Easy Low Fat Graham Cracker Crumb Pie Crust No-Shortening

Easy Low Fat Graham Cracker Crumb Pie Crust No-Shortening

by | Last updated Nov 22, 2021 | Published on Nov 21, 2021 | Recipes | 0 comments

baked low fat pie crust

Low Fat Healthy Graham Cracker Crumb Pie Crust Without Shortening – Delicious!

What fillings can you put in this homemade graham cracker crumb pie crust?

  • Pumpkin Pie try my no bake, whole foods recipe here!
  • Banana Cream
  • Lemon
  • Cherry
  • Chocolate
  • Apple, and more….

Yummy!!

How to make a whole food pie crust from scratch, without butter?

It is super duper quick and easy.

It is very convenient to keep graham cracker crumbs in the cupboard.

Then, whatever size pie crust you want, you can easily mix up a crust, spread it out in the pie plate, give it a quick bake while you prep the pie filling, and have a delicious, fresh, crowd pleasing pie.

Easy low fat, dairy free pie crust recipe

I experimented with various margarine substitutes and found that a simple mix of water, maple syrup, and almond flour make a great healthy easy and tasty graham pie crust.

I used to buy pre-made graham crumb crusts, and often they would go stale, or crack, or be too small.

Plus they are greasy, have preservatives in them, and just don’t taste as good as this fresh made pie crust does.

Mix the graham cracker crumbs with water and maple syrup

Also, add some almond flour – this replaces the butter/margarine the original graham crumbs package recipe probably calls for.

The crumbs will turn into balls, pour them into your pie plate.

wfpb graham cracker pie crust no-oil

Use a spoon to press the crumbs into the pie plate

Make a consistent thickness, especially up the sides.

At this point your crust is still raw, and would look like this:

low fat graham cracker crumb pie crust

Do you need to bake graham cracker crumb crust? Yes, bake the crust, then it will be ready for filling

Put the raw crust in the oven for 11-13 minutes, blind bake it, and then it will be ready for whatever yummy filling you have planned.

Follow the instructions on your pie recipe for whether the crust needs to cool or not.

Some recipes may require the pie to be baked again after filling it. Others, like my Whole Food Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Banana Cream Pie do not.

low fat pumpkin pie wfpb

Is this a vegan pie crust?  Sorry, no, ethical vegans may avoid honey because it is produced by animals

It is very difficult to find graham cracker crumbs that don’t contain honey. This may be a concern for some of us.

According to this article, not all honey is produced the same way: Is it Possible to Find Honey that Doesn’t Harm Bees?

Apparently, when honey is certified organic that also means it’s been extracted without using harmful beekeeping methods.

So possibly then, if we use organic graham cracker crumbs, we may be making a better choice for bees.  I leave this up to you to decide.

How is pie crust with no margarine better?  Health benefits of WFPB whole food pie crust.

My recipes do not include margarine, butter, or oil. Recipes on veganenvy use whole plant based foods like seeds and nuts instead of margarine or oil.

Why? Because man-made oils and fats provide no minerals, vitamins, nutrients, or fiber. Oil is what is left once all the plant goodness has been stripped out.  Also, to make oil and margarine shelf stable, it is highly processed.

Whole foods like nuts, and seeds contain healthy fats, bundled in fibre, so you get nutrition, gut biome probiotics, antioxidants, fresh taste, and less calories!

Eating oil or margarine or butter (or meat) contributes to clogging our arteries, and can lead to heart attacks, strokes and dementia. Pure fat is the highest calorie food there is, so eating it usually leads to us consuming more energy than we can typically use, causing weight gain.

WFPB Pumpkin Pie

Please enjoy this wonderful graham cracker crumb crust that is margarine free!  

Your body will thank you.

baked low fat pie crust

Easy Low-fat Whole Food Graham Crumb Pie Crust WFPB No-Shortening

Jeanette
You can make a delicious whole foods pie crust without margarine and without butter.
This pie crust is so easy, and works well with my Vegan Banana Cream Pie and Vegan Pumpkin Pie variations.
I make this all the time, and my kids think it is delicious. No one misses the butter.
Usually, I make no bake pies in this crust.
While the crust is in the oven for the fast blind bake, I will blend up a pie filling, then I remove the crust from the oven, pour in the filling, and the pie is ready to eat once it cools and sets.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Plant Based, Vegan
Servings 10 slices
Calories 110 kcal

Equipment

  • 9 inch or 9 1/2 inch Pie Dish
  • Oven

Instructions and Ingredients
  

Vegan Graham Crumb Crust for Pie

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1) Prepare and Blind Bake the Graham Crumb Crust in 9 or 9.5 inch pie plate. This prevents the crust from being soggy.

  • Add the dry crust ingredients (graham crumbs, almond flour) to a medium bowl, and mix well.
  • Mix the maple syrup and water together, add to the crumbs, mix with a fork, until crumbly balls form.
  • Pour all the crumbs into the pie dish. With a medium sized spoon, press the crumbs into the bottom, and up the sides. About a centimeter (1/3 inch) thick.
    If the crust is too thin, you may have trouble getting pieces out later. Make sure it is thick, especially up the sides.
    Tap/press down on the top of the sides to make a flat thick edge.
  • Bake crust alone, for 11 - 13 min. The crust will rise slightly, it does not need to be browned.

2) Prepare Pie Filling

  • While the crust bakes, prepare a filling.

Pour Filling into Baked Pie Crust

  • Take the crust out of the oven. It is ok to pour hot filling from a saucepan over top of the hot crust, into the pie plate.
    No need to cool the crust, but if it did cool a while, that shoud be fine too.

If is a No Bake Pie, Let the Pie Set / Cool

  • Place the fresh cooked pie in the fridge or freezer to speed the cooling process.
    Depending on your filling, once the pie is a bit warmer than room temperature it should be firm enough to be served.

If it is a Baked Pie - Bake the pie crust again, with the filling in it.

