Recipes are merely guidelines - whether mine or someone else's. Today's victim was
this recipe for Long-Run Cake from Runner's World. I rarely purchase a new ingredient for a recipe unless I decide that I'll be using it on a regular basis. Instead, I look for substitutes or will just alter the recipe to ingredients I already have.
In this case it was a switch-out for the agave syrup (molasses, honey, milk, sugar) and half whole-wheat and half white flour for the oat flour. I also don't have 12 mini-loaf pans and so made them as muffins/cup cakes.
It is rich and chocolatey - in spite of my initial hesitation that the molasses might be too overpowering. Turns out it mellowed a bit after baking. I might still alter the amount of molasses next time, but here's today's version. However, before I alter the sweetness I'll adjust all the ingredients to make only 12 muffins.
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Makes 15 muffins in greased pan (no liners)
1 c. applesauce
1 15-oz. can black beans
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. white flour
1 c. cocoa
1/4 c. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. molasses
3/8 c. milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. coffee
1 t. vanilla
Heat oven to 350 and grease pan for 15 muffins.
Puree, then set aside, the applesauce and black beans.
Mix together the dry ingredients.
In another mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the honey, molasses, milk, and eggs until foamy. Then add the coffee and vanilla.
To this, add the pureed ingredients.
Finally, add the dry ingredients and mix slowly, then increase the speed to medium and mix 30 seconds.
Fill muffin cups to a little more the 3/4 full.
Bake 20 minutes.
We're not completely done, but we're getting there bit by bit. All we have left is putting up art, closet curtains, move the washer into the mudroom, and install cabinets & shelves above washer/dryer. It's nothing fancy but it's a very cozy and practical space & we're really enjoying it.
