cup canola oil
cup applesauce
cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
PREHEAT THE oven to 325F. Lightly grease an 8- or 10-inch Bundt pan.
Bring the coffee to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it is simmering, turn down the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until it has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to bring to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, canola oil, applesauce, and cornstarch until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved, about 2 minutes. Mix in the extracts. Once the chocolate has cooled a bit, mix that in as well.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until relatively smooth, about 1 minute with a hand mixer or 2 minutes with a whisk.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick or butter knife inserted through its center comes out clean. If your pan is on the smaller side, it could take up to 55 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to cool completely. Once cool, sift confectioners' sugar over the top and enjoy.
SMLOVE PIE.
SERVES 8.
TIME: 1 HOUR PLUS 3 HOURS FOR CHILLING.
This pie was inspired by the question "What would Paula Deen bake if she were vegan?" It's a rich yet airy chocolate pie, smothered in peanut butter caramel, studded with maple candied pecans, and finished off with a chocolate drizzle for good measure. We use a graham cracker crust but a chocolate cookie crust would be nice and decadent, too. The pie filling is gluten free, so if you have a recipe for a gluten-free crust, you celiacs are good to go. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making the toppings, the pie by itself is pretty yummy, too! Top it with soy whipped cream if you've got it.
Graham cracker crust: 12 graham crackers, or 1 cups graham cracker crumbs
cup canola oil
1 tablespoon soy milk
Chocolate pie filling: 1 pound silken tofu (not the vacuum-packed kind), drained
cup hazelnut liqueur (other liqueurs would work, too, such as coffee or chocolate, or just use rice or soy milk)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
12 ounces bittersweet vegan chocolate, melted (see tip on page 243 for melting chocolate)
Maple candied pecans: 1 cup pecans
2 teaspoons canola oil
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Peanut butter caramel: cup natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky, at room temperature
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
Chocolate drizzle: 4 ounces bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or cup vegan chocolate chips
cup soy or rice milk