    Add Toppings

    • Top your pie with vegan ice cream or coconut whip cream and enjoy!
      Cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh in the fridge for a few days.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Low-fat Whole Food Graham Crumb Pie Crust WFPB No-Shortening
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 110 Calories from Fat 18
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 2g3%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 139mg6%
    Potassium 9mg0%
    Carbohydrates 22g7%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 2g4%
    Calcium 9mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword dairy-free, egg-free, healthy dessert, healthy snack, low fat, low sugar, no-oil vegan recipe, oil free dessert, vegan dessert, vegan pie, vegan thanksgiving, wfpb dessert, wfpb snack, whole foods pie, whole foods plant based dessert
    Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!
     
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    FOLLOW HERE!

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    Healthy Vegan Cranberry Cake – Whole Wheat No-Oil, No-Sugar, WFPB

    Healthy Vegan Cranberry Cake – Whole Wheat No-Oil, No-Sugar, WFPB

    by | Last updated Nov 14, 2020 | Published on Nov 14, 2020 | Recipes | 0 comments

    Healthy Vegan Cranberry Cake/Bread Whole Wheat No-Oil, No Sugar, WFPB

    This is a yummy, healthy and satisfying plant-based vegan dessert.  Or maybe you would eat it as an after school snack for kids, bedtime snack for yourself, or mid-day treat. Whatever you prefer, so many options!

    Looking for healthy vegan recipe ideas to make with whole wheat flour and cranberries?  Try this recipe.

    To make a healthy moist rectangle cranberry cake, from which you can cut cranberry squares.  This recipe is whole-foods plant-based, uses dried coconut soaked in water instead of oil, and uses frozen bananas instead of sugar.

    These substitutions create a healthier delivery package – a small amount of whole coconut – complete with fiber and other phytonutrients, plus a nice mild flavour (if you even notice it). Instead of a traditional cake recipe that uses oil.

    Other healthy tasty vegan dessert or snack recipes to try (these use apples):

    Apple Crumble

    Apple Cake

     

    Buy Cranberries in Season and Freeze them for Healthy Cranberry Breads and Cranberry cake.

    I buy bags and bags of fresh cranberries from Costco before thanksgiving, rinse and freeze them, so I can bake with cranberries all year.  I also enjoy putting these frozen cranberries on my hot oatmeal in the morning. 

    Cranberries are tart, and this cake has no sugar, so it is more like a bread, but still tastes nice.

    When baking it, you can taste the wet ingredients mixture, to be sure you like the flavour, and sweetness.  

    My kids liked this cranberry cake, so things don’t always have to be sweet to be a success. The cranberries are juicy and tasty, and the spices add complex flavour.

    Whole Wheat Flour Cakes and Baking

    We are loving my baking with whole wheat, it is such a satisfying snack.  They are a bit ugly, but so nice to eat.

    Maybe it’s the extra fiber, or nutrients, but we feel so good after eating this cake.

    Whole wheat does make the cake more dense, and lumpy looking on the top, but also more filling, without that blood sugar spike and fall you get from white flour.  

    This cake is quite low calorie and is full of whole foods that will feed your microbiome, and have been shown to prevent cancer.  Have some cake and be slim too!

     Whole Foods Compared to Traditional Desserts = Better Gut Health

    A quick mention here about a book that made it so I can eat this cake happily.

    The advice in this book about gradually exercising your gut, by eating a little bit more of a diverse range of plants, especially whole grains like whole wheat is just spot on. Rather than avoiding them.

    I’ve realized my IBS goes away when I eat a little bit of the food that is bothering me for a few days in a row.

    This book explains why, based on your microbiome changing to be able to digest what you eat.

    Eliminating foods is actually the opposite of what we should do.

    Following the advice in this book, has really made my IBS go away

    It’s been an amazing read for me.

    My digestive system has never felt better.

    Now I can eat wheat and lovely cakes.

    If you ever struggle with bloating or reactions to some plant foods (like wheat) or if you know someone who does, this book may solve that problem for you and them!

    So I thought I would share. 🙂

    Whole Wheat Vegan Apple Cake No-Oil

    Healthy Vegan Whole Wheat Cranberry Bread / Cake - Oil Free, Sugar Free, wfpb

    Jeanette
    Makes one 9” x 13" rectangle cake, can be cut into squares.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American, Vegan, Whole Foods
    Servings 20 pieces
    Calories 164 kcal

    Equipment

    • 9" x 13" rectangle baking dish.
    • Wax paper or parchment paper (optional, but recommended).

    Instructions and Ingredients
      

    First, Mix the Following Dry Ingredients in a Large Bowl

    • 3 cups whole wheat flour Or half whole wheat and white.
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda Ensure is well mixed throughout the dry ingredients.
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 3 tsp cinnamon try swapping 1 tsp of the cinnamon for ground cloves.
    • 1 tsp nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Second, food processor the following on high, until smooth, to aerate

    • 1/3 cup dried coconut Soaked in water: microwave for 30 seconds with 1/3 cup water, and let sit a few minutes, then add to the food processor.
    • 2 tbsp ground flax Whisked with 6 tbsp of water, then let sit for a few minutes, to make 4 flax "eggs"
    • 1 1/2 cup banana Use ripe frozen bananas instead of sugar. Makes more of a bread, than a cake (less sweet).
    • 1 1/2 cups apples Chopped, peel on is ok. These will be turned to liquid. Or use applesauce.
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup optional
    • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

    Third, add and process nuts first to make into pieces, and then add and process cranberries on medium speed to cut most in half.

    • 1 1/2 cups pecans Or walnuts.
    • 4 cups cranberries fresh or frozen

    Fouth, pour and mix wet ingredients into the dry

      Fifth, spoon batter into cake pan

        Sixth, bake at 350 for 40 - 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out very clean

          More Detailed Instructions:

          • Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C)
          • Place wax or parchment paper on bottom of 9x13 glass cake pan, to avoid problems getting the cake out later.

          Mix Dry Ingredients Together in Large Bowl

          • In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.

          Mix at High Speed in Food Processor until Smooth - for about a minute to aerate / add bubbles to the cake.

          • Frozen banana (slightly thawed, so you don't damage the food processor)
          • Apples (or applesauce)
          • Maple syrup
          • Vanilla
          • Soaked coconut
          • Soaked flaxmeal / ground flax

          Add Nuts to the Food Processor and Chop on Medium, until nuts are half their previous size.

          • Nuts

          Add Cranberries to the Food Processor, Chop on Medium until many are halved, some should still be whole.

