Chocolate Banana Xibalba Cake

The other night I watched Darren Aronfsky’s film The Fountain for the first time. I do not have much to say about it except that if you haven’t seen this film already, you should, everyone should. Life’s fatal flaw is death, or is it? I feel that when confronted with death, life becomes beautiful, fuller and more cherished. And this is what I stand for, the appreciation and respect of all life. Well, this night of The Fountain, we ate a fine Vegan Pesto Pizza, compliments of Phil, the Director of V.V. To top off the night, after looking over different recipes, a Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake was made. The cake seemed to hold me in its rich velvety chocolate arms and rock me in to a state of compliancy only the female womb has mastered. But enough of the dramatics! Bake Away!

*Hyperlinks throughout recipe are alternatives to stated ingredients. Check em out!

Chocolate Banana Xibalba Cake of Life

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 Minutes

Overnight Wait? : Yes

Difficulty: Easy

Remember! Experiment with this recipe and find your own inspirations. Add or take away different ingredients, use whatever is in your pantry!

Tools:

• Oven/ Stove
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Wooden Spoon
• Small storage Container (1 Pint)
• Large 10’’ Serving Plate
• Small Sauce Pan (1 Quart)
• Medium Sized Mixing Bowl (3 Quarts)
• Small Sized Mixing Bowl (1 Pint)
• 9’’ Round Pan or 8’’ Square Pan

Chocolate Cake Ingredients

☐ Pre-Heat Oven to 375° F or 190.56° C

☐ 1 ½ Flour (You can also use Amaranth, Arrowroot, Brown Rice, or Buckwheat Flour)

☐ ½ C. Cocoa Powder

☐ 1 C. Sugar (You can also use Date Sugar [grind up dates], Stevia [Approximately 1 tsp. of Stevia = 1 C. of Sugar], or Maple Syrup)

☐ 1 C. Chocolate Chips

☐ 2 tsp. Baking Soda

☐ ½ tsp. Salt

☐ 1 C. Water

☐ ½ C. Canola Oil (Any oil will work)

☐ 2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

☐ 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

☐ 2 Bananas or Strawberries or Raspberries or Almonds, Sliced

Chocolate Cake Recipe

1. Pre-heat oven to 375° F
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt into medium sized bowl. Mix ingredients well.
3. In small bowl whisk together water, oil, and vanilla.
4. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
5. Once mixture is smooth, stirring quickly, add vinegar.
6. Whisk in chocolate chips.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until you are able to stick a fork in the middle of the cake and the fork comes out clean. Baking times vary so don’t worry too much about sticking to this recipe.
8. Place a large plate over cake pan and flip cake onto plate. Let cake cool overnight in refrigerator.
9. Cut cake in half, making two layers. Place top layer aside.
10. Spread frosting over bottom layer. Place banana slices on top of bottom layer of cake.
11. Replace the top layer of cake and repeat step 10.
12. Watch The Fountain and enjoy the chocolaty goodness while you are blown away…

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

☐ 2 C. Powdered Sugar (See alternatives to sugar above)

☐ 1 C. Cocoa Powder

☐ ½ C. Chocolate Chips

☐ ½ C. Almond Milk (You can also use Rice, Hemp, Oat, or Nut Milk)

☐ 1 tsp. Vegan Margarine (Optional) (You can also use Walnut, Olive, Canola, or Grape Seed Oil)

Chocolate Frosting Recipe

1. In small saucepan over low-medium heat combine almond milk and margarine, once ingredients are melted stir in chocolate chips.
2. With wooden spoon slowly add cocoa and powdered sugar, stirring constantly.
3. Once ingredients are combined turn off heat and let cool 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Pour into container and place in refrigerator for later use.
   

-Lauren

Best breakfast food ever: The CinnaMoi Roll

While cinnamon rolls may be a classic treat for many American families, it was not so for me. I grew up in the concrete jungles of LA (in a very Asian neighborhood might I add) and my first memories of cinnamon rolls were from a Cinnabon stand in the food court of my local mall... but after my first vegan attempt, I can proudly say "Nay! No more!" to corporation-manufactured memories... (at least in the case of cinnamon rolls for now).

Delectable CinnaMoi Rolls
1/2 cup of nut milk
4 tbs vegan margarine
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg replacer
1/4 cups warm water + 2 tsp yeast + 1 tsp sugar (wait until it gets foamy)
2 1/2 - 3 cups of flour

Filling
2 tbs margarine, melted
Handful of dried cranberries
nuts of your choice (I used an agave sweetened medley of nuts and seeds)
3 tbs sugar + 3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp nutmeg

Icing
1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese
2 tbs maple syrup
powdered sugar (as needed to thicken)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients to make dough and put in a warm place for it to rise (about 30 minutes). Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out dough to a square/rectangle. Brush with melted margarine and sprinkle with spices, sugar, nuts, and dried cranberries. Roll carefully into a log shape and cut with a serrated knife. Oil baking pan, arrange rolls, and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Top with icing and if desired, brown sugar.

Serve warmmmmmm. They will fill your house with the best smell that will last for the whole day so you better make an extra batch to soothe the cravings.