Cold-Brew Protein Breakfast Cake
Now that the weather’s finally warmed up, I’ve been enjoying a lot more salads, green smoothies, summer berries, and…breakfast cake. It’s not like eating cake for breakfast hasn’t been done before, but if you’re like me, it’s usually been in the form of standing over the kitchen sink taking bites of leftover birthday cake (extra frosting, please) straight from a tupperware in between sips of coffee. That’s fine every once in a while, but what if you want to eat cake for breakfast and not kinda sorta regret it immediately after?
With that goal in mind, I’m very excited to share a recipe for mini vegan breakfast cakes that are wholesome, subtly sweet, high in protein, lightly caffeinated, and they include superfoods like maca, reishi, and ashwagandha. Oh, and there’s frosting too!
The star of this cake is REBBL’s Cold Brew Coffee Protein drink. It has 12 grams of plant-based protein in one serving, plus all of those wonderful super-herbs I mentioned. The maca supports energy levels and balanced hormones, the reishi helps with detoxification, and the ashwagandha—one of my favorite super-herbs—supports endurance, cognitive function, and relaxation. I started taking an ashwagandha supplement at the recommendation of a nutritionist during a very stressful time and now I don’t go a day without it. I like it even better when I can take it via Cold Brew Coffee Protein.
To keep the protein high in this cake, I used a mix of whole grain spelt and chickpea flours. For folks who are gluten-free, I also tested this recipe with a gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour. If you go that route, your cake will be lighter and rise a bit more, but the crumb is a little more delicate and there’s considerably less protein (the gluten-free flour I used has 2 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, spelt and chickpea flours have 4 and 6 grams of protein, respectively).
And because cake isn’t really cake without frosting, I made a quick batch of chocolate coconut whipped cream. It was my first time adding chocolate and now I’m feeling like I may never make plain coconut whipped cream again. The combination of the coffee flavored cake with the chocolate coconut whip is so good!
As a finishing touch, I recommend topping your cakes with a sprinkle of cacao nibs to really bring the chocolate/coffee flavor home, plus some crushed, freeze-dried raspberries for color and brightness. This cold brew protein breakfast cake is just as filling as your usual bowl of oatmeal, but much more fun to eat!
P.S. You’ll have about 1/2 cup of the Cold Brew Protein drink left after you make your mini cakes. Feel free to enjoy it while the cakes are in the oven, or save it for sipping alongside your cake. ♥
Thank you to REBBL for sponsoring this post! We love their Super Herb Elixirs and Plant-Based Proteins, especially because when you buy any of their beverages, you help give back 2.5% of every purchase to Not For Sale in their mission to eliminate human trafficking and uplift vulnerable communities around the globe. Check REBBL’s store locator to find their drinks near you!
Cold-Brew Protein Breakfast Cake
Cold-Brew Protein Breakfast Cake
Serves: two 5½ x 3 inch loaves
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
10 ingredient cold brew protein breakfast cake that's just as filling as your usual bowl of oatmeal, but so much more fun to eat! Only 30 minutes start to finish.
Servings: two 5½ x 3 inch loaves
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes
10 ingredient cold brew protein breakfast cake that's just as filling as your usual bowl of oatmeal, but so much more fun to eat! Only 30 minutes start to finish.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease two 5½ x 3 inch loaf pans.
- Make the cakes: Prepare the flax egg by combining the ground flax seeds and warm water. Stir and allow it to thicken for 3 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Cold Brew Coffee Protein, coconut sugar, vanilla, and prepared flax egg. Sift in the spelt and chickpea flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until just combined, then mix in the coconut oil (doing this last prevents it from clumping). Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans, filling each to about 1/2 inch from the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the whipped cream: Open the can of coconut milk and scoop out the top layer of solid coconut cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. (Discard the coconut liquid or save it for a smoothie!) Mix the coconut cream, cacao powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed until combined, then beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the cakes: Run a knife around the sides of the loaf pans to loosen them. Invert the cakes onto a large plate or platter. Frost with the chocolate whipped cream and top with a sprinkle of cacao nibs and freeze-dried raspberries. Slice and serve.
Notes [3]
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend lightly covering it with parchment paper to prevent it from drying out.
Make sure you use a full-fat, canned coconut milk. Be sure to stay away from coconut milks with stabilizers and gums because the cream won’t separate from the liquid even when refrigerated. The Aroy-D brand tends to produce reliably good results.
I use these mini loaf pans from Williams Sonoma.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