          • Cranberries, chopping the cranberries a bit will help them release moisture when cooking. It's fun when eating to get some whole tart cranberries too.

          Mix Wet into Dry

          • Stir with a spatula in the large bowl, to get the wet and dry well mixed.
            The dough will be very thick, but don't worry, because the cranberries will create juices when they bake.

          Spoon vegan batter evenly into a rectangular cake pan

          • To make the cake easier to get out later, first line the pan with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil and then spray lightly with oil (optional, makes paper easier to peel off).
          • Lightly smooth the batter mostly flat with your spoon. It should be thick, not runny, but all the flour should be mixed in.

          Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

          • Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven. Check center is cooked, by waiting until a toothpick comes out clean.
          • Remove from oven, cool in the dish for at least 10 minutes. Pop the cake out, upside down, peel the paper off, and continue cooling on a wire rack or towel.
          • Turn right side up, you can put the cake back in the baking dish.
            We put a towel over it and keep it on the counter for snacking for about a week.

          Notes

          Sweetness: To make the cake sweeter, without adding sugar, consider adding 1/2 cup water to the wet mix, then stir 1/2 cup raisins in when you add the wet to the dry.
           

          Nutrition

          Nutrition Facts
          Healthy Vegan Whole Wheat Cranberry Bread / Cake - Oil Free, Sugar Free, wfpb
          Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
          Calories 164 Calories from Fat 63
          % Daily Value*
          Fat 7g11%
          Saturated Fat 1g6%
          Sodium 201mg9%
          Potassium 226mg6%
          Carbohydrates 24g8%
          Fiber 5g21%
          Sugar 6g7%
          Protein 4g8%
          Vitamin A 28IU1%
          Vitamin C 4mg5%
          Calcium 41mg4%
          Iron 1mg6%
          * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
          Keyword cranberries, eggless cake, healthy cranberry bread, oil free cake, sugar free cake, vegan birthday cake, wfpb cake, wfpb dessert, wfpb snack, whole wheat baking, whole wheat vegan, whole wheat vegan cake
          Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!
           
          FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to VeganEnvy.com on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook!

          Get FREE healthy vegan information and recipes!

          FOLLOW HERE!

          JOIN the VeganEnvy.com Community 

          VeganEnvy.com Facebook Group

          Click here to EXPLORE

          People Exploring Plant Based Eating

          Adding Healthy Plant Based Meals to Your Menu is Easy!

          Help others learn – share on social media!

          Healthy Vegan Apple Cake – Whole Wheat No-Oil WFPB

          Healthy Vegan Apple Cake – Whole Wheat No-Oil WFPB

          by | Last updated Sep 14, 2020 | Published on Sep 14, 2020 | Recipes | 1 comment

          Healthy Vegan Apple Cake Whole Wheat No-Oil WFPB

          This is a yummy, healthy and satisfying plant-based vegan dessert.  Or maybe you would eat it as an after school snack for kids, bedtime snack for yourself, or mid-day treat. Whatever you prefer, so many options!

          Looking for healthy vegan recipe ideas to make with apples?  This one is quite tasty.

          To make a moist apple cake recipe that is whole-foods plant-based, this recipe uses dried coconut, soaked in water,  instead of oil.

          This substitution is a healthier delivery package – a small amount of whole coconut – complete with fiber and other phytonutrients, plus a nice mild flavour. Instead of a traditional apple cake recipe that uses oil.

          Another tasty vegan apple recipe idea:

          Apple Crumble

           

          What Kind of Apples to Use in a Healthy Apple Cake?

          Whatever you have on hand should work really.  I mixed crab apples from our tree, plus some gala from the store.   I didn’t bother to peel them, because the food processor makes nice small pieces.

          Each type of apple will taste a little different, but still sweet.  

          You can taste the wet ingredients mixture, to be sure you like the flavour, and sweetness. 

          If you bake with apples often enough, you might learn to adjust the sugar content lower, or higher, when you know the apples are sweeter or more tart.

          Whole Wheat Flour Cakes and Baking

          We are loving my baking with whole wheat, it is such a satisfying snack.

          Maybe it’s the extra fiber, or nutrients, but we feel so good after eating this cake.

          Whole wheat does make the cake more dense, but also more filling, without that blood sugar spike and fall you get from white flour.

           Whole Foods Compared to Traditional Desserts = Better Gut Health

          A quick mention here about a book that made it so I can eat this cake happily.

          The advice in this book about gradually exercising your gut, by eating a little bit more of a diverse range of plants, especially whole grains like whole wheat is just spot on. Rather than avoiding them.

          I’ve realized my IBS goes away when I eat a little bit of the food that is bothering me for a few days in a row.  

          This book explains why, based on your microbiome changing to be able to digest what you eat.  

          Eliminating foods is actually the opposite of what we should do.

          Following the advice in this book, has really made my IBS go away

          It’s been an amazing read for me.

          My digestive system has never felt better.  

          Now I can eat apples and wheat together in one lovely cake.

          If you ever struggle with bloating or reactions to some plant foods (like apples, or wheat) or if you know someone who does, this book may solve that problem for you and them!

          So I thought I would share. 🙂 

          Whole Wheat Vegan Apple Cake No-Oil

          Healthy Vegan Whole Wheat Apple Cake - Oil Free

          Jeanette
          Makes one 9” x 13" rectangle apple cake.
          5 from 3 votes
          Print Recipe Pin Recipe
          Prep Time 30 minutes
          Cook Time 45 minutes
          Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
          Course Dessert
          Cuisine American, Vegan, Whole Foods
          Servings 20 pieces
          Calories 211 kcal

          Equipment

          • 9" x 13" rectangle baking dish.
          • Wax or parchment paper (optional).

