Autumn Recipes: Vegan carrot cake, everything bagel cheeseball, caramel apple mule

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CHIMACUM - Don’t let the word Vegan scare you away from trying this delicious carrot cake. The cake itself is moist and utterly delicious while the addition of the cashew/macadamia nut frosting is simply out of this world. Good bye cream cheese frosting, we won’t be needing you again! 

A few words of advice, follow this recipe to a T and you will not be disappointed! Be sure to soak your nuts as directed and use a high powered mixer (I used a VitaMix) for best quality. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh, preferable new, as there are no eggs in recipe and this is most useful for rising.

Try buying your carrots from a local farm or produce stand such as Red Dog Farms or Chimacum Farm Stand for added flavor & finesse.

Vegan Carrot Cake

(serves 12)
Cake:
     2¼ cups (256g) flour (I use half spelt, half all purpose flour)
     3 teaspoons baking powder
     1 teaspoon baking soda
     3 teaspoons cinnamon
     ½ teaspoon nutmeg
     1 teaspoon salt
     ½ cup (125g) applesauce
     1 cup original Almond Breeze Almond Milk
     2 teaspoons vanilla
     1 cup cane sugar
     ½ cup (melted) coconut or canola oil
     2 cups (240g) grated carrots, medium-packed

Frosting:
     ½ cup (58g) raw macadamia nuts (soaked, drained and rinsed)
     ½ (68g) cup raw cashews (soaked, drained and rinsed)
     ¼ cup almond milk
     ¼ cup maple syrup
     2 tablespoons coconut oil
     1 teaspoon vanilla
     2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
     ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
2.    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
3.   In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, sugar and oil.
4.    Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
5.    Fold in the carrots and stir until just combined.
6.   Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
7.  Make the frosting: combine all frosting ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend until very smooth for 1 to 2 minutes or more, scraping down the sides occasionally. You can add an extra tablespoon of almond milk if necessary to get your blade moving.
8.   Chill for at least 30 minutes before spreading. (It will firm up a bit).
9.   Store frosted cake in the fridge.

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Caramel Apple Mule (21+)

Caramel Apple Mule

​Indulge your guests and make them feel all fuzzy inside with a drink that gives that bite of Fall and the nostalgia of the Autumn season.  

Ingredients:
 1.5 oz Absolut vodka
 .5 oz caramel syrup
 1 oz apple cider (bonus points for using Finn River Apple Cider and shopping locally)
 Ginger beer

Directions:
Shake vodka and caramel syrup with ice. Strain into glass, top with ginger beer. Garnish with apple slices if desired.

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Everything bagel cheeseball

Everything bagel cheeseball

The cheeseball that will make the whole family smile, plus they just taste great!
Serves 8

Ingredients:
 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup sour cream
 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
 2 scallions, chopped
 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
 About 1/2 cup Everything But the Bagel 
seasoning blend*
 Bagel chips and/or crackers for serving

Preparation:
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, cheddar cheese, scallions, and bacon. Form the mixture into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill for an hour.

Once the cheeseball has set, roll it into the Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend to evenly coat. (To make your cheeseballs resemble a pumpkin, add a real or faux pumpkin stem to the top. Then use the tip of a chopstick or the back of a butter knife to create grooves.)

Serve with bagel chips and crackers.

*You can make your own seasoning blend by combining equal parts dehydrated onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and garlic flakes. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

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