Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to indulge in delicious food, whether you’re dining out or ordering in with takeout. But why not take it a step further and surprise your loved one with a homemade vegan dessert? There’s something special about creating something from scratch, plus, who can resist a sweet ending to a Valentine’s Day evening?

We’ve got three wonderful recipes to help you impress: a rich chocolate pudding cake, a warm raspberry apple crumble, and crisp, creamy pistachio cannolis. Whether you’re craving chocolate decadence or the perfect crunch, these desserts deliver. And if you’re looking for even more plant-based inspiration, check out our cookbooks in the Friends of Animals store that are packed with recipes that make vegan cooking easy and delicious!

Raspberry Apple Crumble
Vegan Cannolis

Chocolate Pudding Cake
(Makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Florida Crystals natural sugar
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1/2 cup soy milk or coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Hain brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup cold water

Preparation:
Sift 3⁄4 cup of sugar together with flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt the chocolate and margarine gently using a double-boiler or directly on the burner over warm-low heat, stirring frequently. Add the melted chocolate and margarine to the dry ingredients, to create a batter. Add the soy milk and vanilla to the batter.

Pour the batter into a greased 9-by-9-inch pan, covering the bottom of the pan. Combine the remaining half-cup sugar with brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle the sugar and cocoa mix evenly over the top of the batter. Now, pour the water directly on the top layer. Do not mix the water into your cake; it will naturally seep in of its own accord, causing the cake to take on a wonderfully decadent hot fudge texture in areas of the overall moist chocolate cake effect.

Bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees F. Serve hot, topped with vegan ice cream; refrigerate the rest and enjoy it cold, without topping, the next day.