          Instructions and Ingredients
            

          First, Mix the Following Dry Ingredients in a Large Bowl

          • 3 cups whole wheat flour Or half whole wheat and white.
          • 2 teaspoons baking soda Ensure is well mixed throughout the dry ingredients.
          • 2 tsp baking powder
          • 3 tsp cinnamon Or swap 1 tsp for ground cloves.
          • 1 tsp nutmeg
          • 1 teaspoon salt

          Second, food processor the following on high, until smooth, to aerate

          • 1/3 cup dried coconut Soaked in water: microwave for 30 seconds with 1/3 cup water, and let sit a few minutes, then add to the food processor.
          • 2/3 cup sugar I'm working on variations with frozen banana instead of sugar. Makes more of a bread, than a cake (less sweet). Also increases the moisture.
          • 1 1/2 cups apples chopped, peel on is ok (these will become applesauce and be a sweetener. Keeping this cake lower sugar. Or use pre-made applesauce.
          • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
          • 2 tbsp ground flax Whisked with 6 tbsp of water, then let sit for a few minutes, to make 4 flax "eggs"

          Third, add and process nuts and apple pieces on medium speed, just until diced into small pieces

          • 1 3/4 cups pecans Or walnuts.
          • 4 cups apples Cored and in pieces. You can use an apple slicer, then add the slices to the food processor. Peel on is ok, if your apples are washed and organic.

          Fouth, pour and mix wet ingredients into the dry

            Fifth, spoon batter into cake pan

              Sixth, bake at 350 for 40 minutes

                Optional Vegan Applesauce Frosting Ingredients

                • 1 cup applesauce
                • 1 cup powdered sugar
                • 1 tsp vanilla
                • 1 tsp cinnamon

                More Detailed Instructions:

                • Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C)
                • Place wax or parchment paper on bottom of 9x13 glass cake pan, to avoid problems getting the cake out later. Lightly spray paper and sides with oil.

                Mix Dry Ingredients Together in Large Bowl

                • In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.

                Mix at High Speed in Food Processor until Smooth - for about a minute to aerate.

                • Soaked coconut
                • Sugar
                • vanilla
                • Soaked flaxmeal / ground flax
                • 1 1/2 cups apple pieces (applesauce as sweetener)

                Then Add the Following to the Food Processor and Chop on Medium, Until Nuts and Apples are all in Small Pieces:

                • Nuts
                • Remaining cups of apple pieces / slices

                Mix Wet into Dry

                • Stir with a spatula in the large bowl, to get the wet and dry well mixed.
                  The dough will be very thick, but don't worry, because the apples will create juices when they bake.

                Spoon vegan batter evenly into a rectangular cake pan

                • To make the cake easier to get out, first line the pan with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil and then spray lightly with oil.
                • Smooth the batter flat with your spoon. It should be thick, not runny, but all the flour should be mixed in.

                Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

                • Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven. Check center is cooked, by waiting until a toothpick comes out clean.
                • Remove from oven, cool in the dish for at least 10 minutes. Pop the cake out, and continue cooling on a wire rack or towel.
                • Turn right side up before optionally frosting the top.

                Optional Vegan Applesauce Glaze

                • While cake is cooling upside down, make the frosting by blending the apple pieces in the food processor to make an applesauce.
                • Drizzle over a piece just before serving.
                  So the glaze doesn't seep into the cake, making it too soggy.

                Notes

                Sweetness: To make the cake sweeter, without adding sugar, consider adding 1/2 cup frozen bananas or water to the wet mix, then stir 1/2 cup raisins in when you add the wet to the dry.

                Nutrition

                Nutrition Facts
                Healthy Vegan Whole Wheat Apple Cake - Oil Free
                Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
                Calories 211 Calories from Fat 72
                % Daily Value*
                Fat 8g12%
                Saturated Fat 1g6%
                Sodium 228mg10%
                Potassium 200mg6%
                Carbohydrates 34g11%
                Fiber 4g17%
                Sugar 18g20%
                Protein 4g8%
                Vitamin A 27IU1%
                Vitamin C 2mg2%
                Calcium 38mg4%
                Iron 1mg6%
                * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
                Keyword apples, eggless cake, healthy vegan apple recipe, oil free cake, vegan birthday cake, wfpb cake, wfpb dessert, whole wheat baking, whole wheat vegan cake
                Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!
                 
                FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to VeganEnvy.com on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook!

                Get FREE healthy vegan information and recipes!

                FOLLOW HERE!

                JOIN the VeganEnvy.com Community 

                VeganEnvy.com Facebook Group

                Click here to EXPLORE

                People Exploring Plant Based Eating

                Adding Healthy Plant Based Meals to Your Menu is Easy!

                Help others learn – share on social media!

                Healthy Apple Crumble (Apple Crisp, Apple Cobbler) Whole-Foods Plant-Based, Vegan, Gluten Free Dessert

                Healthy Apple Crumble (Apple Crisp, Apple Cobbler) Whole-Foods Plant-Based, Vegan, Gluten Free Dessert

                by | Last updated Nov 18, 2019 | Published on Aug 25, 2019 | Recipes | 2 comments

                Whole-Foods Plant-Based Apple Crisp / Crumble No-Oil, Nuts Instead of Butter

                This is a yummy, healthy and satisfying plant-based vegan dessert, after school snack for kids, bedtime snack for yourself, mid-day treat… Whatever you prefer, so many options!

                To make an apple crumble / apple crisp recipe that is more whole-foods plant-based, this recipe uses nuts instead of butter, in the oat topping.

                With pecans, or cashews, you will still get that mouth feel, and satisfaction, that fat gives, but in a healthier delivery package (the natural whole nut).

                Nuts have antioxidants, fiber, and nutrients that margerine, oils and butter do not have.  Plus, nuts are crunchy, a great texture for a crispy apple oat topping. 

                 

                How Do You Get the Apple Crumble Topping to Stay Together Without Butter?

                Lemon juice.  Fat free lemon juice.  Use a food processor, oats, spices, nuts, sugar, and lemon juice.  So easy, and if you don’t over process them, you’ll get a healthy vegan crumble fruit dessert that’s  just right.

                The lemon in the topping and spices on the apples, help this last for days on the counter, natural preservatives I suppose.  Lasts longer in the fridge, the topping stays firm.

                If you use freshly squeezed lemon juice, you are again increasing your antioxidants and other nutrients.

                What Kind of Apples to Use in Apple Crisp?

                You can use peeled apples, or leave the peels on your apples (will result in a drier fruit filling, but still tastes good).  You can use green apples, or red, or crabapples.  Each type of apple will taste a little different.  

                If you make apple dessert often enough, you might start to adjust the sugar content lower, or higher, when you know the apples are sweeter or more tart.

