On my blog there already is a recipe for bear cupcakes, which have a lovely, creamy chocolate frosting. You can find the recipe here.

Now I wanted some vegan, gluten-free cupcakes that are also fruit-sweetened and don’t need oil either. And even better, if they could be nut-free to make them extra allergy-friendly.

Turned out this was a bit challenging. After countless trial and error I am now very happy with the result. These cupcakes have a lovely, soft texture. And combined with the pink chai cream it’s a dream

Note: with this recipe, exact measurements of ingredients is key. I recommend a good quality kitchen scales and measuring spoons. I’m leaving a note in the recipe itself too.

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Pink Chai Cupcakes (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-sweetened, Oil-free)

Super cute Pink Chai & Chocolate Cupcakes. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, fruit-sweetened and oil-free.

For a 6 piece cupcake form with 6cm diameter.

Course Baked Sweet

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword chocolate, cupcakes, fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, oil-free, Pink Chai, vegan

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Einweichzeit 4 hours hours

Servings 6 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 130 g buckwheat flour (see note)
• 30 g FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
• 1 tsp psyllium fiber, ground
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 140 g dates, pitted and diced
• 360 ml water
• 1 tbsp tahini (or other nut/seed butter)

For the frosting:

• 70 g sunflower seeds (soaked in water for 4 hours)
• 50 g dates, pitted and diced
• 35 g cacao butter, melted
• 2-3 tsp red fruit powder (eg pink pittaya, raspberry or beetroot powder)
• 1 tsp chai spice (or cinnamon)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 190°C (top/bottom heat). Mix the dry ingredients for the dough in a bowl.
• Blend dates, water and tahini in a powerful blender until smooth.
• Pour the date mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine (don’t over stir).
• Scoop the dough evenly into the muffin form and bake for approx 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Take the cupcakes out of the form and let them cool down on a cake rack.
• For the chai frosting, blend all ingredients in a powerful blender until smooth (a high-speed blender with tamper is recommended).
• Transfer the blended mixture into a small bowl and let cool down in the fridge until it has firmed up (approx. 1 to 2 hours).
• Scoop the frosting into an icing bag and decorate the cupcakes. Garnish to your liking. Best stored chilled. Enjoy

Notes

Note: Precise measurements are important for this recipe. I recommend good quality kitchen scales and measuring spoons. 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml and 1/2 teaspoon equals 2,5 ml.

Buckwheat flour is not everyone’s taste. To be on the safe side you can also make a mix of 1:1 buckwheat flour and rice flour.

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

And these heart shaped cookies make the perfect edible gift for your loved one(s). You can also glaze them with chocolate. And there are so many options to garnish, like chopped nuts and cacao nibs and freeze dried fruits. Yum!

The pink chai glaze is sweetened with fruit. The lovely pink colour comes from cooked beetroot. You can also use beetroot powder or raw beetroot. I made the chai spice mix myself by blending ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and allspice.

The cookies are also sweetened with dates. They make for a lovely, soft texture. And as always this recipe for pink chai chocolate cookies is vegan, gluten-free and without oil.

Makes about 12 Cookies:

For the cookies:
• 100g dates, pitted and chopped
• 170ml water
• 50g almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)
• 130g rice flour
• 50g buckwheat flour
• 3 tbsp FAIR-TRADE cacao
• 1 tbsp ground psyllium fiber
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• some FAIR-TRADE chocolate for glazing

For the pink glazing:
• 30g cooked beetroot
• 3 dates, pitted & chopped
• 50 bis 60ml water
• 20g cacao butter, melted
• 60g cashews or blanched almonds
• 1/2 tsp chai spice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (top/bottom heat). Blend dates, water and almond butter with a stick blender until smooth.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add the dates mixture and stir to combine.

3. Roll out the dough between sheets of baking paper. Cut out cookies and place them on a baking tray (sprinkle with some flour if the dough is too sticky). Repeat until the dough is used up.

4. Bake for approx. 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool down properly.

5. For the glaze blend all ingredients in a powerful mini blender. Spread evenly over the cookies. Place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge.

Note: The glaze doesn’t turn completely firm. It is best used as a filling between two cookies.

Enjoy

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

These berries had to be used for something special. With Christmas just around the corner, I opted for a festive No Bake Raspberry Chocolate Cake. I absolutely loved how it turned out!

