Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting

Welcome to the first ever guest post on Dinner From Last Night! Kaanan is going to share an awesome recipe with all of us. And don't be scared of the title... these things rock! - Val

Hello Val's followers! I'm Kaanan!  We hosted a baby shower for our friend Jill a few weeks ago, and I was in charge of dessert.  I had some very specific requirements when I started looking for a cupcake recipe for the shower... they had to have green frosting, and they had to be egg-less (I'm vegetarian).  The baby's room is going to be green and brown, and color coordination is very important to me.  It only made sense that the cupcakes had to be green and brown too!  Since all I could come up with was spinach frosting, I turned to the internet for guidance.  After sifting through some of the weirder green frosting suggestions  (wheat grass? ew, no thanks), I landed on this gem: avocado butter cream!  The avocado replaces the butter in a traditional butter cream, so its both vegan AND green, not to mention delicious!  There is also an avocado in the cupcakes, and I don't know how, but this is hands down the best vegan cake recipe I've ever tried.  Whether you are in need of a color coordinated cupcake or just a fun dessert, these cupakes are a win!

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado 

Source:  Joy The Backer

makes 2 dozen cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine all the dry ingredients except the sugar and set aside.  Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.  Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.  Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat until smooth.  Pour batter into lined cupcake tin. Bake for ~30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cupcakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting with avocado buttercream.

Avocado Buttercream Frosting 
Source: Joy the Baker, originally from Alton Brown

8 ounces of avocado meat, about 2 small to medium, very ripe avocados

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peel and pit the soft avocados.  It’s important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on.  If the avocados have brown spots in the meat, avoid those spots when you scoop the meat into the bowl.  Place the avocado meat into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment.  Add lemon juice and whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat.  Add vanilla extract until combined.  The lemon juice should keep the avocados a nice bright green, but I wouldn't make this more than a few hours ahead of time.

Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!!

Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Pie

I did it again.

Another week or more has gone by since I've even thought about blogging. That whole hitting the ground running thing I had to do after my last post was more like hitting the ground sprinting in a uphill three-legged race.

And then there was the recovery time, which was absolutely and completely necessary. I spent three days staring at the wall in my living room while basic functions seeped back into my pathetic brain that had been wrung out too many times.

But, slowly I regained the ability to make eye contact with people and even communicate. Although that last one took a while. Once I stopped blabering at John like a toddler and actually started forming coherent sentences, I knew I was back to being me.

Contributing to my road from brain-in-a-blender to normal functioning adult was this pie. We made it Saturday night during Squash Fest 2010. With the leaves falling and digging out all of our old sweaters, this topped off our welcome to fall party.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Pie

This was my first attempt making pumpkin pie completely from scratch. It takes a lot longer than opening a can and dumping pumpkin puree in, but the taste is amazing. It's the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. If you're not in the mood, then simply dump in 16oz of your favorite pumpkin puree and call it a day. I won't judge. Especially if you share with me.

My mother-in-law e-mailed me this recipe while I was standing in the baking goods isle at the grocery store so I don't have a source, therefore

Adapted from the back of some can of pumpkin puree

Thanks Donna!

1 pie crust (I always use this one)
2 cups pumpkin puree
12oz. evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Prepare Pumpkin Puree
Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the stem out of the pumpkin just like you're getting ready to carve a jack-o-lantern. Scrape the seeds and the gooey bits from the pumpkin. Save the seeds and roast them later!

Carefully cut the pumpkin in half, and then cut each half into thirds or quarters. Lay each piece of pumpkin skin side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Roast for at least 45 minutes, or until the pieces can easily be pierced with a fork.

Cool until you can handle them comfortably (do not be like me and nearly burn half of your fingers because you're so impatient to make pie) and peel the skin off each piece of pumpkin. Throw the skinned pieces of pumpkin into a food processor in batches and puree until smooth. If it looks too thick, drizzle enough water so that the puree is smooth and creamy.

If this makes more than 2 cups of pumpkin puree, freeze the rest and be rejoice in the fact that you get to make another pie later with minimal effort.

The Pie
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined. If there are any leftover chunks of pumpkin that didn't get pureed well, you can always remove them for a smooth and consistent texture. Or you can leave them in and call it a rustic pumpkin pie. Or a lumpy pumpkin pie. I left them in. I'm like, totally rustic. Or something. Anyway, they were delicious.


Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a knife put into the center comes out clean.

Wait impatiently while the pie cools for at least 30 minutes (ok, I waited 10) and serve.

Oh, and make sure you whip up some of this to go with it.

Enjoy!

My Favorite Cookies

I haven't done a lot of desserts here on Dinner From Last Night. I think it's time for a change. Don't you? So let's bust out our mixers and get baking.

I found the recipe for these cookies on the back of a Craisins bag. I think Craisins are hilarious for an extremely random reason. And I feel like sharing that reason with you. Aren't you glad?

Several years ago John and I were on a swing dancing trip with a bunch of friends from our college swing dancing scene. We were lounging around between dances and I took out some of the Craisins I had brought to snack on. You get hungry dancing over eight hours a day and sustenance is important.

As I started eating, one of my good friends, Chelsea, yelled from across the room, "It's these things, these... Craisins." She had a look of sheer awe on her face. Apparently she had yet to experience the dried cranberry craze and the fact that they really existed was absolutely amazing. So use these things, these Craisins and make these cookies. That's an order.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Adapted from Craisins

I always use more white chocolate chunks and Craisins than the recipe calls for. I like chunky cookies. It's just the type of person I am.

