Walnut and maple loaf / cupcakes... by The Hummingbird Bakery

I know, yes it does say loaf in the title, and that's exactly what you'll find in The Hummingbird Bakery cook book, but I found some time ago, that cupcakes have a better chance of being successful (meaning eaten!) in my house. I guess that they do fit a pair of little hands perfectly, I've also noticed that cupcakes will disappear within the day, two tops, whereas the cake can last even 4-5 days.

This recipe (either you'll chose to make loaf or cupcakes) is a perfect marriage of walnuts and maple syrup. The cake itself is soft and moist (from the maple syrup you pour over) and chopped nuts inside give you a little bit of crunch. 

As with all The Hummingbird Bakery recipes I have tried to date, with this one as well, I have reduced the amount of sugar I used, especially that you're adding maple to the batter too. I've also changed the recipe ever so slightly, swapping dairy, eggs and honey for their plant based alternatives.

How to make it...

Ingredients:

- 190 g unsalted vegan butter (like Flora)
- 190 g plain flour
- 190 g caster sugar (I used only 140 g)
- 3 flax/chia eggs (3 tablespoon ground flax/chia seeds with 9 tablespoon water, whisk together until thick and foamy)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 25 g plain soy yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 60 g walnuts, roughly chopped (I used more, whole ones - which I used for decorating the top of the cupcakes)

Method:

- Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grease and line the loaf tin. 

- Cream together butter and sugar, until pale and fluffy. 

- Add in the flax/chia eggs one at a time, whisking well before adding the next egg. Make sure all the ingredients mixed well together. 

- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add them gradually into your batter mixing well all the time. 

- Mix in the yogurt, vanilla essence and only 1 tablespoon of honey. 

- At the very end stir in the walnuts. 

- Pour the batter into prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until springy to the to touch and when cake skewer comes out clean and dry, if like me you're making cupcakes bake them 20-25 minutes only.

- While the cupcakes/cake is cooling, place the remaining maple syrup and 50 ml water into a little pot (I actually doubled the ingredients here: 2 tablespoons maple + 100 ml water). 

- Bring to boil and simmer until reduced in half. 

- Pour the warm syrup over the cupcakes/cake when it comes out of the oven, then leave to cool in the tin before getting it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Smacznego!


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