                Cornstarch Makes it Gluten Free

                To thicken the apple filling, follow the instructions to sprinkle the cut apples with a lovely blend of warming spices, cornstarch, and a small amount of your favourite sugar. Makes for a decent consistency, rather than being too juicy, and cornstarch is gluten-free.

                Oats are naturally gluten free as well.  If you are super sensitive, you can buy some that are also labelled gluten free – meaning they have not been processed in a facility that processes grains with gluten.

                Whole Foods Compared to Traditional Desserts 

                This recipe won’t taste as sweet, or as buttery, as a traditional apple crisp, but it allows you to gently enjoy the natural taste of the apples.  

                Also you won’t have a sugar crash, or regret eating this vegan dessert.  It should make you feel really good in your tummy, and in your body, after eating! 

                 

                slicing apples

                Healthy Apple Crisp (Apple Crumble) Gluten Free, Vegan, No-Oil

                Jeanette
                Incredibly simple to make, and very tasty! This low-calorie, healthy, gluten-free, oil-free, no-butter apple crisp / apple crumble recipe has an oat crumble topping that is crisp, not soggy, and is held together by lemon juice and enhanced by nuts (without butter or margarine).
                For this recipe, I often use crabapples from my apple tree, but green apples and red apples work as well.  
                A touch of cornstarch in the filling ensures your apple crisp is not watery, it will thicken, and  have a consistency like apple pie, but be gluten-free.
                Even sour tasting apples transform into a delicious healthy dessert, or snack, without much added sugar. The nuts taste so good, you won't miss the butter at all!
                5 from 1 vote
                Print Recipe Pin Recipe
                Prep Time 15 minutes
                Cook Time 40 minutes
                Total Time 55 minutes
                Course Dessert, Snack
                Cuisine American, Canadian, Plant Based, Vegan, Western
                Servings 12 servings
                Calories 238 kcal

                Equipment

                • 3 Quart Casserole Dish, Uncovered
                • Food Processor

                Instructions and Ingredients
                  

                For the Apple Filling:

                • 9 cups apples Green or crabapples work well. Sliced (I use an apple slicer) peels on or off. A large apple yields approx. 1 1/2 cups. Better to use more apples than not enough.
                • 2 tbsp cornstarch
                • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
                • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
                • 1/4 cup sugar white sugar mixes in well, that's what I prefer

                For the Oat Topping:

                • 3 cups oats rolled, quick cooking
                • 1/3 cup sugar or dry sweetener of your choice. Lately I use brown sugar (packed), for the color, white also works.
                • 1 1/4 cup pecans I keep my pecans in the freezer.
                • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
                • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
                • 1/2 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed or bottled, about 2 lemons.
                • 2 tbsp water if needed - see notes about how to process the topping for the consistency you want.
                • Preheat oven to 350° F, take out a 3 Qt, or 9 x 13 casserole dish, no lid required.  

                Prepare the Fruit Filling

                • Peel and cut apples, into evenly sized cubes, or thin slices.  The smaller you cut the apples, the juicier it will be. Also it will cook faster.
                  Time saving tip: You can push a slicer through each apple to make 6 or so pieces, then cut each slice lengthwise in half.  
                  Option: leave the peels on. Note: It will take longer to cook this way.
                • Spread apples evenly into the casserole baking dish, with love. 🙂
                • Use a fork, in a small bowl mix: cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar until well combined and lump free.  
                  Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
                  No stirring required.

                Prepare the Crumble Topping

                • Process Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, on med-high speed, blend oats, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg just until mixed, the pecans should still be a bit chunky. About 15-20 seconds.
                  You aren't trying to turn the nuts into flour.
                • Add Water to Lemon Juice: While processing on medium, or low, slowly add the lemon juice and water to make the mixture crumbly, sticky, and moist. The mixture should start climbing the walls.   About 1-2 minutes on low.
                  Important: stop processing before it gets too lumpy / stuck together, or it will be too wet to sprinkle easily.
                  Moisture content of your nuts / oats makes a difference, so this takes some technique and adjustments here!
                  To make the topping lumpy (I like clumps, but my kids don't), process longer on fast speed, with more liquid, and it will form into little balls.  
                  To make the topping more even, process less and don't add any extra water.
                  You are in control of your topping consistency!
                • Spread the oat topping crumble evenly over the apples.  If you did over process, don't worry, you can break up any lumps with a large spoon, in the food processor, then spread it over. It will still taste great!
                • Bake for 30-40 minutes, uncovered.
                  Check at 20 minutes, and every 10 minutes after, to make sure the topping isn't burning. I think fresh lemon juice might burn more easily than bottled lemon juice. Still testing this out...
                  The apple crisp is done when the fruit is bubbling and the topping is light brown in the center. 

                Notes

                I'm learning, the smaller / thinner the apple pieces are cut, the more juicy it will be.  
                One time I used old apples (had been in my fridge for about 8 weeks, yes a little embarrassing, but this happens to me).  They were dried out, and didn't produce enough juice to mix with the sprinkled cornstarch mix.  I ended up adding about 1 cup water in the bottom of the dish and finished it in the microwave.  Lesson learned - don't use dried out apples!  Or put water in if you do.
                We don't mind it being a little different each time!  Always gets all eaten up!

                Nutrition

                Nutrition Facts
                Healthy Apple Crisp (Apple Crumble) Gluten Free, Vegan, No-Oil
                Amount Per Serving (1 / 12th of recipe)
                Calories 238 Calories from Fat 81
                % Daily Value*
                Fat 9g14%
                Saturated Fat 1g6%
                Sodium 51mg2%
                Potassium 212mg6%
                Carbohydrates 39g13%
                Fiber 5g21%
                Sugar 19g21%
                Protein 4g8%
                Vitamin A 51IU1%
                Vitamin C 7mg8%
                Calcium 28mg3%
                Iron 1mg6%
                * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
                Keyword apples, crisp, crumble, gluten free, gluten free dessert, gluten free snack, healthy dessert, healthy gluten free apple crisp, no-oil, nuts, oats, pecans, Plant Based, quick, vegan, vegan dessert, Whole Foods
                Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!
                 
