Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake with Mocha Frosting (+My Vegan Anniversary!)

Lately I've been noticing people mentioning their first or second or third or twentieth anniversaries of being vegan, which made me wonder when I actually first went vegan. I knew it was sometime in 2010, but it wasn't until I looked through old PhotoBooth photos of me eating Italian ice that I realized it was sometime around May 20th, more or less, that I decided to try it. I mostly did it to test myself, to see if I could do it, and I posted a photo on Facebook every day, calling it "The Ten Days of Veganism". I didn't realize I'd like it so much that it would turn into over 1,000 days and counting. It's actually pretty funny looking back on it now because this was during my Nevershoutnever! fangirl phase (as you can see from my necklace, I always had to wear at least two or three peace signs), and I definitely only tried veganism because peta2 did an interview with Christofer Drew. Please note I do not support PETA and I no longer listen to Nevershoutnever! (except for on occasion when I feel nostalgic. I still know every word to every song... I stopped listening to his music after Harmony when his personality changed a lot, but apparently he's become super chill now and really into vegan food so he seems pretty cool again! LOL OKAY ANYWAY)

Wow, I can't believe I'm posting that photo on the internet. Anyway, in celebration of my anniversary, which is roughly some time around now, I made a vanilla cake topped with a delicious mocha frosting. This was the first time I've baked anything gluten-free that was my own recipe, and I am more than happy with the results. I'm still not a huge fan of the flavor of gluten-free all-purpose flour, but I'm figuring out how to cover it up. If you want to make this with regular all-purpose flour, use 1 cup and leave out the xanthan gum. Also, this is a single-layer cake, so you can feel free to double it if you want.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake with Mocha Frosting

• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coffee extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1) Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil a circular 8-inch cake pan.

2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3) In a separate medium bowl, mix together oil, syrup, vanilla, coffee extract, vinegar, and non-dairy milk until completely combined.

4) Add dry ingredients to liquids and mix well, until no lumps remain.

5) Pour batter into prepared pan and spread as best you can, smoothing out the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

6) Cool on a wire rack in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and let cake rest on rack until completely cook.

Mocha Frosting

• 8 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (not melted)
• 2 teaspoons coffee extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk if necessary, but coconut is best)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until very smooth (you'll probably have to stir it a lot in between pulses). If you need to, you can add more milk until it reaches desired consistency. Chill until ready to use.

Chocolate Banana Milkshake

Sometimes I just really need a milkshake. Actually, I need one every day. I've been making these for breakfast daily for at least two weeks now and have yet to tire of them. They're really simple and quick and taste like heaven. Whether you need a milkshake for some 420 cravings or just for a delicious snack, this recipe is definitely worth making. It's so smooth and creamy and is perfect for those times when you miss going to the Burger King drive-through and getting some disgusting thing reminiscent of a milkshake (not that I ever miss that or anything). You can also add in some ground flaxseeds or chia seeds or hemp seeds or any sort of healthy addition that makes you feel happy, but it won't necessarily be as creamy; some nut butter could be good too, but I haven't tried that yet! 

Chocolate Banana Milkshake

• 1 medium banana
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• sweetener of choice (2 dates, 1 TBL syrup, 1 TBL sugar, or 1 packet of stevia powder)
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk
• 1 to 2 cups ice, depending on how thick you want it (I usually use as much as possible because I like thick smoothies!)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional (you can also try adding coffee extract ((to taste)) for a mocha flavor!)

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender for several minutes until completely combined and no ice chunks remain.

Makes 1 big serving or two smaller servings (the yield amount really depends on how much ice you add though)

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

What's that, you say? I essentially post nothing other than dessert recipes? Yeah, that's pretty true I guess. I promise, I do eat things other than cookies and cake! I don't know why it always works out this way. I will try to post some non-dessert recipes soon!

