Carob Fudge Cake

Hare Krishna!

Chocolate and cocoa are very heavily debated topics here, because they contain small amounts of caffeine, which is prohibited in a committed Vaishnava's diet.

Many people choose to make carob desserts rather than chocolate, because it is similar (but in our opinion not similar enough, because there is not direct measurement substitution, e.g. 1 cup cocoa powder does not act the same as 1 cup carob powder).

Here in the Krishna.com Food Channel, we do adhere to many of the Vaishnava vegetarian standards such as meat, fish, eggs, and other animal products. But we take a more forgiving approach to chocolate, since the truth is a great deal of people who consider themselves devotees of Krishna also will eat chocolate from time to time.

The only recommendation we do make is that chocolate is not to be offered to deities at temples (or other 'installed' deities), and some people do refrain from chocolate, so consider where you will be serving a dish before you choose between chocolate/cocoa and carob.

(We've already gotten a great deal of comments about this, and we have decided to take an inclusive and forgiving approach to some of these ingredients because many people that visit here are just learning to be vegetarians, and are finding it hard enough to give up animal products. If you can also live without chocolate, or anything else that indulges the senses, then you deserve respect. But for our new friends, we prefer to take a less strict approach to encouraging a Vaishnava diet.)

Carob powder is made from dried carob beans. Carob powder is readily available in most health food stores and is often used as a substitute for cocoa powder.