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Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts

· Natalie 43 Comments

Soft, fluffy, sprinkled, and sweet! These Baked Coconut Donuts pack lots of real coconut flavor into a mini donut morsel, complete with coconut frosting and sprinkles.

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

I had a coconut. I had a craving for something baked. I’m pretty sure you can already guess how this story ended. But slow down, there’s a middle part you don’t know about yet…

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-FreeVegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

So I made a batch of donuts on a whim, measuring nothing and with no intention to share them on the blog. You’d think I would’ve learned not to do that by now, huh?

They emerged from the oven looking like the most perfectly poofy donuts I’d ever made! And then the snowy coconut cream frosting squiggle happened. And the rainbow sprinkles just fell onto them like an enchanted shower. And I couldn’t stop snapping pictures of them!

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

I loved them, my camera loved them, I had to remake them for the blog so you could have the chance to love them too. And that’s how we ended up here today. So this is actually coconut donuts take two.

If you are thinking that these seem different than my usual high carb low fat vegan style, you are right. That’s because they were not a planned baking-for-the-blog project. But after one bite I knew I had to share these fluffy, coconutty, cake donut delights!

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-FreeVegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

For the original batch I used homemade coconut milk made by blending the coconut water and meat from one young thai coconut. The thickness/richness can vary a lot depending on the size of your coconut and how much meat is in it. Sometimes it turns out as thick as the full fat stuff and sometimes it’s as thin as the carton kind.

I love the flavor and wholesomeness of making homemade coconut milk this way, and it tastes absolutely amazing in smoothies! But I realize it’s a lot more effort than just cracking open a can. And messier. There is not an ounce of finesse in my coconut opening “technique” (if you could even call it that). Nothing within a three foot radius is safe from flying coconut debris and coconut water when I am hacking into one of those things.

All that is to say, feel free to used canned coconut milk (light or full fat) instead, that’s what I used when I remade these for the video.

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

I wanted to pack lots of coconut flavor into each little donut without having to use any sort of artificial coconut flavoring, so for the dry ingredients I used a combination of rolled oats and shredded coconut. Toss both in the blender and you will have a homemade, extra-flavorful flour mixture.

I sweetened this recipe with coconut sugar instead of dates as to not over power the coconut flavor. If you want a date-sweetened donut, may I point you in this direction -> Vegan Mini Powdered Donuts

The frosting is simply whipped coconut cream, and the sprinkles are my favorite Homemade Vegan Sprinkles in as many colors as I had on hand. Some are actually still from the original batch I made 2 months ago…so yes, they do last a while.

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-FreeVegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

Shredded coconut, coconut milk, coconut sugar, coconut frosting, coconut sprinkles–these are undeniably some very coconutty donuts!

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Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

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Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts

★★★★★ 4.2 from 5 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tbsp ground flax
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (I used light)
  • Frosting: Cream from 1 can of full fat coconut milk
  • Homemade Vegan Sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a blender, combine the rolled oats, coconut, flax, baking soda, and baking powder.
  3. Blend on high until it is a fine flour consistency.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredient. Stir to combine.
  5. Lightly oil your donut pan. Fill each donut almost to the top. You can use a piping bag to make it easier.
  6. Bake for 15 mins at 350F.
  7. Let them cool completely before frosting with whipped coconut cream and sprinkles. Enjoy!
Soft, fluffy, sprinkled, and sweet! Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts {gluten & oil free}Click To Tweet

Vegan Baked Coconut Donuts | Gluten-Free & Oil-Free

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake

· Natalie 60 Comments

Carrot cake with frosting replaced by creamy caramel-flavored banana ice cream and custom carrot coconut sprinkles to match! Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

Another ice cream cake…really, Natalie?

Yes yes, but hear me out. Or if I can’t convince you that more cake was absolutely necessary, then perhaps a delicious slice of this Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake can.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

I posted this ice cream cake a couple of weeks ago and a little bird (a.k.a. youtube commenter) asked for a carrot cake version for her birthday. I couldn’t say no to such a deliciously genius birthday wish. And I wanted to make it happen before pumpkin season strikes and ice cream is no longer cool (no pun intended…okay maybe a little intended).

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

The Ice Cream

This time around I used banana ice cream for the creamy “frosting”. If you’ve ever frozen nicecream you’ll know that it can turn into an icy solid brick o’ banana. So to help preserve the creaminess, I added date paste to the mix. It also makes it taste caramel-y and luscious, so there’s that to look forward to too.

