Applesauce Pancakes for One

Once the jar of applesauce is open, what are you going to do? Why, pancakes, of course!

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

Several sprinkles of ground cinnamon

A sprinkle or two of ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

½ cup non-dairy milk (I like almond, but any will do)

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

Slosh of vanilla extract

Non-dairy butter or coconut oil for frying

1. In a small bowl (I like to use a cereal bowl), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt. 
2. Add in the milk, applesauce, and the vanilla, and stir until just barely combined.
3. Put about 1 TBLSP of butter or oil into the skillet over medium-high heat. Plop the batter into the butter once it’s sizzling at about ¼ cup per pancake. You should get four of ‘em. When there are bubbles all over the surface of the pancakes, flip ‘em, frying until they’re golden brown.

Serve with sliced apples, bananas, or other fruit, and top with maple syrup, jam, or applesauce!

Variations:

• Put slices of apple underneath the pancake batter in the pan to get an artistic effect.
• Make a buttermilk version by combining the non-dairy milk with a slosh of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and letting it sit for a few minutes to curdle. Then proceed as above.
• I was running low on cinnamon, so I used cardamom. OMG. Try allspice or cloves, too. 

Spiced Applesauce Cake for One

Even if Autumn is a just beginning, you can force the issue with this little cake. I’m so glad it made two little cakes! Yummmm.

For the Cake:

9 TBLSP all-purpose flour (1/2 cup plus 1 TBLSP)

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

6 TBLSP brown sugar

2 TBLSP canola oil

1 TBLSP white or apple cider vinegar

Slosh vanilla extract

2 TBLSP raisins

2 TBLSP chopped walnuts

For the Icing:

6 TBLSP powdered sugar

1 ½ TBLSP maple syrup

1-3 TBLSP water or non-dairy milk

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 4-inch baking pan. A single-serving casserole will do just fine, too. Mine went nicely into TWO four-inch pans, which meant I get cake tomorrow too! Yay!

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
2. In another small bowl. Whisk together the applesauce, brown sugar, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
3. Add the wet mixture to the dry, and stir until just barely combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll get a tough cake.
4. Fold in the raisins and walnuts. Plop the batter into the prepared pan, making sure that the top is even. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the cake once about halfway through. Keep baking until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing. It will go faster if it’s up on a wire rack.

Make the Icing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar and maple syrup together until it’s very smooth.
2. Add the water or non-dairy milk 1 TBLSP at a time until it’s a smooth and thick icing that’s still pourable.

Assemble the Cake:

1. When the cake is completely cooled, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen it. Unmold the cake and set it on your serving plate. You might want to put little rectangles of parchment paper under it so you can pull them out later and not have icing on your plate, but don’t worry about it too much.
2. Lightly drizzle some of the glaze over the top of the cake. If you want it sweeter, coat the top more thoroughly. There’s plenty of icing for both little cakes and some for the cook, too!

Zucchini and Banana Muffins for One

This quick bread will make your head explode with happiness. It’s fast, it’s made from ordinary things, and it tastes spectacular. Try it! 

½ cup grated zucchini

½ ripe banana (about 2 or 3 inches), mashed

2 ½ TBLSP applesauce

2 ½ TBLSP brown sugar

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Slosh of vanilla extract

½ cup all-purpose flour

Pinch baking soda

Pinch baking powder

Shake ground cinnamon

Shake nutmeg

Shake ground cloves

Pinch salt

Pinch granulated sugar for topping

Pinch cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line 4 muffin cups with paper liners

1. In a small bowl, combine zucchini, banana, applesauce, brown sugar, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves.
3. Add flour mixture to zucchini, and stir until just barely combined.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups about ¾ full.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve naked and fabulous, or top with a little vegan cream cheese or a blop of your favorite jam.

Variations:

• This recipe makes four muffins, so why not spoon two of them into muffin tins just as they are, and then add 1 TBLSP raisins and 1 TBLSP walnut pieces to the remaining half.
• Try it with a small handful of chocolate chips for a sweeter offering.
• Use brown sugar instead of the cinnamon and sugar topping for a crispier crust.