Easy Birthday Cake Protein Bars
GF - Gluten Free | V: Vegan | P: Paleo
Before I get started
One of the most nauseating pet peeves of mine is having to scroll through someones personal biography just to finally get to the recipe I need. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful story how in 1963 your Nana poured her heart and soul into perfecting this perfect recipe that is now at the hands of my mediocre baking skills. But, when you’re in a scramble to find a recipe and you’re ten biographies deep in heartfelt stories, you figure “fuck it” and give up. I don’t want you to give up. Especially not on this recipe. It’s insanely delicious, packed with nutritious ingredients, super easy to make, and even easier to explain. I also promise to be short and quick about it because I know I may be losing you every word I write that doesn’t get to the point.
Disclaimer:
Since starting my ED recovery, I have adapted to an intuitive eating approach. I don’t calories count, measure portions or track macros. That being said I will not be including nutritional labels in my recipes. Feel free to calculate them yourself. If don’t feel your personal goals and nutritional values align with, that I totally understand. Another recipe may be best!
What you’ll need:
Dry Ingredients:
1/4 cup of collagen (Organika is best)
1/2 cup of Almond Flour (I use Kirkland Costco brand)
1 cup oat Flour (I uses Anitas)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein powder (I highly recommend this Schinoussa)
Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 tsp of vanilla
4 tbsp coconut oil
4-5 tbsp maple syrup (to personal taste)
1/2 cup of (runny cashew butter or birthday cake butter) * I got my birthday cake butter from a local market, any brand should work or just opt for cashew butter, it’s just as good and tastes very similar.
Chocolate topping
1 tbsp of coconut oil
pinch of salt
3/4 cup of vegan chocolate ( I used Semi Sweet Chocolate chunks but anything by Enjoy Life is the best in my opinion)
Substitutes for Vegan
I use Organika collagen from Costco. It’s my favourite for value, quality and it’s completely flavourless. To make the bars vegan you can swap for a plant-based collagen. I haven’t personally tried a plant-based collagen with this recipe so I can’t speak to the flavour differences, but I’m sure it’s fine. If you want to emit the collagen all together. I would try adding one less tbsp of coconut oil to the wet ingredient stage of the instructions. If you find the dough is too dry, then you can try incrementally adding another tablespoon until it comes together.
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the dry ingredients on high until blended evenly. You can use a high speed blender if you don’t own a processor.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp of coconut oil. Set aside for later.
Add all the wet ingredients into the processor with the blended dry ingredients, then process on high until a consistent dough forms. You should be able to pinch the dough so that it comes together, but it shouldn’t crumble apart. If it crumbles, it may be too dry. In that case you can add a combination of 1 tsp of coconut oil and maple syrup at a time until you get the correct texture.
Line a medium plastic or glass rectangular Tupperware container with parchment paper. The exact size doesn’t really matter, as long as it has good depth and a snap seal lid.
Scoop the entire mixture into the container, using the back of a spoon or spatula to push it down firmly.
Set aside while you make the chocolate layer
On low-medium heat melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil and 3/4 cup of chocolate chips in your saucepan from step 2.
Stir continuously making sure not to burn the chocolate. When it’s melted about 80%, remove it from the heat and continue stirring until it’s melted all the way.
Pour the chocolate evenly onto the dough. You can use a spatula to spread it or move the container around until all the dough is fully covered.
Top with flaky sea salt
Place in the freezer to solidify for at least one hour
Use the parchment to lift the bar out of the container, then cut it into 12 even bars or however big/small you’d like them!
Store in a freezer safe and/or snap seal container.
Eat, devour, stuff your face, enjoy!
Ready to eat!
Cut in slices horizontally or in chunky squares.
Extra Notes
Freezability:
These bars are best kept in the freezer (with a snap seal or freezer safe container) and will stay fresh for up to two months, possibly longer. I don’t think these have ever lasted more than a week for me, but I’ve had similar treats I’ve stored for longer and they still looked and tasted amazing.
Storage:
I personally like all my treats to be very cold, so I eat the bars straight out of the freezer and they taste great. To enjoy them at room temperature, remove them from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before eating.
I hope you enjoy these bars as much as I do! If you would like to see more protein treats that are vegan and gluten friendly please comment below or send me a private message.