anunrefinedvegan

I rescued this Bon Appetit recipe from an overindulgence of refined sugar and fat without compromising the tender texture or the rich, complex flavors of classic gingerbread.  I love the peppery bite of fresh ginger.  If you haven’t explored the glories of powdered stevia as a sugar replacement, this is the perfect recipe to give it a try.  You will not notice a difference between this version and its heavyweight cousin – but your body will appreciate the lower fat, calories and sugar.

Topped with sweet and tangy tofu cream and orange zest this is a nearly guiltless dessert that is easy and quick to prepare.  So good it was our Christmas Eve dessert.

Gingerbread Cake with Creamy Tofu Topping
Serves 8

Gingerbread:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. powdered stevia
1/2 cup prune puree
2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced or microplaned
1 tbsp. vegan vegetable spread/shortening
1/2 cup molasses
1 tbsp. egg replacer + 3 tbsp. water (whisk together until foamy, then set aside for a minute)

Tofu Cream:
12 oz. silken tofu
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp. soy milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt

Make the cake:
Lightly spray an 8″ x 8″ metal pan with cooking oil, line bottom with parchment paper, and spritz again with oil.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda and stevia.  Place the tablespoon of shortening in a large bowl and pour 1/2 cup of boiling water on it.  Whisk in the prune puree, molasses, fresh ginger and egg replacer.

Add the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and stir to combine.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Remove parchment paper.

Make the cream:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth.  Scoop into a container and chill for a couple of hours before serving.

Slice the gingerbread into eight slices and top with tofu cream.  Grate a bit of lemon zest on top of the slices if desired.

(The lovely tofu cream comes from The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  It is not low fat, but since this was a holiday dessert, I figured a little indulgence was not only called for, but necessary.)