Why is it that this time of year rolls around and I’m all nostalgic for that 70’s-era sheet pan cake, slathered with frosting and dotted with berries…or, better yet, a Brownie Flag Cake?
Well, I can’t change my nature but I sure can take those memories and make them fit a clean-eating lifestyle: delicious, yummy-for-my-tummy, and easy!
Yes, it CAN be done!
Here are my secrets to an Easy-Peasy Brownie Flag Cake:
Sheet-Pan-Tastic
Normally, I’d make brownies in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan but you can use the same amount of batter in a 9×12 or 9×13-inch baking pan and, voila, it’s a sheet pan cake! AAAAAANNND…because it’s thinner, it takes less time in the oven! I’d call that a win-win.
Vegan or Paleo – you choose
What’s the difference, you may ask? Well, if you want to “eat like the caveman did” (you know, when they used ovens and almond butter to make brownies), you’d use the eggs for the Paleo version. No te gustan los huevos? Go vegan with the flax eggs! Same great results, same delicious flavor. No judgement, either way 😊.
Coconut Whipped Cream
Mmmmm….just the sound of it makes me lick my lips in anticipation. This ain’t no cool whip, sister. This is sooooo yummy. And ONLY 3 ingredients! For reals! Now, if you live somewhere you can get non-dairy whip without all the funny stuff, you’re on even easier street. But, if like me, you’re a bit out of town, I find it takes all of 5 minutes to make my own. It’s so creamy and light, you may never go back to the store-bought stuff 😉. You can find my easy-peasy method here.
Brownie Flag Cake (Gluten-Free, Vegan Option)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
Fresh summer berries, cool coconut whipped cream and brownies are the basis for this easy, delicious Brownie Flag Cake. Bring this to your next picnic and you cannot go wrong!
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients:
- 2 cups Almond Butter (see Note 1 for nut-free)
- 2 Eggs (see Note 2 for vegan option)
- 1 Cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 TB Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Cacao (a more nutrient-dense version of cocoa)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Vegan, Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips
Topping Ingredients:
- Coconut Whipped Cream (homemade or purchased)
- Assorted blue and red berries (approx. 3 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Mix up almond butter until smooth in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Add in eggs or flax eggs slowly followed by the maple syrup and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Combine cacao, soda, and salt in another bowl and add to wet ingredients, mixing until no dry bits remain. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted an inch or so from the side comes out not quite clean (22-27 minutes). I like these to be gooey in the middle but bake according to your preference.
- Cool completely in the pan.
- When ready to assemble, dollop with coconut whipped cream and use an offset butter knife to smooth the top. Dot with berries in a flag pattern, cut into squares and enjoy!
- These will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, depending on the freshness of the berries. Note that the whipped cream will slowly start to seep into the brownies but I doubt they’ll last long enough for that!
Notes
Note 1: To make these nut-free, use sunbutter (a.k.a. sunflower seed butter) or tahini.
Note 2: To make these vegan, replace each egg with 1 flax egg: 1 TB flaxmeal mixed with 3 TB warm water. Stir and allow to sit 5-10 minutes to “gel.” For two eggs, use 2 TB flaxmeal and 6 TB warm water.