A few weeks back I baked a birthday cake for my boyfriend with this recipe and he absolutely loved it. It was so yummy, spongy and flavorsome – you know not “healthy tasting” at all! Today I tweaked the recipe a bit and baked some brownies – what a mission. I think brownie lovers are nowadays too often mistreated with some raw “brownies” (aka blended cacao, dates, and nuts – yum, but nothing to do with a brownie) or some sad chocolate -flavored protein powder bakes. This one is a real thing, though!
Also if you are not a fan of cacao – use vegan cocoa powder instead. If you are making a cake double the recipe and make double icing or coconut cream frosting.
I made these just because Sunday. They went down as a treat paired with some prosecco while enjoying the sunset on the balcony with a friend. The small things!
Brownies (GF, vegan)
2 flax eggs (2 tbs of ground flaxseed soaked in 6 tbs of water)
1/3 C almond mylk
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/3 C maple syrup
3 tbs coconut sugar (or more maple)
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
1 shot of espresso/strong coffee (or more almond mylk)
1 C of mixture of apple sauce + steamed pumpkin (I blended a raw apple and some steamed pumpkin and measured 1 C to the mixture, use the leftover sauce in a breakfast oatmeals or a smoothie)
1/4 C melted coconut oil (or sunflower oil)
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 C cacao powder
1/2 C almond meal
1/3 C buckwheat flour (blended oats work too)
2/3 brown rice flour
Icing
1/2 avocado
3 tbs maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla beans
1 tbs of cacao (adjust to your taste)
- Soak the flax seeds in water
- Mix almond milk with apple cider vinegar. Add baking soda, let sit for a minute.
- Meanwhile, blend steamed pumpkin and apple. You can also use ready apple sauce.
- Add coconut sugar, maple syrup, coffee, coconut oil, vanilla and apple-pumpkin mix to the bowl with flaxseeds. Mix and get rid of the lumps.
- Add in almond mylk mixture. Mix.
- Add dry ingredients.
- Sprinkle some coconut oil to baking paper and set it in a square brownie tin.
- Pour mixture into the tin using a spatula to even the surface.
- Bake at 175 C for 30 min.
- Make the icing. Blend all the ingredients. Store in fridge until the brownies have cooled down. (Note: some blenders are impossible when blending only small amounts. In this case make a bit bigger portion of icing, using a whole avocado. You can use leftovers as a chocolate mousse snack or add it to a smoothie next morning or spread it on a toast with PB, you name it!)
- Spread icing on cooled brownies and cut.
Trust me, this is a crowd pleaser!