Valentines day vegan chocolate cinnamon cake

First off...  I do not really celebrate Valentines day... I haven't in years...  the title may be misleading but it's only because people have been telling me that this would be the perfect Valentines Day cake!!! It is actually a coincidence that this recipe is ready today because I have been working on it for over a month... never thought it would be THAT difficult to come up with a vegan cinnamon chocolate cake starting from a non-vegan vanilla cake!  Now, I'll get back to the recipe later on... but let me explain why I do not celebrate Valentines day...

I am in a relationship... for 12 years... with the love of my life... it was love at first sight... and reciprocal... We have similar interest and goals in life... we, actually can't, even 12 years into our relationship, stay away from each other for very long...  We do everything together...  and when we're apart we text each other love notes...  Now, you may think, well why not celebrate???  Well, there really are 2 reasons:

1) Valentines day is now too commercial... it is for everyone... kids, friends, families...  it is no longer a lover thing...  it is hyper commercialized... mostly like everything else anyway...it almost makes you feel guilty it you do not, on that special day, tell everyone you love them...   so here comes in the other reason...

2) I actually, believe it or not, DO NOT need a box of chocolate, flowers, jewelry and a fancy dinner to feel loved... or special... I do not need to wear a fancy dress or anything red either... True love does not lie in those things... true love lies in helping/supporting each other in difficult time... and celebrating in easier times...  it lies in being with each other....  on a regular basis.... not on a fancy dinner with romantic music... that is too easy... We've had our share of difficult times and we helped each other... we went thru that together...  with all that this implies...  I feel special when my husband takes me in his arms at the end of a hard day....  or when he lets me cry on his shoulder without asking questions...  I feel special when he calls just to make sure I'm ok when he's at work.... I feel special wearing a fancy dress on any other day than Feb 14th because we just feel like going out... I actually feel special every day with him...  I do not need a day to celebrate my love.... I celebrate my love everyday!!!

Ok... now enough with the ranting... let's look at this recipe...  that we actually developed together my husband and I... it is inspired by the chocolate cinnamon cake that Starbucks has...  we use to love that cake.... but since we're vegan we haven't had any!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegan margarine
1 1/4 cup pure crystalize cane sugar
3 tbsp. chia seeds in 12 tbsp. water
3/4 cup almond vanilla milk
3-4 tbsp. cocoa powder
3tsp cinnamon (or more if desired)
1 cup chocolate chip

Preheat oven to 350F and "grease" a 8"x8" Pyrex dish

1) Mix first 3 ingredients - Set aside
2) Mix margarine and sugar, add chia seeds in water and almond milk
3) Add 1) to 2) slowly while mixing
4) Add cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix well.  Mixture is very thick...  you need a strong arm!!!
5) Add chocolate chips and continue mixing
6) Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with more can sugar if you want the top to be crispy
7) Bake for an hour on the middle rack of oven

allow to cool and enjoy....

I bet this would be amazing with vegan whip cream and strawberries... I just didn't have any...  :-(


love&peace,
nath
xox
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