I'm not sure what to call these. They're almost like mini cakes, only more dense. I'm claiming they're cookies. Besides, the original recipe that I was working from was out of Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, so I guess they really are cookies. However, these cookies are not only refined sugar-free, but also fat-free! And they still taste good too! The hint of coffee is perfect, but, if for some reason your digestive system doesn't like coffee, you could leave it out and throw in some chocolate chips instead (or peppermint extract, orange zest, etc. There's lots of flavor combinations you could try). If you want to add an icing, mix together 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk until complete combined.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee or 2 1/2 teaspoons coffee extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, or more, as needed

1) Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2) In a large bowl mix together applesauce and syrup for several minutes, until thick. Stir in extracts (or instant coffee). 

3) While stirring, sift in dry ingredients. Add non-dairy milk and continue to combine until a dough is formed. 

4) Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts and place on cookie sheets. Press down on the cookies until they are about 1 1/2" in diameter.

5) Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for several minutes then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

I don't know why I'm posting this, it doesn't even have a recipe

Is it really March 10th already? I think, if anything, running this blog has taught me that being a professional blogger is not a career that will ever be in my future. On that note, I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about colleges... I honestly have no idea where to start in the process of looking at schools. My friends talk to their guidance counselors at high school, but since I'm homeschooled, I'm on my own. Unlike everyone else I know, I don't even have any idea what I'd like to do for a career.  I suppose something to do with food would be ideal, probably at a culinary arts school, but I don't think I'd be very comfortable working with (and eating...) non-vegan food.  It's scary and overwhelming to think about college, even though I know it shouldn't be such a big deal.  Thankfully, I'm only a junior, and I'm probably going to take a year off after school to get a job or volunteer or something, so I still have time.  


Anyway, my dad's birthday was this week, so this was my first chance to use my new Sticky Fingers Sweets cookbook, unadapted and with full sugar and fat.  Taking full advantage of that, I made the choco-raspberry dream (his choice), which is a decadent chocolate cake loaded with raspberry frosting and coated with a rich chocolate ganache. I'll admit, I had no idea what ganache is, and I still don't think I really understand. But what matters is that it tasted magnificent.  This cake was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever created. Really, really unhealthy, but beautiful. I'm not going to post the recipe, since it's not mine, but I'm sure a quick Google search would give it to you if you wanted - or you could just buy the book.

Hummus Crackers & Ginger Lemon Tart

I only have about 20 minutes of battery life left on my computer, so this has to be quick. I don't have any recipes of my own to post, but I wanted to post the links to some fantastic recipes I've made recently.

First is hummus crackers. Yes, crackers that are essentially hummus. I found the recipe for these delicious little pieces of heaven while perusing the hummus tag on Tumblr. I actually ate these with hummus, and it was like hummus-ception. These were pretty simple to make, and they tasted incredible. They're gluten-free too, if that's the sort of thing you like. The recipe is here.

Second is a lemon tart in a ginger cookie crumb crust. This is probably one of the most fantastic desserts I've eaten in a long time. It took essentially no effort to make, so I really would suggest you try it. The flavor is ridiculously good and the texture is perfect. Assuming you use gluten-free ginger snaps, it's gluten-free (there's a recipe link for the gf cookies with the tart recipe), plus it's refined sugar-free and SCD-friendly. Recipe here.

Date-Sweetened Apple Bake

This is another one of my go-to recipes. Whenever I'm getting tired of oatmeal or tofu scramble for breakfast, this is always a good replacement. It's mildly sweet, a perfect way to start the day (of course, if you want to eat straight up apple pie filling first thing in the morning, you can add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup). This also works as a dessert, if you'd like. However you eat it, I'm sure the hint of autumn will be a nice pick-me-up during this never-ending winter.

Date-Sweetened Apple Bake

• 1 apple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
• 2 tablespoons raisins, optional
• 3 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup water
• dash of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of cloves, allspice, and nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon apple cider, apple juice, or water

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Spray with cooking spray or lightly oil a small oven-safe dish (mine is 380ml or 2/3 cup). 

