Mexican Chocolate Brownies {Vegan+Gluten Free}

Vegan brownies have been a struggle for me. Making gluten-free brownies had never been a problem in the past, in fact, it was one of the easiest recipes I had ever translated. However, with the absence of eggs, my gluten-free/vegan brownies have always ended up too flat, too sticky, or too fluffy. Seven recipe developments later (and yes, I did strictly follow some vegan recipes, which failed to satisfy) I came up with the following recipe. Finally: the perfect blend of rich chocolate cakey-ness and fudginess.

{GLUTEN-FREE/VEGAN}

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1/2 c. vegan stick margarine, melted

1-1/2 c. sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. gluten-free flour (1/4 c. tapioca starch, 1/4 c. potato starch, 1/4 c. white rice flour)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. extra firm silken tofu, blended until smooth in a food processor

2/3 c. quality cocoa powder (I use ghirardelli or scharffen berger)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending on your taste)

1/4 tsp. ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. vegan chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease (or line with parchment paper) an 8 inch square baking pan.

Combine margarine, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Add tofu and beat well with a whisk. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, cayenne, chili powder, and cinnamon and gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing until well blended. Add chocolate chunks and mix until just combined. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely and enjoy!