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                Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp, low-fat, vegan, gluten-free, low FODMAP, healthy dessert

                Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp, low-fat, vegan, gluten-free, low FODMAP, healthy dessert

                by | Last updated Sep 2, 2022 | Published on Jul 28, 2019 | Recipes | 0 comments

                Healthy Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp – gluten-free, low FODMAP – With Oats and Optional Pecans

                Our family loves fruit crisps and fruit crumbles, they are naturally vegan, and here is a method to make rhubarb crumble, with no-added-fats, with a nice crunchy topping.  

                Mmmm mmm!  In this easy recipe, I used rhubarb and strawberries on the bottom, quick cooking oats and optionally ground pecan nuts on top, with no-butter, no-oil.  The topping is crispy, not soggy, and if you add them, the ground up nuts make it healthier, while adding flavour, depth and fibre!

                So delicious with the warm, juicy, soft, slightly sweetened fruit and crispy oat topping.  

                Lemon juice makes the topping stay together, and adds a wonderful delicious zing.  I was worried that lemon wouldn’t work with rhubarb, since rhubarb is sour, but the lemon/light sugar mix in the topping tastes soooo good!  

                It’s like rhubarb lemonade!

                Optionally use a food processor or blender to mix the oats, lemon, nuts and sugar together to make a crumbly, crispy, tasty rhubarb strawberry fruit gluten free crisp topping.

                Or, for a stirring by hand method, that is easy to clean up, omit the nuts and mix all the ingredients in bowls, no food processor required.  

                Either way, I can have this crisp ready for the oven in 20 minutes.

                I used to add allspice or cinnamon, and salt, but my family told me they prefer the flavours of the rhubarb and strawberries au natural.

                After making it a few times without spice, I agree!  It’s better plain.

                I hope you enjoy the rhubarb in this delicious healthy dessert or satisfying snack!

                It’s easy to make a homemade strawberry rhubarb crisp that is gluten-free, plant based, vegan, healthy, and low fodmap (rhubarb and strawberries don’t bother people with IBS as much as some other fruits)!

                 
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                Rhubarb With Leaves

                Healthy Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp/ Crumble, Gluten-free, Low FODMAP, Vegan, Dessert

                Jeanette
                This healthy rhubarb strawberry crisp recipe is incredibly simple to make, and very tasty.  The whole foods crumble on top contains lemon juice and optionally nuts. Both variations produce a crunchy topping, pleasurable to eat with soft fruit.
                Frozen pre-sliced strawberries or fresh strawberries both work fine. As do other sweet frozen fruits like blueberries.
                Rhubarb is sour like a lemon, and strawberries are naturally sweet and together they transform into a comforting and delicious dessert or healthy snack. 
                5 from 1 vote
                Print Recipe Pin Recipe
                Prep Time 15 minutes
                Cook Time 40 minutes
                Total Time 55 minutes
                Course Dessert, Snack
                Cuisine American, Western
                Servings 10 servings
                Calories 266 kcal

                Equipment

                • 9 x 13 Uncovered Baking Dish
                • Food Processor

                Instructions and Ingredients
                  

                For the Fruit Filling:

                • 7 cups rhubarb diced
                • 3 cups strawberries frozen or fresh, sliced
                • 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
                • 1/4 cup sugar or dry sweetener of your choice

                For the Crumble Topping:

                • 3 cups rolled oats quick cooking
                • 1/3 cup brown sugar I use brown sugar in the topping for the color.
                • 1 1/4 cup pecans optional
                • 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed or bottled, or orange juice
                • Preheat oven to 350° F

                Prepare the Fruit Filling

                • Wash and dice rhubarb into evenly sized , 1/2 inch (1.5cm) approx pieces.  Wash and slice strawberries.
                  Rhubarb Strawberry
                • Place fruit into a 9x13 ungreased baking dish.
                • In a small bowl mix cornstarch and sugar until well combined and lump free.  Sprinkle evenly over the fruit with a spoon. 

                Prepare the Oat Crumble Topping

                • If using nuts: In a food processor, on high speed, blend oats, sugar, and optional pecans.  
                  Once the nuts are finely ground, while processing on medium, slowly add the lemon juice to make the mixture crumbly.  
                  Do not over process, or the mixture will form into balls/ be too mushy.
                • For nut free version: combine oats, sugar, and juice in a medium bowl with a spoon.
                • Taste test for sweetness and add more sugar if desired.
                • Sprinkle oat topping crumble over the fruit.  Use a spoon to break up any chunks first. 
                • Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
                  The crisp is done when the fruit is bubbling and the topping is medium brown in the center.

                Notes

                If you have less fruit, adjust the amount of oats to be less as well. 
                Fresh lemon juice seems to burn more easily than bottled, watch your topping for burning when you use fresh. 

                Nutrition

                Nutrition Facts
                Healthy Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp/ Crumble, Gluten-free, Low FODMAP, Vegan, Dessert
                Amount Per Serving (1 g)
                Calories 266 Calories from Fat 99
                % Daily Value*
                Fat 11g17%
                Saturated Fat 1g6%
                Sodium 37mg2%
                Potassium 467mg13%
                Carbohydrates 40g13%
                Fiber 6g25%
                Sugar 16g18%
                Protein 5g10%
                Vitamin A 99IU2%
                Vitamin C 35mg42%
                Calcium 110mg11%
                Iron 2mg11%
                * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
                Keyword crisp, crumble, gluten free dessert, healthy dessert, healthy gluten free rhubarb crisp, low fat, low fodmap dessert, Plant Based, rhubarb, strawberries, vegan, vegan dessert, Whole Foods
                Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!

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                Click here to EXPLORE

                People Exploring Plant Based Eating

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                Healthy Aqua Faba Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake: Fat-Free, Whole Wheat

                Healthy Aqua Faba Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake: Fat-Free, Whole Wheat

                by | Last updated Jun 28, 2020 | Published on Mar 9, 2017 | Recipes | 31 comments

                Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake - No Oil, Whole Wheat

                Tall and fluffy, two layer, moist delicious, whole-wheat, fat-free vegan chocolate cake

                With vegan chocolate low-fat healthy frosting filling between the layers.  This whole-foods plant-based (WFPB) vegan birthday cake will not let you down!  Made from simple ingredients found in most kitchens.

                Tall, light and fluffy, a great vegan birthday cake for someone special in your life.