This cake will work with other berries, or a delicious berry mix. And if you are not a fan of combing fruit with chocolate, you can omit the cocoa powder in the crust. It’ll still tastes amazing, if not better (deepening on your favourite taste).

When I listed the ingredients, I was surprised to see that it is actually only 7 ingredients that you need! So simple and easy – I love it! Of course it is vegan, gluten-free and without refined sugar. The perfect dessert for Christmas, I like to keep pre-cut slices in the freezer to have a dessert ready even with short notice

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No Bake Raspberry Chocolate Tart (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-Sweetened)

This vegan and gluten-free cake will work with other berries, or a delicious berry mix. And if you are not a fan of combing fruit with chocolate, you can omit the cocoa powder in the crust.

Course Cake

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Cashew, chocolate, dairy-free, Dates, Hazelnut, pink colour, Raspberry, raw, soy-free, valentines, without baking

Servings 1 cake 35 x 10 cm

Equipment

• 35 x 10cm cake tin
• high-speed blender

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 140 g hazelnuts (soak in water, the rinse and drain)
• 100 g dates pitted and diced
• 3 tablespoon FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon water

For the filling:

• 250 g raspberries
• 100 g dates pitted and diced
• 100 ml water
• 40 g cacao butter melted
• 280 g cashews (soak in water for a few hours, then rinse and drain)

Instructions

• Line cake tin with baking paper. For the crust, place soaked hazelnuts and dates in high-speed blender and pulse until crumbly.
• Transfer crumbles into a bowl, add cocoa powder and stir to combine. Should it be too dry, add one tablespoon of water. Spread evenly into cake tin and press firm.
• For the filling, blend all ingredients in a strong high-speed blender until smooth. You may need to use the tamper to keep the mixture turning inside the jug.
• Pour the filling over the crust and spread evenly.
• Garnish if you like (I use freeze dried raspberry powder and chopped pistachios). Place in freezer until set (approx. 3 to 5 hours). Cut slices when it’s still semi frozen, then store covered until serving.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

The cacao butter and cacao paste adds an incredibly silky, almost buttery texture to it. A melt in the mouth kinda treat that also makes a perfect edible gift!

For the white chocolate glazing I have used almond milk powder, but any other plant-based milk powder or protein powder should work as well. As always this recipe for white chocolate truffles is vegan, gluten-free.

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Chocolate Truffles (Vegan, Gluten-free, No Dates)

The cacao butter and cacao paste of this vegan and gluten-free chocolate truffles adds an incredibly silky, almost buttery texture to it. A melt in the mouth kinda treat that also makes a perfect edible gift!

Course Truffles

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword chocolate, Hazelnut, soy-free, Truffles

Servings 25 truffles

Ingredients

For the chocolate truffles:

• 140 g hazelnuts soak them in water for at least 12 hours, the rinse and drain
• 30 g cacao paste melted
• 30 g cacao butter melted
• 2-3 tablespoon coconut sugar depending on how sweet you like it
• 2 tablespoon FAIR-TRADE cocoa or cacao powder

For the white chocolate glazing:

• 40 g cacao butter melted
• 3 tablespoon plant-based milk powder

Instructions

• After soaking the hazelnuts for at least 12 hours, rinse and drain them. Place them in a high-speed blender or food processor and blitz to small crumbles.
• Transfer hazelnut crumbles into bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients to combine.
• Take small scoops of dough and roll them into small balls. Place in freezer while preparing the white chocolate glazing.
• For the white chocolate glazing, melt the cacao butter in a cup that sits in a bowl with warm water. Stir in the plant-based milk powder and stir to dissolve. It may take a little, please be patient
• Stick one ball at a time onto a wooden skewer, then dip it into the white chocolate, rotate it slightly to help the chocolate spread evenly. You may want to drizzle some extra chocolate over it before drizzling with garnish of your choice (I used chopped cacao nibs).
• Stick the skewer with the truffle into a jar and let cool down a little before taking it off. Best stored in fridge.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

I must admit that I prefer dates for sweetening though. They add volume, a creamy texture and compared to sugar, they are so unrefined.

So, in this recipe I use maple syrup for sweetening. In order to achieve a creamy texture, I added some psyllium husk to the filling.

There is less volume so you will need more nuts. I have added some sunflower seeds in order to reduce the amount of cashews needed. You will be able to taste the sunflower seeds a little. If that isn’t your thing, I recommend to go with cashews all the way.

As always, this no-bake vanilla raspberry recipe is vegan, gluten-free and without refined sugar (if you want to call maple syrup unrefined that is You can also use coconut nectar or rice syrup).

Also, you can make the cake using two cake tins to achieve the ‘hidden filling’ effect, or use only one cake tin and make two layers on top of each.

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No-Bake Vanilla Raspberry Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, No Dates)

In this vegan and gluten-free no-bake cake recipe the filling is without dates. Feel free to replace the dates in the crust with other sweeteners too.

Course Cake

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Cashew, flour-free, no redined sugar, pink colour, Raspberry, raw, valentines, Vanilla, without baking, without dates

Servings 1 cake (8 inch)

Equipment

• 7inch spring-form
• 8inch spring-form
• high-speed blender with tamper

Ingredients

For the raspberry filling:

• 200 g raspberries
• 210 g cashews*
• 70 g sunflower seeds*
• 1 tablespoon psyllium fiber husk

For the crust:

• 140 g nuts* (I used macadamia nuts)*

For the vanilla layer:

• 280 g cashews*
• 70 g sunflower seeds*
• 250 ml water
• 60 ml + 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1-2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon psyllium fiber husk
• * soak them in water for at least 4 hours, then rinse and drain

Instructions

• Line the base of the smaller 7inch cake tin with baking paper.
• Blend all ingredients except the psyllium fiber husk for the strawberry filling smooth. Use a highspeed blender with tamper for best results.
• Once the mixture is smooth, add the psyllium fiber husk and blend a little longer. Pour into cake tin, spread evenly and place in freezer until firm (approx. 2 hours).
• Line the base of the larger cake tin with baking paper. Place ingredients for crust into blender and pulse to fine crumbles.
• Transfer to cake tin, spread evenly and press firm. Remove the raspberry filing from freezer, take out of cake tin and place on top of the crust.
• For the vanilla layer, blend all ingredients except the psyllium fiber until smooth. Use a high-speed blender with tamper for best results. Once the mixture is smooth, add the psyllium fiber husk and blend a little longer.
• Spread the vanilla layer over the raspberry filling. Make sure it is spread well. It helps to gently hit the cake tin onto the table a few times to make air bubbles come to the surface. Garnish to your liking.
• Place in freezer until set (approx. 3 to 4 hours). Cut slices when the cake is still quite firm. Then keep chilled until serving.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Whenever I can, I personally would always opt for a hand-made gift, be it a hand picked bunch of daisies or some home-made art, craft or good old baking.

I bought these heart shaped cookie cutters some time ago and hardly ever used them. But it seems like the idea of creating a heart shaped cookie for Mothers Day needed some time to pop up in my mind

Well, when I think about it, this cookie would also do really well for Valentines Day. I leave it up to you

Either way, this kind of vegan, gluten-free and nut-free chocolate cookie with white chocolate glazing is the ideal gift for anyone that deserves a gesture of love

For approx. 20 cookies you’ll need:

For the cookies:
1/2 cup (70g) rice flour
1/2 cup (50g) FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
1/2 cup (90g) coconut sugar
1/4 cup (35g) buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon psyllium fiber husk
1 teaspoon baking powder

30g (approx. 1 heaped tablespoon) tahini
1/4 cup water, plus 1-2 additional tablespoons if needed

For the white chocolate glazing:
30g cacao butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon finely ground coconut sugar
3 teaspoon tapioca starch
1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste (optional)

For garnish I used dehydrated raspberries, cacao nibs and chopped pistachios (which doesn’t make it nut-free).

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Mix all dry ingredients for the cookies in a medium sized bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the tahini and water until well dissolved.

3. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. The dough should be just moist enough so that you can knead it in your hands and form it to a ball. If needed, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoon of water.

4. Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper until it is approx. 5mm thick. Then cut out the cookies and place them onto a baking tray. Knead the remaining dough and roll out again, repeat steps until dough is used up.

5. Place in oven and bake for approx. 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool down before you add the glazing. If you place the cookies in the fridge or freezer, the glazing will set quicker and thicker.

6. For the white chocolate glazing, mix all ingredients in a warmed up cup until well dissolved. I simply used a teaspoon to place little portions of the chocolate onto each cookie and to spread it around. If you haven’t cooled down the cookie too much, the glazing might be quite thin and needs another layer added later. Then quickly add garnish before it sets.

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.