Pumpkin-Pecan Streusel Cake

 Coffee cakes, crumb-topped loaves, etc. have always been my weakness.

One of them, anyway.  

The crisp, decadent streusel, the toasted, crunchy nuts, the tender, often-spiced cake. Mmm.

                       This recipe is all that, and more; pumpkin puree stirred right into the batter adds

an extra layer of flavor. It's incredibly moist and delicious.
Try it for breakfast with coffee, tea, or (almond) milk.

An indulgence you can feel good about, this cake is vegan! 

                                                   I dare you to eat just one piece.       

The original recipe comes from the excellent Veganomicon (see the "Eat to Live" section of my book recommendations), one of the most innovative vegan cookbooks I've ever laid my eyes on (which is to say, Many). A must-see for anyone interested in vegan cuisine. I've adapted it somewhat, using natural sugar, almond milk instead of soy for a better, richer flavor, and replacing the canola oil called for with sunflower oil. I added more/less spices to my taste; the amounts are general.

Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Cake

 To make the streusel, combine

1/4 cup flour and

3 tablespoons light brown sugar. Drizzle in

1 tablespoon sunflower oil,

mixing with a fork until moist crumbs form.
Add in 1 cup chopped pecans & stir to combine.
Set streusel aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F.

For the cake:
Combine
1 (15-oz) can or 1/2 a large can pureed pumpkin,
3/4 cup almond milk

3/4 cup sunflower oil

1 1/2 cups sugar
and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,

and mix well.

Add

 1 1/3 cup flour,
1 tablespoon baking powder,
1 teaspoon salt,
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg,
3/4 teaspoon ginger,

1/2 teaspoon allspice,

and 1/8 teaspoon cloves to the pumpkin mixture,

 folding in with a fork. Fold in
1 1/3 cup more flour,
 mixing just until combined and no dry flour remains.
Pour batter into a well-greased 13"x9" pan, smoothing to spread evenly.
Scatter the streusel evenly over the batter.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in the center.

Let cool and cut into squares. Makes 18 generous servings.

This recipe adapted from Veganomicon at Any Fig http://anyfig.blogspot.com.



Biscuits, biscuits, biscuits!

This recipe has evolved from one in an ad in MaryJanesFarm magazine. The original is splattered and wrinkled, likely gone forever. Luckily we had the foresight to write it down.
 Our version is completely clean. 

The Basic Biscuit Recipe

2 cups flour*

1 Tbsp. unbleached cane sugar -we use Zulka brand
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

2/3 cup almond milk + 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar**

8 Tbsp. oil*

Combine milk & vinegar, then mix all ingredients together to make a sticky dough. Turn out onto well-floured surface and sprinkle flour on top of dough, too. Knead and turn until no longer sticky. Roll out to about 1/2" - 3/4" thickness and cut with a (regular size) canning jar lid.

To cook over a wood-burning stove:

Line the bottom of a frying pan with a circle of parchment paper. Place four biscuits in pan and cover with lid. Bake on top of pot-bellied stove over hot fire (not coals) for around 20 minutes, until risen and slightly golden on bottom.

Or, To bake in the oven, preheat oven to 375F and bake 20 minutes or so, or until golden on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

* Various flours and oils can be used. If using a solid oil, like palm or coconut, use 10 tablespoons, and cut in with a fork or pastry cutter.

The vinegar in the milk can be replaced with vanilla extract for a cookie-like taste. 

Pure red palm oil makes the richest biscuits.

** Coconut milk - the full-fat kind, not the refridgerated type - makes even richer biscuits, and tastes especially good in BisCakes.

barley flour makes crumbly, cakey biscuits,

oat makes very soft, tender biscuits.

rye flour is closest to regular all-purpose flour

and of course, all-purpose flour (unbleached) can be used as well.

To make a BisCake:
Use 3 cups of flour (oat does especially well here),
4 teaspoons baking powder,
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar,
1 full cup milk,
add vanilla to taste.
Be generous with the shortening (pure red palm oil); mounded tablespoons are fine.
Grease a 9" deep-dish pie plate and flour it with whatever flour is being used.
Once dough is ready, dump the whole thing into the pie dish and push to edges.  
Bake at 400F until golden at edges, as shown. Let cool on a rack 5 minutes at least before cutting into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. These are excellent for brunch along with honey