Wife Mama Foodie

Making Healthy Taste Good

Dessert, Vegan

Vegan Cardamom Buns

These vegan cardamom buns are free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar. They’re soft, delicious, and the perfect treat to enjoy with coffee or tea!

Vegan Cardamom Buns | Wife Mama Foodie
Why has it taken me so long to make cardamom buns? For anyone who loves cinnamon rolls, cardamom buns are similar, but have a crunchy, caramelized exterior from melted butter and sugar, while maintaining a soft and fluffy interior. These are subtly sweetened and have a delicious blend of warm spices, which pairs just perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea, I might add.

They’re seriously my new favorite thing and I just can’t seem to stop from making batch after batch of these things. It doesn’t help that my family loves them too and eats them up before I’ve had my fair share. I wish I had a secret kitchen where I could make secret treats that I could enjoy all to myself. Ugh, I need a secret lair or something. Like Batman, but instead of a dingy cave, it’d be a state-of-the-art kitchen. Yeah, I like it already! That would make a better comic book story too—”Mom who sneaks away, not to save the day, but her sanity and, let’s not forget, her sweet tooth! 

Vegan Refined Sugar Free Cardamom Buns | Wife Mama FoodieVegan and Refined Sugar Free Cardamom Buns | Wife Mama Foodie Vegan Cardamom Buns | Wife Mama Foodie
I know, I’m a weirdo who sits around thinking of secret kitchens and how to hide food from the kids. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Just make these cardamom buns, okay? Then maybe you’ll see why I don’t want to share! 😜 Enjoy!

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Vegan Cardamom Buns

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 10-12 buns 1x
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Description

These cardamom buns are free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar. They’re soft, delicious, and the perfect treat to enjoy with coffee or tea!

Ingredients

Scale

Cardamom Buns:

  • sweet dough, recipe below
  • filling, recipe below
  • few tablespoons almond milk (or other milk of choice)
  • 1/3 cup chopped almonds, optional
  • maple syrup (to brush on rolls after baking), optional

Sweet Dough:

  • 3–3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (Can use up to half whole-grain flour. I used half all-purpose einkornone !important; margin:0px !important;” />, but speltone !important; margin:0px !important;” /> or whole wheat will work too)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (.25 ounce package) instant yeast (also called rapid or quick rising)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup warm water (approximately 110º F)
  • 1/2 cup warm almond milk or other milk of choice (approximately 110º F)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, sugar, or other sweetener of choice

Filling:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (use dairy-free or regular, if not vegan)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Instructions

Sweet Dough: (Video how-to above)

  1. Place 2 cups flour, yeast, salt, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Stir together to combine.
  2. Pour in warm water, milk, oil, and maple syrup or other sweetener of choice. Mix together until smooth.
  3. Slowly stir in all-purpose flour, a little at a time, just until dough is soft. Careful not to add too much flour or rolls will be dry and hard.
  4. Knead for a few minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, mix together softened butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom until well blended. Set aside while rolling out dough.
  6. Roll out dough into a large thin rectangle. Spread butter mixture evenly over dough.
  7. Fold dough into thirds, like a letter, and gently pinch or roll to seal edges.
  8. With long edge facing you, use a pizza cutter or knife to cut rectangle into 1-inch strips. Should get between 10-12 strips. (If butter & sugar mixture is too warm, it may want to seep out of the strips while shaping. If this is the case, cover strips and place into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to chill the butter. This will make it easier to roll)
  9. Take one strip and carefully twist a few times times. Hold one end of the twisted dough on the counter and gently wrap the other end around in a circle, tucking the end under the bun.
  10. Place bun on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining strips. Be sure to place them a few inches apart so they have room to rise.
  11. Brush buns with almond milk and sprinkle with chopped almonds (optional.)
  12. Cover baking sheets with a cloth and let rise in a warm place 20–30 minutes.
  13. While buns are rising, preheat oven to 350ºF.
  14. After rolls have risen, place baking sheets into the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
  15. Brush warm buns with maple syrup and serve. Makes 10–12 buns.
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Dessert, Vegan

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Simple Cinnamon Rolls

Simple Cinnamon Rolls | Vegan Friendly and Refined Sugar Free

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan and refined sugar free

Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

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Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

A vegan friendly sweet potato pie made with purple sweet potatoes! It’s free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar, with a gluten-free option as well! 

