By Zoe Peled, The Vegan Project
Our friends at The Vegan Project decided to share their favorite pumpkin-inspired dessert with you. This delicious Chocolate Pumpkin Bar recipe is included in their must-have What To Feed That Effing Vegan ebook. Enjoy!
Adapted from The Vegan Project
About The Vegan Project
Since September 2009, we’ve been learning about veganism and documenting our experiences as we explore vegan cuisine, vegan fashion, vegan fitness and vegan restaurants in our hometown of Vancouver, BC. We basically love everything to do with a plant-based, cruelty-free lifestyle. Our mantra? We’re the vegan project, not perfect. Our goal is to inspire others, not change them.
Ingredients
- Layer 1 (base)
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup almonds (raw or roasted without salt)
- Layer 2 (middle)
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ cup cashew or almond butter
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup dates
- Layer 3 (top)
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup agave syrup
- 4 Tbsp unsweetened cacao powder
- 1-2 chopped bars of Vega® Maca Chocolate
Preparation
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Begin the first layer by grinding almonds in your food processor. Add 1/3 of the dates, and pulse to combine with almonds. Continue with second portion, until no dates remain.
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Press mixture into a pan that has been lined with wax paper. We used a vertical loaf pan.
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Let the almond/date mixture set in the fridge for minimum 15 minutes.
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For layer 2, combine the first set of ingredients: pumpkin, almond butter and coconut oil. Once mixed, gradually add in dates as outlined in step 1.
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Using a spatula, spread the pumpkin mixture over the base layer so it’s level throughout. Let this layer sit for minimum 1 hour. You can move on to the next layer if you wish, but allowing ample time for each layer to set gives you the definition between the layers that makes the bars so beautiful!
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For layer 3, combine coconut oil, agave, and cacao first. Add Vega® Maca Chocolate last.
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Pour layer 3 on top of the pumpkin mixture, and smooth with your spatula to ensure even distribution.
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Optional: you can garnish the top with a sprinkling of additional cacao or whole almonds.
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Let the entire dessert sit for two hours (minimum) so it can set completely. This dish serves best straight from the fridge, so keep cool and refrigerated as long as possible before serving. Cut into pieces, and enjoy!