2) In a small sauce pan, combine dates and water, and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until dates are soft and beginning to break apart.

3) In a food processor, blend together the dates and cooking water until smooth. Add salt and spices and completely combine. 

4) Combine apple pieces, nuts, and raisins in a small bowl. Add date mixture and mix until the apples are completely covered. Evenly pour cider over apples.

5) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until apples are soft. 

Post-Valentine's Day Crepes with Nutella

 

I had meant to post this on February 15th, when I made these crepes, but I never got around to it. I'm not much of a Valentine's Day person. I neither love nor hate it; for me, it really just seems like any other day, only with a better excuse for eating large quantities of chocolate (shout out to my lovely mother for buying me a chocolate bar on Thursday!). My Valentine's Day consisted of chocolate, a seitan roast, and a Lost marathon. Not too bad in my opinion! 

 

But the next day, I decided to make something sort of Valentine's-ish, and made some crepes. Actually, these crepes are really Ployes, which are a type of pancake. It comes as a pancake flour mix (the only ingredients are buckwheat flour, wheat flour, baking powder, and salt), sort of like much healthier version of Bisquick. To make the pancakes, all you do is mix in some water (no eggs or milk required!), and cook in a pan for a minute or two. It's almost ridiculous how simple they are to make. You don't even need to flip them while cooking! They're surprisingly low in calories, with three 5" pancakes equaling only 95 calores. Ployes are fantastic, not just for dessert, but for dinner too. I often serve them with curry dishes, as they soak up the flavors so well.  Anyway, to make the crepes, I added just a tiny bit of sugar to the batter, cooked them, and served them with raspberry jelly and some vegan Nutella, which I made using this delicious recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie (actually, I used a mix of pecans and cashews because, let's be honest, no one just happens to have hazelnuts on hand). Ployes are made by a local company and probably can't be found outside of New England, but if you ever happen to come across some, I'd really recommend buying a bag (or order it online here).

Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Well, if you live in New England or know someone who does, then you may have heard about Winter Storm Nemo. Apparently we're supposed to get more snow this weekend than we've had in the past several years combined. It's been snowing all day and is really quite beautiful out. However, it's supposed to be windy later, and wind + snow = losing electricity, so I'm not too excited for this. In the meantime, I'm charging all of my electronics and I'm about to take what may be my last shower for a while. Woohoo.

I actually made this chocolate cake a few weeks ago, but I've been saving it for Valentine's Day, so I could be like every other food blogger in the world and post a chocolate cake recipe this week. But really, this cake is fantastic. You could double it and coat it with some chocolate frosting for an incredibly chocolate dessert. I, however, was in the mood for something lighter, so I made a single layer and covered it with a gooey strawberry sauce. No matter how you choose to serve it, it will be sure to satisfy that chocolate craving. 

Single-Layer Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Chocolate Cake

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or a combination of AP and white whole wheat)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil or other mild-tasting oil
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a round 9-inch cake pan.

2) In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

3) In a medium bowl, mix together remaining ingredients.

4) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

6) Place on wire rack and let cool completely.

Strawberry Topping

• 1 1/4 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, or other liquid sweetener 
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1) Using a potato masher, mash strawberries until no whole berries remain (there should still be some chunks though)

2) Combine berries, syrup, and vanilla in a small saucepan. 

3) Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly (keep it at a slow boil).

4) Remove from heat and let cool before spreading on (completely cooled) cake.


Optional: Decorate cake with ground walnuts or coconut flakes. 

Vegan Andes Mints

I don't know what has happened lately that's caused to me to suddenly stop posting here! I really need to get back into the habit soon! I've had this recipe ready to post for a while, but I was just waiting for it to be a little closer to Valentine's Day, because really, what's a better way to win a vegan's heart than with homemade chocolate mints (hint, hint)? 