                Jump to Recipe
                Nutrition Facts
                Tall Vegan Aqua Faba Chocolate Zucchini Layer Cake with Vegan Frosting Filling - Whole Wheat, No Oil
                Amount Per Serving (1 1/4 inch piece includes frosting)
                Calories 282 Calories from Fat 27
                % Daily Value*
                Fat 3g5%
                Saturated Fat 1g6%
                Cholesterol 1mg0%
                Sodium 326mg14%
                Potassium 251mg7%
                Carbohydrates 63g21%
                Fiber 4g17%
                Sugar 47g52%
                Protein 4g8%
                Vitamin A 90IU2%
                Vitamin C 4.1mg5%
                Calcium 60mg6%
                Iron 1.8mg10%
                * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

                Vegan birthday layer cake with whole wheat (all purpose) flour, zucchini, aqua faba and lots of cocoa powder.

                It is moist, rises proud and high, is delicious, sweet, rich and gorgeous. This cake looks and tastes great and is SO HEALTHY.

                This is the cake I make for my husband and kids birthdays.  They love it and look forward to it.

                Their friends can’t tell it is vegan, or that it is healthy, but they know it is great chocolatey cake

                Whole foods vegan cake secret tricks

                I have learned many healthy and tasty tricks from eating and feeding my family whole foods plant based since 2013, and I want to share them with you.

                • Use zucchini instead of oil for moisture, and aqua faba (liquid from a can of beans) instead of eggs.
                • Use a creamier non-dairy milk (like soy, or make your own unfiltered nut milks).  We avoid coconut milk, because it contains saturated fat (clogs your blood vessels).
                • Whole-wheat (all purpose) flour and zucchini make this vegan cake high fibre and high in plant nutrients, great for staying slim, and preventing cancer.
                • Cocoa powder is high in antioxidants, which reduce inflammation.

                I did a lot of research, plus trial and error to design a fat-free, whole wheat cake, with just the right frosting, that was going to be good enough for special birthday parties, and this is definitely the one!

                Forks Over Knives Guidelines

                All of my recipes are created to meet oil-free and whole foods eating recommendations from whole foods plant based experts from Forks Over Knives, and with ingredients selected for disease prevention based on nutrition study results from nutritionfacts.org.

                Inspiration to Eat Whole Foods Plant Based

                This book gives so many examples of how food can keep us living healthier longer lives:

                Aqua faba please!

                Aqua faba (the liquid from a can of beans) is a great egg substitute because it has protein, with no artery clogging cholesterol and no animal product inflammation.

                Protein gives cake batter strength and structure.  Air bubbles from baking soda push the batter up, and protein holds the structure while in the oven, so that this chocolate cake is light and fluffy.

                Vegan Fat-free Chocolate Frosting / Icing

                The lactose-free, margerine-free, and dairy-free frosting is so simple and easy, melt chocolate chips with dairy free almond milk or soy milk in your microwave.

                I admit, the frosting is not healthy, but at least it has no added oils and you don’t need much of it.  The cake alone isn’t sweet enough for a birthday party, but with the frosting, it becomes something special.

                Chocolate does give the frosting antioxidants (to combat the free radicals produced by the icing sugar!).   The kick of sweetness from the frosting really complements the cake and makes it a treat.

                Making frosting yourself saves you from all the chemicals, franken-oils and artificial ingredients found in store bought frosting.  Yuck.  I have always hated store frosting.  Espcially since it always gave me a stomache ache.  It should be forbidden for kids (and adults) in my opinion.

                The problems with regular cake

                Traditional birthday cakes from a box mix, or a store, are made with

                • processed white flour,
                • white sugar,
                • processed oils
                • artificial flavours
                • no fibre
                • chemicals
                • preservatives

                Store made white flour cakes are essentially candy and a chemical mess, and are terrible for you

                Often at work I would take a piece of store bought cake for a co-worker’s birthday and after a couple bites secretly throw it in the garbage because it just did not taste like real food to me.

                Image of whole foods plant based oil-free chocolate vegan layered birthday cake with vegan frosting
                 
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                Get FREE healthy vegan information and recipes!

                FOLLOW HERE!

                Why you should make this whole foods vegan cake recipe

                It is easy! Only takes 1 hour and uses 11 common ingredients to make both the cake and the frosting.

                It is filled with fibre, and a vegetable too!

                Most importantly it looks wonderful, it’s huge, it tastes moist, chocolatey and delicious, it is fluffier than other vegan cakes, and it is going to make the people you love healthier and feel great when they eat it.

                This cake will not make you fat.  Yes there is sugar in it, but, did you know?  Fiber (like in whole wheat flour and zucchini) prevents sugar crashes because it slows digestion.

                Fiber is going to fill you up before you can eat too many calories.

                You can eat a piece of this cake a day (until it is gone) as a healthy snack – no guilt.

                Do you have a special someone with a birthday in the near future?

                This is the vegan recipe for him or her.

                No stomach ache, no fat, no clogged arteries, fight cancer, lose weight.

                It is a moist, fluffy, decadent chocolate, light oil free cake that is going to make you healthier when you eat it!

                 Feel great tomorrow.   Eat this cake today!

                It was very hard to get pictures of my vegan cake because my family cut, served and devoured it so quickly.

                These pictures are from the next day, the icing started to get a bit wet, but it holds up deliciously well.

                I kept it on the counter under a cake lid, and it looked and tasted delicious for the 4 days the cake lasted – until it was all eaten up.

                 

                Image of rich chocolate vegan cake, great for birthday parties, so healthy and fat-free.

                My daughter is excited to share this vegan birthday cake with her friends.

                She asked me if I could make another vegan chocolate cake, for her to take to school for her birthday in June.  Her school has a healthy snacks only policy, and I am sure I can convince her teacher that this cake meets their criteria.  Plus her teacher is lactose intolerant so this will be great for him!

                She is proud that she will be able to bring a delicious and healthy whole wheat, vegan, fat free cake to grade 4 for her 10th birthday.

                Update: the cake was a huge hit, all the kids in her class, and her teacher loved it, one cute little boy even asked her for the recipe!  To them it was just a great cake, she didn’t even tell them it was healthy or vegan.

                 

                Tall Vegan Aqua Faba Chocolate Zucchini Layer Cake with Vegan Frosting Filling - Whole Wheat, No Oil

                Jeanette
                Makes one frosted 9” diameter 29" circumference two layer cake with chocolate icing filling.  
                Serves:  22 pieces that are each 1 1/4 inch wide.
                Rectangle Option: 9" x 13" rectangle cake (not layered) - cook 5-10 min longer, until a toothpick inserted in the middle, to the bottom comes out clean.
                4.08 from 25 votes
                Print Recipe Pin Recipe
                Prep Time 30 minutes
                Cook Time 45 minutes
                Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
                Course Dessert
                Cuisine American, Vegan, Whole Foods
                Servings 22 pieces
                Calories 282 kcal

                Equipment

                • Two 9" round cake pans, or one 9" x 13" rectangle baking dish.

                Instructions and Ingredients
                  

                Cake Ingredients

                • 1 cup non-dairy milk I've used soy, or homemade pecan or almond milk (pecans or almonds blended with water in high speed blender).
                • 1.5 cups aquafaba* 2 cans of liquid from beans - save the beans for another recipe. I've used black beans, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas.
                • 2 cups brown sugar Or other dry sweetener.
                • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
                • 4 cups zucchini shredded - two medium zucchini, I've also used spaghetti squash (had to adjust the liquid down a touch) but worked great!
                • 3 cups whole wheat flour my flour says “best for bread”, I have also used white flour (it was at the lake and I didn't have any whole wheat).
                • 1.5 cups cocoa powder unsweetened, the better the quality cocoa, the better the flavour cake.
                • 3 teaspoons baking powder Ensure is well mixed throughout the dry ingredients.
                • 1 teaspoon salt

                Frosting Ingredients

                • 1 cup chocolate chips heaping, dairy free
                • 1/3 cup non-dairy milk soy is especially creamy and is lower fat than coconut milk. I've had great success with homemade pecan or almond milk (I blend 1/4 cup pecans or almonds with approx 2 1/4 cups water in high speed blender and I don't bother to strain it). Pecan is more decadent, but separates afterwards.
                • 3 cups icing sugar

                Cake

                • Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Lightly spray two 9” round cake pans.
                • In a large bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk, aquafaba, brown sugar and vanilla.
                • Shred zucchini (or other squash substitute) in a food processor or with a grater.
                  shredded zucchini
                • Stir in the shredded zucchini. I used a spiralizer to make 2 cups of zucchini, which I then quickly chopped into small pieces, and then a small food processor to make the other 2 cups. I wanted some zucchini wetter and some more dry.  You could food process all the zucchini instead.
                • In a separate bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and then add to the zucchini mixture, stirring until completely combined.
                  vegan chocolate zucchini cake batter
                • Pour evenly into the two cake pans.
                • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
                • The cakes should rise nicely, the top might feel a bit tough, but the frosting softens it up.
                • Let cool completely. Run a knife around the pans and turn upside down onto a cooling rack or towel.
                  Vegan Whole Wheat Aquafaba Oil-free Chocolate Birthday Cake

                Frosting Instructions

                • While cake is cooling, make the frosting by putting the chocolate chips and non-dairy milk in a microwave safe glass bowl and microwaving in 15 second increments until chocolate is gooey but not a liquid. Add the icing sugar 1 cup at a time.
                • Stir frosting with a fork or whisk until it is completely smooth.
                  Add additional non-dairy milk one tablespoon at a time if required to reach smooth and desired spreading consistency.
                • Once cake has cooled, generously spread warm frosting on the bottom layer to get a nice thick middle layer of icing. I put the first cake upside down and the 2nd right side up so the two flat bottoms meet in the middle.  Place the 2nd layer of chocolate cake on the 1st and spread the chocolate frosting over the top and sides.
                  Chocolate vegan Birthday Cake wfpb
                • The frosting spreads easily when it is warm, and then cools and stays in place.  Microwave for 10 seconds if it becomes too thick to spread.  This picture is from the next day... after sitting on the counter under a cake lid.   Frosting is still holding up well!
                  Healthy Vegan Chocolate Cake Double Layer aquafaba

                Notes

                *Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of beans, for example chickpeas or cannelloni beans, or the cooking liquid from making your own beans.  The aquafaba replaces the protein that eggs normally provide.  It strengthens the walls of the bubbles, and makes the cake fluffier.
                Zucchini Substitution: Spaghetti Squash.  
                Variations: Add fresh raspberries in the middle layer and on top.
                Non-Dairy Milk Options: Soy or homemade Almond or Pecan milk.
                Rectangle Option: 9" x 13" rectangle cake (not layered) - cook 5-10 min longer, until a toothpick inserted in the middle, to the bottom comes out clean.
                Baking Powder: originally the recipe called for baking soda, it has been updated to baking powder, which makes the cake taste better - less soda flavour. 
                Serving Suggestions
                Birthday candles!!  Party hats!!  Family and Friends!!  A scoop of non-dairy ice cream!

                Nutrition

                Nutrition Facts
                Tall Vegan Aqua Faba Chocolate Zucchini Layer Cake with Vegan Frosting Filling - Whole Wheat, No Oil
                Amount Per Serving (1 1/4 inch piece includes frosting)
                Calories 282 Calories from Fat 27
                % Daily Value*
                Fat 3g5%
                Saturated Fat 1g6%
                Cholesterol 1mg0%
                Sodium 326mg14%
                Potassium 251mg7%
                Carbohydrates 63g21%
                Fiber 4g17%
                Sugar 47g52%
                Protein 4g8%
                Vitamin A 90IU2%
                Vitamin C 4.1mg5%
                Calcium 60mg6%
                Iron 1.8mg10%
                * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
                Keyword eggless cake, vegan birthday cake, wfpb cake, wfpb dessert
                Tried this recipe?Mention @veganenvy or tag #veganenvy!

                Inspiration for this recipe

                http://www.veganbaking.net/articles/guides/how-to-veganize-a-cake-recipe

                Jenny Dunklee | The Lazy Vegan Baker http://www.thelazyveganbaker.com/2016/06/02/chocolate-zucchini-cake/

                https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/no-egg-chocolate-zucchini-cake/166772

                https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes/cakes-desserts/raspberry-chocolate-cake

                JOIN the VeganEnvy.com Community 

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