Date paste made with coconut milk? Even better! I personally used light canned coconut milk, but you could use full fat for extra creaminess or almond/soy/whatever for less fat.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

The cake

Carrot cake has gotten the better of me countless times before. Those little orange shreds contain a lot more moisture than they let on, which can often result in mushy cake if you aren’t careful. And in a date-based cake the chance of a mushy middle is even  greater.

That’s why I sweetened this cake with a combination of dates and coconut sugar. The dates keep it moist and add some sweetness, and the coconut sugar makes up for the rest.

The batter will seem really thick/dry for a cake batter, but it’s supposed to be. The carrots release a lot of moisture during baking, so if it starts seemingly a little dry it will be perfect after baking.

No mushy middle that sinks down into a cake crater as it cools. Because that’s just sad.

My cake took about 35 minutes to bake through completely. To test it for doneness, lightly press the center. It should feel firm not mushy just like the outer edges. If not, turn the oven down to 325F and leave it for another 5 minutes.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

The Sprinkles

What’s a cake without custom-made matching sprinkles? Another variation of my Homemade Coconut Sprinkles, this time colored orange with carrot juice!

If you don’t have a juicer, you can simply buy carrot juice. Or put a carrot in the blender, shred it really small, then squeeze the shreds in a nut milk bag to extract the juice. It’s terribly inefficient, but for the tablespoon or two you need to make sprinkles it works.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

And my apologies about the funky lighting in the video, it was filmed during a thunderstorm. It’s been raining here non-stop and eventually me and my cake couldn’t wait any longer…so yeah.

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Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

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Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Carrot Cake

  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 8 pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger

Ice Cream

  • 8 pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I use light canned coconut milk)
  • 4 frozen bananas

Sprinkles

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1–2 tbsps carrot juice

Instructions

  1. Carrot Cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, blend the carrots, dates, milk, coconut sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. It can still be slightly chunky.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until combined into a thick batter.
  3. Transfer to a lined or oiled 6-inch round cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula or slightly wet hands.
  4. Bake for 35 mins at 350F. Test the center for doneness. If it feels slightly mushy leave it for 5 more minutes and consider lowering the temp to 325F.
  5. Remove from the oven and cool. Then slice into 2 layers using a serrated knife or cake slicer.
  6. Ice Cream: Blend the dates and milk.
  7. Add the bananas.
  8. Blend until smooth.
  9. Sprinkles: Toss the ingredients together until all of the coconut is well coated and orange.
  10. Leave out overnight to dry.
  11. Assemble: Layer in a 6-inch springform pan: cake, ice cream, cake, ice cream. Top with sprinkles.
  12. Freeze overnight.
  13. Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before cutting and eating. Keep leftovers in the freezer.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops

· Natalie 40 Comments

This chocolate and vanilla pudding pops recipe uses date sweetened chia pudding to give a long lost frozen dessert favorite a healthy vegan makeover! 

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

Chocolate or vanilla?

This has always been one of the hardest food decisions for me. Picking an ice cream flavor as a kid I always deliberated between these two (because I was distrustful of any flavor that looked like a rainbow or had too many unidentified chunks). Usually I decided on vanilla. You can always turn vanilla into chocolate with enough syrup, but there is no turning chocolate into vanilla.

Or trying to pick a birthday cake flavor. Did I want chocolate cake with vanilla frosting or vanilla cake with chocolate? Ugh, why must seven-year-old life be so hard?! I was a very non-adventurous child, so nothing as crazy as strawberry or carrot or coconut even had a chance.

I sometimes still struggle with picking a flavor of protein powder for my smoothie–chocolate or vanilla? It always comes back to those two.

I honestly cannot pick a favorite. But why should we when they are so good together!

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-SweetenedChocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-SweetenedChocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

I’ve had this idea floating around in my head to recreate pudding pops using chia pudding. What are pudding pops? Well apparently they are a much missed Jello product from the 80s. I wasn’t alive, I’ve never had one, but I very much like the sound of frozen pudding on a stick.

The original ones came in chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate-vanilla swirl flavors, so of course I went with the chocolate-vanilla swirl for my pudding pops recipe. Less decisions please!

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

The chocolate pudding in this pudding pops recipe is adapted from my Chia Pudding Dirt Cups. The vanilla pudding is similar but with vanilla bean powder instead of cacao, and white chia seeds instead of black to preserve the lighter color.

Thick creamy date-sweetened pudding makes for a wonderfully fudgy pop…

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-SweetenedSnack? Dessert? Maybe even an on-the-go breakfast?

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

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Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops Recipe | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

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Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Chia Pudding Pops

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 480 minutes
  • Total Time: 510 minutes
  • Yield: 6 pops 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Pudding

  • 1 1/4 cup non-dairy millk
  • 3 tbsp white chia seeds
  • 4 pitted medjool dates
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder

Chocolate Pudding

  • 1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
  • 3 tbsp white or black chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa)
  • 4 pitted medjool dates

Instructions

  1. In one jar, combine all the ingredients for the vanilla pudding. In another jar, combine all the ingredients for the chocolate.
  2. Stir or shake each jar to combine.
  3. Let them sit for about 15 minutes to soften the chia seeds.
  4. Pour the entire contents of the vanilla jar into a blender. Blend until smooth. Repeat with the chocolate.
  5. Layer the chocolate and vanilla puddings into your popsicle molds, swirling with a chopstick or the back of a spoon as you go.
  6. Freeze overnight.
  7. Remove from the freezer for 5-10 minutes or until they are soft enough to come out of the molds. You can run them under warm water to help it along as well.
  8. Enjoy your popsicles and keep the rest in the freezer.

Chocolate and vanilla meet again! Chocolate + Vanilla Caramel Core Ice Cream Cups

Chocolate Vanilla Caramel Core Ice Cream Cups

And our favorite flavor friends are together once more in these Healthy Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Healthy Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes - FeastingonFruit.com

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Golden Milk Frappuccino

· Natalie 34 Comments

Get a delicious dose of the golden anti-inflammatory super spice, turmeric, in a cold creamy vegan Golden Milk Frappuccino. No sugar needed, this drink is 100% fruit-sweetened!

Golden Milk Frappuccino | Vegan & Fruit-Sweetened

Turmeric has been slowly but surely creeping it’s way into my life one beverage at a time. I’m not mad about it. It’s just like a really determined new anti-inflammatory friend.

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Vegan Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cake

· Natalie 78 Comments

A five layered cold, colorful cotton candy cake! Made with gluten-free cake and vegan frozen desserts, this is a show-stopping (but simple!) summer dessert.

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

There are not many sugary things I have met and not instantly hit it off with. Naturally sweet or not-so-naturally sweet–I’m usually a fan. But there is one exception that comes to mind: cotton candy.

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally ColoredCotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

Do you know where the inspiration came for inventing cotton candy? Me either. But I’m guessing it was those little balls of fur and dust and fuzzy stuff that inhabit the 2 inches of darkness between the couch and the floor. Dust balls. Dust bunnies. Call them what you wish, every house is home to at least a few. Those of us with pets have double the population usually. But it’s those little buggers that ruined cotton candy for me. They are all I can think about when I put that stringy sweet stuff in my mouth. Nope, no thank you. I’ll take my sugar in a more normal texture please.

Aren’t you glad I painted that lovely picture of dust bunny mouthfeel in your head? And on that note, I want to assure you that there is no actual cotton candy in this cake. However, with these two vibrant colors there was no more perfect name for this 5 layer frozen frosted cake feast. So for color and fun factor, it will still be called a Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cake.

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally ColoredCotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

Raise a Pint Recipe Contest

When Alisa from Go Dairy Free asked me if I wanted to be a part of the #RaiseAPint recipe contest hosted by So Delicious, of course I said yes in about negative 2 seconds! Come up with a crazy over-the-top dessert recipe using my favorite ice cream? Heck yeah!

I knew I wanted to use So Delicious Creamy Cashew Cashewmilk Ice Cream because its my favorite vegan ice cream. I’m also a big fan of Cocowhip because it tastes just like cool whip only vegan. And cool whip and I go way back.

So then all that was left to figure out was the over-the-top part…

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

One thing Instagram has taught me is when you want to make things pop and shine, color is the way to go. Lots of color. And layers. And ice cream now that I think about it. People seem to be drawn to cold, creamy, complex, and colorful.

Pitaya is one of the brightest fruits, so I knew that pretty pink puree had to be involved. And what better to pair it with than the rare but beautiful blue! This cotton candy cake is what sparked my entire exploration into the world of natural blue food colorings, so if you haven’t seen my post about how to make natural blue food coloring, you can check it out -> here.

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally ColoredCotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

Cotton Candy Cake

The cake. I adapted my favorite Everything-Free Vanilla Cupcake batter to make this 6 inch vanilla cake, with just a few ingredient tweaks for optimal texture. To bake it as a cake instead of cupcakes, you will need to bake it slightly longer at a lower temp to make sure it cooks evenly. You can use your favorite vanilla cake recipe instead, as long as you have 2 layers of 6 inch vanilla cake.

The creamy layers. I had intended for this cotton candy cake to be 6 layers, but I ran out of pan height, so I just had to go with the cake stacking flow and stop after 5. If you are wondering why there are two Cocowhip layers and only one ice cream layer that’s the reason. The blue layer could be made out of ice cream or Cocowhip. You could use homemade ice cream or nicecream and coconut whipped cream for the whole thing as well.

The process. Assembly of this cake is quite simple. All you are doing is adding coloring to your ice cream/Cocowhip, layering, and freezing in between. I suggest letting each layer freeze for about 1 hour before adding the next so you can easily spread the new layer without them mixing too much. After it’s is completely layered, freeze overnight. Then take your cotton candy cake out of the freezer 10-15 mins before slicing and eating!

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

More About the #RaiseAPint Contest

This recipe is my entry into this summer’s Go Dairy Free Recipe Contest, sponsored by So Delicious Dairy Free. I have a chance to win cash prizes, but I am not being compensated for my time. I only use and recommend products that I truly love, and all opinions are my own.Raise a Pint

Twenty one talented bloggers, authors and recipe creators will be creating amazing recipes in this summer’s #RaiseAPint recipe contest using So Delicious Coconut Milk Frozen Desserts or Cashew Milk Frozen Desserts. All recipes will be shared between July 10th and July 24th, and then you will be able to vote on your favorites! I will let you know on social media when voting begins, and I would greatly appreciate your votes!

Update: Voting is open!! VOTE NOW

Along with the contest, you can join in the #RaiseAPint Event, which will run from July 11th to August 5th. During this time, So Delicious will award 20 entries with an ice cream party prize pack. You can share your #RaiseAPint moments on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter! Full details here.

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Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored

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Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cake {Vegan & Gluten-Free}

Vegan Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cake

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 12 pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour*
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Blue Sprinkles

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tsps natural blue food coloring

Pink Sprinkles

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tsps pitaya puree**

Pink Ice Cream Layer

  • 1 1/2 cup So Delicious Creamy Cashew Cashewmilk Ice Cream
  • 3–4 tbsps pitaya puree

Blue Layer

  • 2 cups Cocowhip OR 1 1/2 cup Cashewmilk Ice Cream
  • 1 tbsp natural blue food coloring

Pink Cocowhip Layer

  • 2 cups Cocowhip
  • 2 tbsps pitaya puree

Instructions

  1. Cake: Blend the water and dates until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine.
  3. Lightly oil then fill a 6 inch round cake pan 2/3 of the way with batter.
  4. Bake at 325F for approximately 30-35 mins or until the center bounces back when touched.
  5. Let it cool COMPLETELY before slicing off the rounded top and slicing it into 2 layers.
  6. Sprinkles: Mix each color separately until the coconut is well colored and coated. Spread in a thin layer on a plate. Leave out overnight to dry.
  7. To assemble: Use a 6 inch round springform pan so you can easily remove the cake after it is frozen.
  8. Place the bottom layer of cake in the pan.
  9. Mix the pink ice cream layer. Spread on top of the bottom cake layer. Freeze for 1 hour.
  10. Mix the blue layer. Spread on top of the pink. Freeze for 1 hour.
  11. Place the second layer of cake on top of the blue. You can use a thin layer of ice cream to help it stick.
  12. Mix the pink Cocowhip layer. Spread on top of the cake.
  13. Finish with a few dollops of pitaya puree swirled into the pink and a showering of sprinkles.
  14. Freeze overnight.
  15. Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before slicing and eating.
  16. Keep in the freezer for up to a week.

Notes

*Optional but makes for a better texture
**I took one Pitaya Plus pack, let it thaw to a liquid, and then used that for the sprinkles and both pink layers.

Cotton Candy Cake made with Vegan Ice Cream and Naturally Colored