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press the dough with your fingers to make a flatter cookie. If you're more into the rustic chunk cookie, don't press the dough down. They're delicious either way. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

In honor of summer and blueberry picking, we're continuing the trend of blueberry-related posts here at Dinner from Last Night. I'm going to start counting how many times I use the word "blueberry". Blueberry blueberry blueberry. That's 6, for those counting along.

John and I can't decide whether the Blueberry Ice Cream from Tuesday or the Blueberry Crumb Bars I'm posting today are better. It's really an amazingly delicious toss up. My stepmom Candy called these magical when I brought some on my visit to the homestead last week. So, maybe they win. Either way, they're both awesome.


Blueberry Crumb Bars
Source: Smitten Kitchen, originally from AllRecipes.com

1 and 1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
4 tsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl stir together 1 cup sugar, flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in butter and egg. Press half of the dough into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Spread blueberries over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough over the blueberry layer.

Bake for 45 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!

P.S. John unearthed his old super-nice flash, so if you've noticed significantly better lighting in the recent posts, no you are not going crazy. Be prepared for improved pictures!

P.S.S. I used the word "blueberry" 14 times. Sweet.

Blueberries Blueberries Everywhere

In an attempt to do things other than cook, clean, and watch TV all weekend, John and I went blueberry picking last Saturday afternoon. Which then resulted in me cooking everything and anything blueberry related all day Sunday. So really, our attempt to get out of the house resulted in us being cooped up in the kitchen making glorious blueberry treats all day. Which, in retrospect, wasn't necessarily a bad thing, since we get to eat all of the anti-oxidant rich goodies. See, we're being healthy, right?


We each picked over 2 pounds of blueberries... which means we had nearly 5 pounds. I'm not kidding 5 pounds of blueberries. And if you're looking for a cost-effective way of getting your hands on these little suckers, seriously go to a u-pick farm and pick them yourself. It was super fun, although super hot... but we got all of those blueberries for about $7. Seriously, ~5lbs for $7? Yes, please.


So far we've used up almost half and I'll be posting more ways to consume and cook blueberries in the next couple days. It will be antioxidant week on Dinner from Last Night! (In the fields I kept calling the blueberries "glorious sacks of antioxidants". I'm pretty sure John thought I had lost it... I'll chalk it up to heat exhaustion.)


Blueberry Ice Cream
Adapted from Annie Eats

I accidentally used way more vodka than the original recipe calls for. I thought I could remember the recipe and instead of walking back to my computer or printing it off, which would have been the intelligent thing to do, I just guessed. It came out really nicely though. From what I've read, the alcohol in the vodka keeps the ice cream from getting too hard in the freezer. The addition of more cream and vodka from the original recipe made this ice cream amazingly creamy and soft, which I wasn't expecting based on the ingredients. Feel free to dial the vodka down if that isn't your thing, or leave it out completely. This won't last long enough for the ice cream to get hard anyway!

2 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp vodka (optional)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, cook blueberries, water and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for about 30 seconds.

Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Be careful to let the processor vent! The blueberry mix will be HOT. If you want, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. I didn't do this step. I like the chunks. But, do whatever suits your ice-cream-consistency desires. Stir in the vodka if using. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24. I let it go for a little under 3. I was impatient.

Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry mixture and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm. Or eat it straight from the ice cream maker for a little soupier ice cream.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for Two

Last night I had every intention of posting this recipe. It's great for a cute little Friday night dessert for you and your sweetie. Or you and your fork before your sweetie gets home so that you remove any evidence of it's delicious existence.

I had such great plans. But then. I sprained the hell out of my ankle stepping down from the garden ledge. Quite possibly the most lame way I've ever heard of to sprain your ankle. I think I'll tell people that I was saving a baby from a burning building or chasing down some robbers who stole a little old lady's purse. That sounds heroic, right?

"Yeah, and I only came out with this strain. It doesn't hurt too bad. But like, totally worth it, ya know."

That makes me sound waaaaay cooler. And we'll just keep the actual reason between us, m'kay? OK, thanks.

Anyway, I spent most of last night curled up on the couch with a big bag of ice on my ankle watching old X-Files episodes. Also one of the coolest ways to spend a Friday night.

So, without further ado, here's the strawberry rhubarb crisp! Make it tonight. It will make you and whoever you choose to share it with sigh and be happy. That is, if you choose to share it with anyone. And I will completely understand if you choose that route. I almost did...


Last week we got a whopping 2 stalks of rhubarb from the CSA. As I was peeking into our box, I was thinking, "What do you do with 2 stalks of rhubarb??"

Well, ladies and gentleman. You do this! Cook it down with a bunch of strawberries and create a sort of make-shift crisp.


Next time, well that is if there is a next time this season, I'll cook the rhubarb down for a little bit in a suacepan to loosen it up a bit and then combine that with strawberries, throw a crumbly top onto it and make it that way. This version, while it tasted delicious, the texture was lacking what I think a good crisp should be. It was sort of more like a strawberry rhubarb jam with crisp on top. Really tasty, but it needed a little more to bite down into.




Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for Two
For the Compote:
2 stalks Rhubarb
1 Pint Srawberries, stems removed
1/8 Cup Brown Sugar

Rhoughy chop the rhubarb. Add rhubarb, strawberries and brown sugar to a medium sized sauce pan. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes until the rhubarb has broken down. It should look a pretty watery at this point. Turn the heat to medium to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10-15, until thick.

For the Crisp:
1/4 Cup Oatmeal
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/8 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Butter

Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350. Divide the compote evenly between two small oven-proof containers (or 1 larger bowl). Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly between the two bowls. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the compote starts to bubble and the crisp topping is golden brown.

Yum! Enjoy!

P.S. If you try this without making the compote, let me know! I'd love to try it but I'm pretty sure strawberry and rhubarb season is over here in Michigan, hence the not-so-perfect nature of this post.