); it is unrefined; and therefore, contains more micro nutrients and essential minerals than white sugar (which contains virtually nothing nutritional). Now, it's still "sugar" and elevates your blood sugar and should definitely be indulged in moderation!

But when you feel the need to indulge, definitely try this healthier (and dairy-free) caramel sauce recipe! You can use it thick for frosting or thin (warm) for sauce and dipping.

Gooey Caramel Sauce

adapted from this recipe from The Cinnamon Quill

(Makes a little over 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup homemade coconut powdered sugar (see the recipe below)
  
• 2 Tbsp of non-dairy margarine (I use Earth Balance soy-free)
  
• 2 tsp non-dairy milk or water (cold)
  
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Method

• Make the powdered sugar recipe below. The recipe below can be doubled, tripled, etc. to make more if you want to have any on hand.
  
• Slightly soften (heat a bit, but not melted) the non-dairy butter and add it to the powdered sugar until combined.
• Stir in the cold milk, salt, and vanilla and stir until smooth.
  
• If you want a frosting consistency let it sit for a bit on the counter or place in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. If you want a caramel sauce, heat it up and use warm.
  

Home-made Powdered Coconut Sugar
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch (corn or tapioca will work too)

Method

• Blend together in a high-powered blender for about 30 seconds until it resembles powdered sugar

This recipe has been linked up to: