Gettin’ our bake on!

Oh yes!  It’s baking day today!  My little princess Cailyn has been looking forward to this day because 1) She gets to take her own grocery shopping list to the store and 2) she is completing her  “cooking project” with me in the kitchen (and this could get quite messy!). 

We’ve spent the last 2 weeks working on a “Going to the Grocery Store” lapbook, where we’ve read and learned all about making healthy choices at the grocery store, trying new foods and now cooking! 

 I tried to give her a little guidance when picking a recipe for her cooking project, but there was no getting around the “chocolate factor”….chocolate had to be involved in some way or another!  So here we go…

Doin’ the mash banana….

She let big sister get in on the action!

 Stir, stir, stir!  I think she kept most of it in the bowl!

Chocolate Chip Layered Brownie Cake (gluten free/dairy free)

(inspired by Erika @ Food Fitness and Fun)

Yields 12-15 servings

Ingredients:

For the Brownies:

2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix

3/4 cup organic cane sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup water

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 banana, mashed really well

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cookie Top:

1/2 cup organic brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup raw coconut crystals

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Directions:

For the Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt.  Pour in water, grapeseed oil, applesauce, mashed banana and vanilla extract.  Mix until well blended. 

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.

 For the Cookie Top:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugars, almond milk, grapeseed oil, cornstarch and applesauce.  Use a strong fork and mix really well for about 2 minutes or until it looks like smooth caramel.  Mix in the vanilla.

Add 1 cup of the flour and salt.  Mix well.  Mix in the rest of the flour and fold in chocolate chips.  The dough will be a bit thick.  Spread carefully with a spatula on top of the half-cooked brownie.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

 The best of both worlds!

Chocolatey goodness from the top…

all the way to the bottom!

I think I’ve got a little baker in the making…as long as it involves chocolate!!  I’ll have to say it was fun watching her work and take ownership in her creation.  The whole fam gives this treat a chocolate thumbs up!

 

Blessings,

J’lene

 

*This post is also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays