Starbucks' Chocolate Cinnamon Loaf - veganized, reduced in fat & sugar

I'm weak. I've come to accept that despite my efforts to be "good" when it comes to sweets, I MUST have a little something here and there. I'm working towards doing a 10k open water competitive swim this summer, so I NEED to be good, but I also need to balance it with the inevitable cravings to have a little somethin' somethin'. 

This afternoon, I decided to give my hand at making a loaf similar to Starbucks' "Chocolate Cinnamon Bread." Yep, before the holidays I was especially weak and had this on my morning commute to work a few times. yum yum yum. Much to my surprise, Starbucks had actually posted their own recipe online! Seriously surprised they would give away the recipe for something they make money off of, but hey, awesome. 

Not so awesome is the nutritional profile. Just look at the original recipe...1 1/2 cups butter and 3 cups of sugar to 2 cups of flour, yikes. Sure, that makes 2 loaves, but still, from the perspective of ratio that still crazy. I decided to both veganize the recipe and reduce the fat and sugar. I made 1 large loaf, and 6 muffin-sized. The muffin sized-ones pop out of the tin easily, the loaf wasn't an issue but the top has a nice crusty crumble to it, making it a little harder to turn out without ruining the look of it. Just let it cool a bit, maybe cut it in half and be gently when turning it out.

The loaf doesn't have the same look, it doesn't rise as high as the original version but the taste is dead on, even with half the sugar and 2/3 the margarine. I'm really pleased they posted the recipe, and seeing as how I've already had 2 of the muffin-sized ones, it's safe to say this recipe will be a keeper. I'll freeze some of it. Maybe. Depends. Weak, weak, weak...

Loaf

1 cup margarine (2 sticks), room temperature, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar of choice

6 eggs' worth of egg replacer (prepared with water)

2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups dutch pressed cocoa

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups plain (or vanilla) soymilk

1 tsp vanilla

Cocoa spice topping

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cocoa

pinch of ground ginger

pinch ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Prepare 2 loaf baking pans - I spray my pans with cooking oil, then shake a spoonful of floor along the bottom and edges, I find it helps make sure nothing sticks.

In a mixing bowl, use the electric mixer to blend the margarine and sugar. Add in the egg replacement, scrape down sides and mix until smooth.

Mix remaining dry ingredients together. Measure out the soymilk. Keeping the mixer on, add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture bit by bit, alternating between wet and dry.

Turn batter out into prepared pans, and sprinkle evenly with cocoa spice topping. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes, be sure to check if done with a toothpick - sometimes vegan goods are a bit more dense, and need a bit longer.

Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then gently turn out onto a cooling rack.

Once cool, move to a cutting board to slice. 

Makes 2 loaves, one can be frozen whole or in slices if needed, for up to a month.