These are simply delicious, rich in texture and taste. A divine treat with some earl grey tea, or any other hot beverage of your choice. Very more-ish, and the frosting is a healthy one, inspired by Barbara Cousin’s book ‘Vegetarian Cooking Without’.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups unbleached white flour
1¾ cups brown sugar (muscavado is great)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¾ cup carob flour/powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup pecan nuts (or walnuts), roughly chopped
¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
¾ cup (175 mL) canola oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla essence
1¾ cups (425 mL) cold water
METHOD FOR CAKE
- The first step is to preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC), and take all your ingredients out on your work surface.
- Line a lamington dish (approx 12 by 6 inches, or slightly smaller) with greaseproof paper for the base, and grease it and the edges just the same (to prevent sticking).
- Next, place all your dried ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and lightly mix them.
- Now add wet ingredients in one at a time, starting with the oil, and lastly pouring the water in. Mix well with a wooden spoon until nice and thick, but don’t be tempted to over mix. You should be left with a nice, smooth, thick consistency.
- Place in your hot oven, and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes. Be careful not to over cook – and definitely don’t let it burn. The brownies are ready when you can place a toothpick or skewer in them, and it comes out clean.
- When ready, remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely before removing the paper, and place on a plate, in readiness for frosting.
INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING
2 oz (60 g) dried prunes, finely chopped
3½ Tbsp carob flour/powder
½ cup (125 mL) water
3 Tbsp tahini
½ tsp vanilla extract
pecan nuts, halved, for decoration
METHOD FOR FROSTING
- Finely chop the prunes, and add them in a small saucepan with the carob powder and water. Bring to the boil, and allow to simmer until the mixture thickens.
- Then take off the heat, add in the tahini and vanilla extract, and mix vigorously until fully blended.
- Spread the frosting on the top with a spatula, once the cake has cooled down, and decorate with pecan halves. Enjoy !
All recipes, content & design © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
These are free recipes for your pleasure – all we ask in return is that you take a few moments to leave a constructive comment !
I am inspired to go vegan looking at these mouthwatering recipes. I have be vegetarian for 20 years and am staring to go vegan. These yummy recipes will make it easier. Thanks 🙂
Hi there Kirsty and welcome here. Many thanks for dropping by here with your wonderful comment – kudos to you for being a non-meat eater for so long, and hope that my recipes help make your transition into veganism an easier and enjoyable one too. Very best to you in the meantime and I look forward to your future comments here on my blog ! Cheers !
These look amazing! I don’t have any tahini in at the moment though, will try subbing with peanut butter.
Hi there Joe and welcome here – Many thanks for dropping by here with your comment and I think that smooth peanut butter may well do the trick – try it and see ! Cheers to you in the meantime and l look forward to your future comments on my site.
I adore your weblog, but I wish you had a “print” and a “share” button to make it all easier!!
Thanks for your terrific work!
Mona
Mona Hi there and welcome here. Sorry I am not set up ideally for everybody. I hope you are enjoying my recipes ! Best to you !
Hi Miriam,
These look great! I will admit that I usually modify your recipes when I can and omit the oil, as I have been getting into no oil cooking these days. Most of the time the recipes turn out great, however, this one calls for quite a bit of oil and I’m not sure omitting it could be an option here. Thoughts? Do you think a substitute like apple sauce or something else might work? Thanks!
Made these gooey goodies.
They were unbelievably delicious!!!!
Thank you so much, Miriam …your recipes make me look like I know what I’m doing.
Big hug x
Pamela Hi there and thanks for popping by here with your comment. I am super delighted that you have made these and that they rock, I hope that you continue to enjoy the recipes here, and kudos to your endeavours, well done. I look forward to your future comments and feedback here. Best wishes to you !
Sara Hi there and thanks for dropping by here with your comment – I honestly cannot say how they will turn out without the oil. Now, it’s one thing if you omit all oils in cooking and another if you cut down – here my suggestion would be half the quantity and add either the applesauce or whatever else you add in your cake mixes in liquid to make up the quantity measurement of the oil in total. See how it goes – it truly is an awesome ‘cake’ in it’s own right (as you will see from the endless comments) and the main reason besides it’s flavour is it is moist and therefore easy and a joy to eat, this is in the main thanks to the oil. Good luck and hope your experiment works for you – do remember that if you half the oil quantity that will help and if you think about each portion (as it’s very rich with the topping) the oil in each portion is really negligible. Best to you !
Thanks Miriam I think I will try the half oil experiment and see how it works–will let you know!
Thanks there Sara do. Cheers !
Hey,
that looks so delicious!! I will definitely try it. But do you think I could replace the prunes with figs, for example? Cause I don’t like them too much…
Best greets!
Vera Hi there and thanks for dropping by here with your comment. Yes you can use a mixture of figs and pitted dates instead, make sure they are the succulent ones ! Let me know how it goes as and when. Cheers to you !
Hi there, can you please tell me the reasoning of adding bicarbonate soda? If I wanted it more gooey… do you think I should add in xanthan gum? I haven’t used xantham gum in baking before, and heard that it can turn bake goods gooey… have you tried it?
Thanks so much!
Hi Ella and welcome here. Thanks for your comment. The bicarbonate is there as the recipe is from my cake recipe, and it’s very much the topping that makes it gooey whilst the ‘cake’ is moist – together they are gooey and sticky and marry well both as taste and texture. Do by all means alter this according to your wishes. I cannot say how it would turn out with Xantham gum sorry. Good luck and enjoy !
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Thanks for the mention.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!! This recipe is delicious, my husband and 4 kids cold not tell it was vegan at all and I loved having something decadent!
Hi Nicci and welcome here. That’s great news. In fact most all of my recipes have a profoundly great effect on non-vegans, so feel free to extend their repertoire and let me know how things go as and when. Best wishes your way in the meantime.
Hello 🙂 Busy making them, but it seems as if the final mixture is runny? Should it be like this? I used almond flour instead of normal flour. Should I just add more flour? Thank you 🙂
Hi Alexia, I’ve never used almond flour myself, so cannot be sure how it would behave compared with normal flour. By all means feel free to add some plain flour to save it, but cannot the guarantee the outcome !
My husband and I are really enjoying this dessert with a bit of Trader Joe’s Soy Ice Cream right now. Easy to make and so delicious! Turned out light and perfect even with halving the recipe, and the substitution of WW flour, coconut oil, and carob chips. I only had nutty peanut butter to use in the frosting so I omitted the pecan halves.
Teri, that sounds perfect !!! 🙂