Golden State of Mind

Without cake, does it really even count as a birthday?

Sure, it’s inevitable that the celebrant will still wake up another day older regardless of the day’s festivities or lack thereof, but don’t we all? Just like a cupcake without frosting is really just a muffin, a birthday bereft of cake is not only a sad situation to imagine, but one that truly misses the point.

How often do we have a legitimate excuse to eat ungodly amounts of sweets as if there was no tomorrow, despite our best efforts at self-preservation to survive up until this milestone?

With that in mind, my own sweet birthday reward is a bit more minimal than in years past, but necessary for a proper observation of the day.

Shaking off the January chill, each glorious, golden bite of these turmeric cupcakes is a warming embrace from within. Originally inspired by the luminous golden lattes served at a favorite cafe, these sweet treats are suitably more nourishing than your average dessert. Boasting only natural sweeteners and gluten-free flours, even I would be skeptical of this formula if it hadn’t been my own creation.

Most importantly, these treats pack a bold punch of spicy flavor into a small package, turning any day into an occasion worth celebrating.

Yield: Makes 28 – 30 Cupcakes or 2 9-inch Round Cake Layers

Golden Latte Cake

Name: Golden Latte Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 28
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Cups Almond Flour; 1 Cup Oat Flour; 1/3 Cup Arrowroot; 1/2 Cup Golden Latte Mix, Store-Bought or Homemade; 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder; 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda; 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger; 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom; 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper; 3/4 Teaspoon Salt; 1 1/2 Cups White Grape Juice Concentrate; 1/2 Cup Applesauce; 2/3 Cup Melted Coconut Oil; 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract; 2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar; 1 Cup Vegan Butter; 1 Cup Arrowroot; 1/2 Cup 100% Grade B Maple Syrup; 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract; Pinch Ground Turmeric or Yellow Sprinkles

Originally inspired by the luminous golden lattes served at a favorite cafe, these sweet treats are suitably more nourishing than your average dessert. Boasting only natural sweeteners and gluten-free flours, even I would be skeptical of this formula if it hadn’t been my own creation.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Golden Latte Cake

2 Cups Almond Flour
1 Cup Oat Flour
1/3 Cup Arrowroot
1/2 Cup Golden Latte Mix, Store-Bought or Homemade
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups White Grape Juice Concentrate
1/2 Cup Applesauce
2/3 Cup Melted Coconut Oil
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Maple Frosting:

1 Cup Vegan Butter
1 Cup Arrowroot
1/2 Cup 100% Grade B Maple Syrup
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Garnish (Optional):

Pinch Ground Turmeric or Yellow Sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 28 – 30 standard cupcake tins with papers. Alternatively, if you’d like to make a layer cake, lightly grease 2 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oat flour, arrowroot, latte mix, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Separately, mix together the grape juice concentrate, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla, and vinegar.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, folding the mixture together just until smooth. A few errant lumps are perfectly fine; don’t drive yourself crazy trying to beat them all out.
Fill the cupcake papers about 2/3rds of the way full, or divide the batter equally between the two cake rounds, and ease the pans into the center of your preheated oven. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes if making cupcakes. If preparing cake layers, bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Bake until lightly golden on top, and a toothpick inserted into the centers pulls out cleanly. Let cool completely before frosting.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Toss the butter and arrowroot into your stand mixer, beating on low speed to cream the two together. Once completely smooth and homogeneous, slowly pour in the maple syrup, followed by the vanilla.
Whip on high speed for 2 – 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. Be careful not to overheat the frosting, though, as it will soften and break down if it gets too warm. Pop the whole bowl into the fridge for a few minutes if it’s giving you trouble.
Spread the frosting on your cakes as desired. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

January 12, 2018January 25, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)15 Comments

Deep-Freeze Delights

Given my extreme aversion to even the slightest hint of cold temperatures, it can be quite challenging to placate the daily cravings for ice cream when the dark ages of winter arrive. Usually, it’s a battle of mind over matter, ignoring the chills that go down my spine, shivering through every sweet lick. Particularly bad cases will send me straight to the tea kettle for sips to thaw out of the inevitable brain freeze. The pain is always worth the pleasure, but surely, there must be a better way to sooth the more sensitive sweet tooth.

