I’m not a great baker. Unless I follow the recipe to the letter things usually don’t turn out well. Knowing that, I was a bit nervous thinking about veganizing one of my favorite recipes from Clean Eating Magazine: Sweet Potato Cinnamon Brownies.
These brownies are my “go to” sweet treat for open houses, holidays and potlucks. They are divine. But I decided to give it a go because it would be the perfect starter recipe for vegan baking because:
- I know how they are supposed to taste and look therefore I have something to compare with.
- There are only 3 substitutions to make, one of which I’ve made in the past.
And Brian was gone, taking pictures in Barcelona for his blog BatteredLuggage.com. I was home alone, craving some comfort in chocolate. Plus he wouldn’t be there to kindly taste something awful. If they turned out a mess, no one had to know.
The great thing was they turned out pretty yummy! So yummy that I had to make sure to not go overboard since I was home alone and had no one to share them with. But they made a nice post run treat the next day.
Here are the 3 ingredients that had to be changed and my substitutions:
Honey: I have never used honey in this recipe. I have always used agave nectar. I find agave does not spike my blood sugar the same way as honey, a plus for diabetics.
Cream cheese: I did not attempt to make my own. I bought Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Classic Plain Cream Cheese. I found it creamier than traditional cream cheese, making it easier to mix.
Egg whites: This was the one ingredient I was worried about. Trusting The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions
My brownies turned out deliciously moist but didn’t fall apart. My craving was satisfied and my confidence in my baking abilities was propped up a bit. And I made sure to leave plenty for Brian to sample when he returned. The best treats, after all, are shared treats.
Are you a vegan baker? What’s your secret substitute ingredient?