Vegan Sweet Potato Pie with Purple Sweet Potatoes | Wife Mama Foodie
If you haven’t tried purple sweet potatoes yet, you’re really missing out! Not only are they gorgeous in color, when cooked they have a creamy, dense interior that has the perfect amount of sweetness. They also make a bold statement when cooked or baked with and the color intensifies. Imagine bringing a bowl of mashed purple sweet potatoes to the dinner table or this bright purple sweet potato pie to your next get together! …

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Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

A deliciously moist vegan vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Free of dairy and eggs, with a gluten free alternative.

Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting | Free of dairy and eggs with gluten free alternative
Birthdays are a big deal in our house. Each person’s life is special and deserves celebrating! The general rule is that the birthday person gets to choose what they want to do, and eat, on their day. Luckily, no one has asked to fly to NYC for lunch or anything yet. Shhh, we don’t want to give them any ideas! 😂

This week was my hubby, Rafael’s, birthday. He’s a lot like me and likes to keep things low-key. A family day playing video games with the kids and watching movies together was all he wanted. The only thing he mentioned specifically wanting were Apple AirPods. He’s been talking about them for months. I, only half-joking, told him he’d have to buy them for himself because I just couldn’t bring myself to spend almost two hundred dollars on something so frivolous. I mean, there’s definitely no shortage of earphones lying around the house from the many iphones we’ve had over the years! 

Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting | Free of dairy and eggs with gluten free alternative
There’s also something in me that just has to keep an element of surprise when giving gifts. I try to be very thoughtful when picking out a gift for someone and it’s nice to see the excitement on their face when they open up their gift to find something they’ve really been wanting. 

It’s kind of hard to surprise someone when they only want one thing! 

Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting | Free of dairy and eggs with gluten free alternative
That just means I had to work harder to convince him I wasn’t getting him what he wanted! He hinted around to wanting them for Father’s day, and was almost sure he’d got them. But, no, he got something else he’d been wanting instead. I reminded him we had three white apple earphones in the drawer…they even look the same, they just had wires on them! 🙂 

Then his birthday rolled around and again, “I don’t really want anything special…just some AirPods!” Well, it was present time and again, no AirPods. Am I mean or what?! 😜 

I had gotten them earlier in the week and was hiding them in the closet, waiting for the perfect opportunity to really surprise him. 

Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting | Free of dairy and eggs with gluten free alternative
At the end of the day, we started cleaning up all the opened packages from his presents and I nonchalantly handed him a plastic bag to put all of the boxes in. He grabbed it and as he opened the bag to put stuff inside, he did a double take as he saw a little white box resting at the bottom. 

I finally surprised him and the joy and excitement that lit up his face was well worth the wait!

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Vegan Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 10–12 servings 1x
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Description

A delicious and moist vanilla cake layered with a rich and fudgy frosting. Free of dairy and eggs, with a gluten free alternative.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Cake: (gluten-free version below)

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine 2 cups milk with vinegar and set aside to sour.
  2. Grease three 8-inch pans or four 6-inch pans and line the bottom with a parchment paper circle, cut to fit the pan, and then grease the parchment paper circle. I don’t recommend skipping this step or your cakes could stick to the bottom of the pan. Set pans aside. Alternatively, you can line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients—flour(s), sugar, baking soda, baking powder, & salt until well combined.
  4. Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour milk with a whisk or mixer and beat just until blended and smooth. Don’t over-beat.
  5. Evenly distribute the cake batter into the three pans and place onto the middle rack in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cake/cupcakes will be pretty light in color. More or less time may be needed depending on your oven.
  6. Let cakes cool for several minutes in the pan before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool thoroughly. Cakes are the easiest to frost when they are wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen overnight.
  7. To decorate, place on cake layer upside down on a decorative stand or plate. To keep the plate clean, you can tuck strips of parchment paper under the cake to catch the frosting. Place a dollop of chocolate frosting on the first layer and spread across evenly using an offset spatula. Repeat with remaining layers and frost the top and sides of the cake
  8. I piped a reverse shell border with the remaining frosting using a piping bag and a Wilton 1M tip, but a border isn’t necessary if you don’t have the materials.
  9. Sprinkle the top of the cake with colorful sprinkles.
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Category: Dessert, Vegan

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Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

These vegan spelt cinnamon rolls are made with healthier ingredients and are free of eggs, dairy, & refined sugar. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.

Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
When I got pregnant with my son, I didn’t want anything to do with sweets. Weird for someone who’s typically a dessertaholic, but all I wanted was french fries with ketchup, pizza, and mouth-puckering lemonade. I know, talk about junk food! But, at least it was normal food and not, like, pickles dipped in chocolate or something. 😝

Well, my salty/savory phase only lasted for a few months because in my third trimester I practically lived off Cinnabon. I passed by one on my way to work and would think about it alllll day, chomping at the bit to get off work so I could stuff my face with those giant rolls! Pregnant people and their crazy food impulses! 😂 That saying, “there’s a bun in the oven,” was pretty much true for my baby who was primarily nourished those last few months with cinnamon rolls!

Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour. Ever since then, homemade cinnamon rolls have become a regular thing in our house. We all know that cinnamon rolls aren’t usually the most healthy treat, with loads of butter, sugar, and white flour. Since we enjoy making these often, I wanted to come up with a version that I felt better about serving my family.

I made these with spelt flour, which is an ancient strain of wheat, but much less modified. Spelt does contain gluten, but since it’s easier to digest, many people with gluten sensitivities can tolerate it. I’ve been testing recipes for some gluten-free cinnamon rolls too, but am not completely happy with the results just yet. I’ll be sure to share that recipe when it’s ready though, so stay tuned!

Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Made with healthier ingredients. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
These cinnamon rolls are made with whole grains and free of dairy and refined sugar. They’re a delicious treat you can feel good about serving your family! I hope you enjoy them!

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Vegan Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Total Time: 43 mins
  • Yield: 12 rolls 1x
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Description

These cinnamon rolls are made with healthier ingredients and are free of eggs, dairy, and refined sugar. Can also substitute whole wheat or all-purpose flour.

Ingredients

Scale

Spelt Cinnamon Rolls

  • 3–4 cups spelt flour, divided (can also use half unbleached all-purpose for softer rolls)
  • 2 packets rapid rise yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons. Can also use active dry but will have to let rise longer)
  • 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, divided (can use brown sugar or natural cane sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk or other milk of choice, warmed to about 110ºF
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter (dairy-free can be used)
  • 3 tablespoons softened butter (dairy-free can be used)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:**

  • 8 oz. dairy-free or regular cream cheese (I used Kite Hill plain)
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter (dairy-free can be used)
  • 2–4 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or powdered sugar to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–3 tablespoons milk of choice, if needed to thin

Instructions

Cinnamon Rolls:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, yeast, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, and salt. Pour in warm almond milk and 1/4 cup oil. Blend together until mixture is smooth and no lumps of flour remain.
  2. Switch to dough hook, if you have one, or use a wooden spoon and begin incorporating flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a soft dough. Don’t add too much flour or rolls will be dry. You may not need the full amount of flour. Let dough rest for 5–10 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 1/2 cup coconut sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
  5. Roll dough into a large, thin rectangle. I find it easier to roll dough out on a large piece of parchment or a couple sheets of plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t stick to the counter.
  6. Spread softened butter all across the dough and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar mixture. Starting at the long side, tightly roll dough into a log, keeping the seem side down on the counter.
  7. Cut the log in half and each half in 6 slices, for a total of 12 rolls. I like to use dental floss to get a nice clean cut, but you can also use a sharp knife.
  8. Place the rolls into parchment lined pan and cover with a clean towel. Let rolls rise for 10–15 minutes.
  9. Remove the towel from the pan and place into the oven. Bake 16–20 minutes, until rolls are fluffy and the outside edges feel firm. Careful not to over bake; Rolls do not brown a whole lot in the oven. Let cool in the slightly before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Place cream cheese and softened butter together in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add some of the sweetener and vanilla, continuing to blend until creamy. Add additional sweetener to taste. If mixture is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Frost slightly cooled rolls.
  2. Alternatively, if you’re making powdered sugar glaze, just blend powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle over rolls.

Notes

*Can also use whole wheat or unbleached all-purpose, but amount may vary
**Alternative frosting: If you’re not a fan of cream cheese and are not opposed to eating powdered sugar, you can combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons milk of choice & 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and drizzle over cooled rolls.

  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 18 mins
  • Category: Dessert, Vegan

 

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Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites | Made with Raw Date Caramel. Gluten, Dairy, and Grain Free.I’m not a big fan of candy. I can easily walk by candy aisles or stores without giving it a second look. For my kiddos, them passing the candy store is like a moth to a flame. An uncontrollable need for sugar takes over their bodies and before you know it, they’re in the store tasting samples…kinda sounds like me at the bakery 😉

Although I love chocolate, I’m usually not a huge fan of chocolate candy. I have a friend who keeps a chocolate bar hidden from her family. Every so often she goes and takes a nibble which calms her craving for a while. There are, however, a few exceptions—anything that combines chocolate, caramel, nuts, and salt, and also most chocolate with peanut butter (and salt) candy. Yes, I have a bit of a salt problem. But I can’t help the fact that chocolate and salt go so well together. There’s some sort of scientific explanation behind why we enjoy such combinations and while I can’t remember exactly what it was, I’m happy that it at least proves I’m not a weirdo. 😉

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites | Made with Raw Date Caramel. Gluten, Dairy, and Grain Free.
Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites | Made with Raw Date Caramel. Gluten, Dairy, and Grain Free.
I have some flaked sea salt, which I use mostly for desserts, like on these Salted Mocha Cupcakes and Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Clusters. It compliments sweets, especially chocolate, very well. I sprinkled a bit on top of the candy before the chocolate dried. If you don’t have flaked sea salt, you can also use coarse salt or omit the salt altogether. 

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites | Made with Raw Date Caramel. Gluten, Dairy, and Grain Free.These are a version of one of my favorite chocolate candies from Hawaii. You can find macadamia nut chocolates everywhere in Hawaii, although the caramel version was always my favorite. I use a simple date “caramel” instead of the typical sugar/corn syrup version. I also used dark instead of milk chocolate and the pinch of flaked sea salt is, of course, my own addition as well. 🙂

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites | Made with Raw Date Caramel. Gluten, Dairy, and Grain Free.There are no special tools needed to make these and trust me when I say that they taste amazing and are totally worth the effort. I hope you give them a try! 

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Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites

  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Yield: 18 bites 1x
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Description

This is my version of my favorite candy from Hawaii. It only has a few ingredients and is made a little healthier by use dates instead of sugar for the caramel. It requires no special tools and they’re ready in less than an hour!

Ingredients

Scale

Date Caramel:

  • 1.5 cups pitted Dates
  • warm water, if needed for blending

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites:

  • 3/4–1 cup Macadamia Nuts, chopped (can also use another nut, like peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews)
  • 1.5 cups quality dark chocolate, dairy-free if needed
  • Flaked or Coarse sea salt, optional

Instructions

  1. Place your dates into a food processor and pulse until broken up. Continue to blend until it becomes a smooth paste. If it’s too thick and won’t blend, add warm water a tablespoon at a time until smooth, though it should still be thick enough to form a ball (see photo above.)
  2. Scoop mixture by the heaping tablespoon and place onto a tray lined with a piece of wax or parchment paper. I got exactly 18 caramel rounds, but amount may vary based upon how large you scoop them. Make them as big or as little as you’d like!
  3. After you have the caramel scooped out, cover the top with chopped macadamia nuts. I like macadamia nuts, so I add a lot.
  4. Place pan into the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes or until chilled and slightly firm. At this point you can make the mounds pretty and shape them into a ball or leave them in a disc shape. It’s all personal preference.
  5. When the caramel/nut bites are chilled and ready to be dipped, begin melting the chocolate. Place chocolate in a double-boiler over boiling water. Stir the chocolate consistently until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave in a heat-safe bowl on medium power in 30 second intervals until melted. Be careful not to overheat or you can ruin the chocolate.
  6. As soon as the chocolate is melted and smooth, begin dipping the caramel mounds into the chocolate and use a spoon to cover the top with chocolate.
  7. Lift the chocolate covered caramels out of the bowl with a fork and tap the fork against the bowl to drain any excess chocolate before placing back on the parchment paper. Repeat until all the caramels have been dipped.
  8. Sprinkle a bit of flaked sea salt on top and place into the fridge to cool. Store in a container in the fridge to keep fresh. Let come to room temperature before serving.
  • Category: Dessert, Vegan

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Salted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

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Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Clusters

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Caramel Apples On Platter
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