Not only is there a way to stay toasty and warm while snacking, but there’s an even healthier way to indulge, too. Froozer is a great tasting frozen snack made with 100%fruit – all the goodness and great taste of perfectly ripened fruits, with no added sugar, juice or concentrate. The moment I first tried these wholesome treats, I knew it would shake up my whole winter routine. First of all, these are not mere popsicles flavored with juice or concentrate, but fully blended fruits with nothing added nor taken away. Stunningly creamy and sweet without any sugar, each slow-churned flavor tastes as bright and fresh as a summer’s day. Before I knew it, I was even tossing them into smoothies for instant morning fuel, delicious enough to qualify as milkshakes.

Still, as the frigid winds howled with increasing volume outside, I found myself on the verge of a seriously hangry meltdown… When I realized that’s exactly what I should do. Since they’re made of simply whole fruits, each stick is like an instant flavor infusion for any recipe, ready in your freezer whenever you are. Thinking quickly and pulling ingredients from the pantry, it was a matter of minutes before a brand new cookie creation came to be.

An edible island escape, the sprightly combination of pineapple, mango, and banana found within each Tropical Sunset frozen fruit snack transforms a pile of shredded coconut into an nutritious and delicious bite of paradise. These coconut macaroons couldn’t be more simple to craft, which is why they suit this no-nonsense source of inspiration so well.

It might be tough to sacrifice that perfectly churned, creamy consistency by bringing up the temperature a bit, but once you taste these new, equally satisfying healthy confections, you won’t regret taking the risk.

Yield: Makes 12 – 15 Cookies

Tropical Sunset Coconut Macaroons

Prep Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
6 Froozer Tropical Sunset Frozen Snacks, Thawed (or 1 1/2 Cups Prepared Pineapple, Mango, and Banana Smoothie)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, thawed Froozer snacks or prepared smoothie, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add in the shredded coconut and stir thoroughly to combine.
Once the whole mixture is homogeneous, scoop out cookies with a small ice cream scoop and place on a small sheet pan. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour, or expedite the process by stashing them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Store in an air-tight container either in the fridge or in a cool, dark place. The cookies will keep for 5 – 7 days.

Mocha Me Crazy

Crispy edges shatter upon the most tender, tentative of bites, giving way to a gently chewy interior rife with toasted nuts. Sweet, but balanced by the naturally bitter nuances of coffee and dark cocoa, this riot of flavor and texture all comes in a modest, unassuming little bar. While most holiday cookies are lavished with bold frosted jewels and colorful sugar crystals, the prettiest confections would be hard-pressed to compete with such unvarnished indulgence. Most would dub such an accomplishment as a resounding baking success, so it might come as a surprise that the whole lot of them was almost destined for the trash heap.

Though glorious in their own quiet sort of way, these treats were born of much loftier aspirations- Literally. Back in the very early stages of aquafaba awareness, many crazy experiments were carried out in the name of science, and sweet tooth-fueled cravings, of course. Admittedly, the frustration of failure has darkened the memory of their origins, so it’s hard to say exactly what I had intended while dutifully whipping chickpea brine into submission. A seriously nutty sponge cake, perhaps? Regardless of intention, the results fell flat.

Trying hard to salvage the thin, brittle sheet of confectionery matter, I picked up the pieces and dutifully went through the motions of styling and photography, but remained dispirited. If not for certain interlopers that kept swiping errant crumbs and strongly suggesting that a proper taste test was in order, the recipe would have immediately hit the digital dust bin. Thank goodness for that persistence which saved a new family favorite.

Rising from the ashes and crumbs, I’m pleased to finally present these Mocha-Nut Bars as part of Rodelle’s 2017 Holiday Cookie Campaign. Pooling together some of the brightest (and sweetest) minds in the blogosphere, there’s no shortage of sugar or spice here. In fact, the master bakers at Rodelle have taken it upon themselves to ensure that, and have generously offered to provide their unrivaled baking cocoa for many more rounds of delicious experimentation.

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Enter to win one of two 8-ounce jars of this superlative baking cocoa by telling me in the comment section: What has been your most delicious recipe “failure” or mistake to date? Log your submission and find more ways to enter though the official giveaway form.

Baking, as with most things in life, doesn’t always go exactly according to plan on the first try. The only real mistake, however, would be letting those challenges prevent us from finding entirely new successes in the process.

Yield: Makes 12 – 16 Bars

Mocha-Nut Bars

Resoundingly crunchy and full of toasted nuts, these coffee and cocoa-flavored bars are a real treat to enjoy.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Toasted Pistachios, Chopped
1/2 Cup Toasted Cashews, Chopped
1/2 Cup Toasted Pecans, Chopped
1/2 Cup Almond Meal
2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
1/3 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Instant Coffee Powder or Granules
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Aquafaba
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×9-inch square pan.
Mix together the nuts, almond meal, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, flour, instant coffee, salt, and baking soda. Make sure there are no clumps, and that all the ingredients are well distributed throughout before proceeding.
Place the aquafaba in the bowl of your stand mixer and whip on high speed for about 10 minutes, until light and fluff. Slowly add in about half of the dry mixture, mixing gently until incorporated. Fold in the remaining half by hand using a wide spatula. Add in the oil and vanilla last, stirring as little as possible to keep the batter nice and airy.
Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until the top is glossy (but not wet) and slightly crackled in appearance. Let cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container for 3 – 5 days.

Catch More Flies with Vinegar Than Honey

Vinegar is having a moment right now, bolstered by the rising popularity of experimental pickling, increasingly sour drinks, and infused dressings. Perhaps it’s the natural reaction to being saturated in sweetness from morning to night, a palate cleanser in between sugary snacks and unbalanced entrees, that’s driving the trend. Whatever the case may be, it’s hardly an innovative thought; early American pioneers were hip to the vinegar hype way before it was cool.

Imagine those cold, dark days, before refrigeration was even a wild dream, when seasonal fruits were far from reach but demands for dessert were still as urgent as ever. Reach into the cupboard and pull out the first viable flavoring agent, and undoubtedly, you’d find a bottle of good old white vinegar in your hand. Blended into a simple, creamy custard and set inside a golden brown crust, classic vinegar pie is a study in careful contrasts. Bright and bold, yet not overly acidic, only an expert baker could have pulled of this early combination with success, as the tiniest tweak in ratios could have skewed those slices towards seriously astringent territory.

Though that same scarcity is no longer a concern, there’s still much to glean from this old-fashioned approach. What if we took that concept and kicked up the flavor a bit? Select a more full-bodied vinegar and create a flavorful fruit filling that still pays homage to its origins.

Apple cider vinegar, the workhorse souring agent of the kitchen, finally gets a shot at the limelight in this sweet-and-sour treat. Fresh applesauce, ripe with the essence of the orchard, sets the tone, singing the song of autumn harvest and bounty. Naturally, this is best using homemade applesauce, but certainly works with any quality store-bought option. Heck, you could even go crazy and keep it chunky for some added textural excitement.

Simple, homely by the kindest of descriptions, those unassuming slices will take your guests by surprise. Each bite packs a real punch, while remaining impossibly well-balanced on the palate. It’s not a new idea, but one that’s executed just right.

Yield: Makes 8 - 12 Servings

Apple Vinegar Pie

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 Unbaked Classic Crust (page 36 of Easy as Vegan Pie) in a 9-Inch Round Pie Pan
1/4 Cup Vegan Butter, Melted
2/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the custard by simply whisking together all of the ingredients for the filling until smooth. To make really fast work of this, you could toss everything into your food processor or blender, too. Pour into your prepared pie crust and bake for 60 – 70 minutes, or until softly set. It should still jiggle in the middle when tapped because just like a cheesecake, it will continue to firm up as it cools.
Let cool at room temperature before moving into the fridge, and chill for at least 4 hours before slicing. Top with whipped coconut cream and sliced fresh apples for a bit of extra flare, if desired.

Poached Trade

At their bare essentials, all holidays are based around eating and drinking to some degree, but none more so than Thanksgiving. In fact, it’s the main event! Without the gluttonous, butter-soaked spread, it would be just another family meal. Our excuse is that we’re merely celebrating the great bounty we’re so fortunate to receive, but somewhere along the line, it becomes a battle between man and sweatpants, seeing which will give under the pressure first.

