The Discerning Brute

Jodi and I catered a dinner party under our alias, Savory & Seed, not too long ago. The dessert we made (that Jodi designed) was these amazing Vegan Chocolate Marzipan Mini Bunt Cakes. We made them in individual serving-sized mini-bundts (almost the size of doughnuts, but much more classy). This dessert goes great with an Italian menu, and looks gorgeous set out on display.

Yield:
1 large bundt cake
6 mini-bundt cakes

Time:
About an hour

Ingredients:
1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot coffee or espresso
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup grated marzipan (set aside small amount for decorative leaves)
1 cup organic sweetner (if using a wet sweetener like agave, add a tbsp of additional flour)
1/2 cup earth balance
1/2 cup coconut oil
Egg Replacer = to 4 eggs (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Organic All-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

Equipment:
Electric mixer
Mini-bundt pan for 6

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour the pan.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder into the hot coffee until dissolved. Stir in the almond milk and set aside to cool.
3. With an electric mixer, beat together the grated almond paste, sugar, earth balance & coconut oil until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg replacer mixture one tablespoon at a time, beating well between each spoonfull.
5. Add the vanilla extract and beat until just blended.
6. In a separate bowl sift the flour together with the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
7. Beating on low speed, alternately add flour and cooled coffee mixture into the creamed ingredients until all mixed together. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes more.
8. Fill the pan(s) with batter.
9. If using a bunt pan, bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1” from edge of pan comes out clean.
If using mini loaf pans, bake 22 – 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Whip organic powered sugar, Earth Balance, almond milk, and vanilla in electric mixer until frosting is fluffly and smooth.
11. Fill a decorative pastry bag half-way with icing (or make your own by poking a small hole in the corner of a plastic bag)
12. Squeeze small flowers of icing around the cake.
13. Shape the extra marzipan into desired decorative elements. We made leaves, using out fingers and a butter-knife for details.
14. Toast decorations until golden, then place them where you’d like!