I have no doubt one of the keys in these in particular being so yummy is the really good Dutch process cocoa that my roomie acquired at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport during a layover. While I’m sure you could get yummy results with regular cocoa, it would throw off the acid balance and who knows what might happen.

Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp flax seed meal (or 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole flax seeds)
• 1/2 cup soymilk
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2cups sugar (or less, even)
  
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips

In a small blender (I like to use the little container-chopper attachment on my hand blender for this), grind the flax into powder, then add soymilk and blend. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream the oil and sugar. Add the flax/soymilk mixture and mix well, then mix in the vanilla. (I usually use electric beaters for this part.)

Fold in the dry ingredients in batches. Go ahead and use your hands when the dough gets too stiff for a spatula. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and flatten into ~1 1/2 discs an inch apart on an ungreased (optionally parchment-lined) baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then set them on a wire rack to cool completely.

The final steps are more important than they look! First, the cookies will not seem done after 10 minutes, but trust me (and Isa), and take them out. Similarly, do not try to remove them from the baking sheet immediately. They are still quite soft at that point and will fall apart. While still yummy, they won’t be as pretty. (Ask me how I know this.)

Even though I’d recently acquired Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, I didn’t have it handy when I started baking so the body of these is standard “Wacky Cake”. By the time they were in the oven, I was able to ponder my frosting option and chose Peanut Buttercream, but I’d made a double batch of cupcakes and only a single of frosting so I didn’t have enough to pipe. I added the streaks of chocolate syrup and the peanuts for visual interest, since the frosting was a fairly bland color, and I also like when a garnish reflects what’s inside.

The cupcakes were delicious, and the peanut butter and chocolate definitely worked well together (to nobody’s surprise). Next time, I’ll do a lot more frosting and use it to fill the cakes.

Wacky Cake (traditional recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cold water

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then together. Pour into lined muffin tins 2/3-3/4 full and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Peanut Buttercream (from VCTOTW)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c maragarine, softened
• 2 tbsp shortening (EB sticks are the best for this)
• 1/3 c creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 c confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1 to 2 tbsp rice milk, soy milk/creamer, or water

With electric handheld mixer, cream together margarine and shortening at medium speed til smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla, and beat until very smooth, 2 to 3 minute. Beat in sugar; mixture will be very stiff. Dribble in liquid a little at a time, beating continuously til frosting is pale tan and very fluffy.

Adjust the thickness of the frosting by adding liquid or more confectioner’s sugar in small increments if necessary. –

I highly recommend Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Not only are the recipes great and the authors wonderful people, but it’s a beautiful book with fabulous pictures, so even those who don’t actually cook can enjoy it.