Today, I would like to offer you the antidote to that over-the-top indulgence, in the form of a persimmon. Elegant simplicity defines this plate; more of a procedure than a full recipe, the most essential step is one not written in the instructions. Start with only the very best fruit, or don’t bother starting at all.

I would never suggest that such a humble dessert, delicious as it may be, could ever replace the traditional slab of pumpkin or pecan pie. Rather, consider each one a sweet little snack that’s something extra special for the occasion. Serve these dainty orange orbs midday to stave off that familiar, gnawing hunger while dinner slowly roasts to prevent the inevitable frenzied binge. Alternatively, save them for the following day when those sticky, crumbly, half-eaten pies aren’t nearly so appealing.

Yield: Makes 5 Sevings

Poached Persimmons

Gently simmered in pineaaple juice spiked the ginger and citrus, these dainty orange orbs are a study in elegant simplicity.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

Poached Persimmons

5 Fuyu Persimmons, Stemmed and Peeled
3 Cups Pineapple Juice
2 Tablespoons Dark Rum
2 Inches Fresh Ginger, Sliced
1 Vanilla Bean, Split
Zest of 1 Orange, Peeled Off in Strips
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

Whipped Ginger Fluff:

1/4 Cup Aquafaba
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
5 Tablespoons Toasted Pistachios, for Garnish

Instructions

Core out the persimmons, removing the calyxes, and peel. Place them
in a medium saucepan along with the pineapple juice, rum, fresh ginger,
vanilla bean, and orange zest. Bring the liquid up to a boil, reduce to a
simmer, cover, and gently cook for 20 – 30 minutes, until the fruits
are fork-tender.
Remove the persimmons with a slotted spoon, leaving the excess
poaching liquid behind in the pan. Remove and discard the ginger pieces,
spent vanilla bean, and orange peel. Whisk in the cornstarch and return
it to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a boil, whisking
periodically, until thickened. Set aside.
When you’re ready to make the fluff, begin whipping the aquafaba in
your stand mixer on low. Gradually increase the speed all the way to the
highest setting and slowly begin adding the sugar and ginger together.
Once incorporated, add in the vanilla. Continue whipping for about 10
minutes, until light and fluffy.
To serve, spoon a dollop of the ginger fluff on top of each persimmon
and top with a tablespoon of the pistachios. Divide the sauce equally
between the plates and enjoy warm.

Clear-Cut

Alinea set the internet on fire once again with another avant-garde culinary masterpiece, drawing on the pumpkin spice craze to further propel it into a viral hit. Perfectly clear pumpkin pie, glossy and ethereal, gently quavered in the brief Instagram video, a tiny wedge being turned over and examined by a disembodied hand. Mesmerizing, confounding, the attraction is instant and irresistible.

#surrealism, indeed.

I tried to look away, to ignore the hype, but curiosity got the best of me, as it always does. A homemade rendition would never be able to stand up to the original for lack of fancy equipment, unless you happen to have a centrifuge and rotary-evaporator lying around to extract clear, condensed liquid from pumpkin puree, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play with the concept. Drawing inspiration from this wild idea and combining it with the pumpkin spice trend that ignores the actual gourd, my take is admittedly more translucent than transparent, but nonetheless a whimsical departure from the ordinary orange slice.

Yield: Makes 8 Servings

Translucent Pumpkin Spice Pie

Clear pumpkin pie, glossy and ethereal, is a wild departure from tradition. Sweetly spiced but without any pumpkin puree, it's a mesmerizing and whimsical change of pace.

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 (8-Inch) Graham Cracker Crust, Baked
3 Cups Water
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Spice Extract
1 Tablespoon Agar Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Combine the water, sugar, pumpkin spice extract, agar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk periodically until the sugar has fully dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 2 more minutes.
Gently pour the mixture into your prepared crust so as not to kick up lots of loose crumbs. Let the pie cool to room temperature before moving it into the fridge to chill.
Once fully set (about 1 to 2 hours), slice and serve!