I'm not gonna lie, Andes Mints are one of the few foods I've missed an awful lot since going vegan. They were absolutely delicious, such a fantastic combination of rich, sweet flavors. And they always were such a nice surprise, showing up at unexpected places (on top of pillows at hotels, with the receipt at Olive Garden, etc.). After three years without being eating an Andes Mint, I finally decided it was time to make my own. At first, it seemed like a pretty easy task, but there was a problem! The middle layer is white chocolate. I know there's vegan white chocolate brands available online (none are available in stores in my area), but I have never had to special order ingredients and I really don't want to ever have to. I thought maybe I could make my own white chocolate, but every recipe I found required cocoa butter, another ingredient I would have to order. So I gave up. But a couple weeks ago, I decided I would make something totally unlike white chocolate and use it instead - and, to my delight, it turned out to be very much like white chocolate! It doesn't necessarily have the same appearance as white chocolate, but it has a very similar smell and taste (well, until you add the peppermint, of course). Of course, I didn't ate white chocolate very often in my pre-vegan days, so maybe it's not as similar as I claim it it...however, it's delicious, and that makes it worth trying! As for the chocolate layer, recipe credit goes to the lovely Chocolate-Covered Katie.

Vegan Andes Mints

Chocolate Layer

• 1/4 cup cocoa (or carob) powder
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

White Chocolate Layer

• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
• 1 tablespoon sifted soya powder or soy milk powder
• 1 tablespoon organic powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon stevia for baking (such as Stevia In The Raw Bakers Bag)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

1) Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Place in freezer to keep cool. 

2) In a small bowl, mix together chocolate ingredients until completely smooth. Remove pan from freezer, then spread about one half of the chocolate into the pan, making a square about 5 or 6 inches long. Place in freezer for at least 10 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together white chocolate ingredients until completely smooth, being sure to sift the soya powder. Remove pan from freezer (assuming it's been there for 10 minutes already) and carefully spread all of the white chocolate on top of the regular chocolate. Immediately put back in the freezer and leave for another 10 minutes.

4) Finally, once the time is up, remove from freezer once more, and cover with remaining chocolate. Then put it back in the freezer and freeze for 10 minutes, or until it's completely solid.

5) When you cut the chocolate, use a very sharp, large knife (such as a butcher's knife) and cut it in quick movements.  It will crack, as you can see in my pictures, but hey, it tastes good and that's what really matters, right? If you happen to have some green foil and lots of patience, you can wrap up these cute little chocolate to look just like real Andes mints. Whatever you decide to do, you must keep these frozen because they melt pretty quickly. 

Vanilla Cake with Banana-Coconut Frosting (Sugar-Free)

Well, it's been almost two weeks since 2013 started, and I still haven't eaten any (refined) sugar. I don't really agree with the concept of "new years resolutions", however, I have been making several decisions lately for my physical and mental health, and one of them has been to cut back on sugar. As you can probably tell, I not only have a major sweet tooth, but I also love to bake. That puts me in a bad situation as I've realized cane sugar has some pretty noticeable side effects for me; it gives me terrible migraines, heartburn, mood swings, and fatigue. Also I'm sure it's not particularly beneficial for my psoriasis (or Crohn's!). So I'm trying to stop eating refined sugar, or cane sugar, except maybe the occasional treat on a birthday or holiday. I've been hearing a lot of nasty stuff about agave nectar lately, so I doubt I'll be using that much either (which is such a bummer considering it's so much cheaper than the other alternative sweeteners). I still eat maple syrup and brown rice syrup, but hopefully some day I will cut back significantly on my intake of those too; I'm taking this one step at a time.

This cake is pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself. Not only does it taste great, but it's the perfect consistency (not even a sugar-eating omnivore would be able to guess it's sugar-, egg-, and dairy-free!). Even if you choose to use a different frosting, this cake a fabulous base. It can easily be doubled (or tripled!) to make a layer cake. This recipe is modified from the book More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, but I changed it enough that I feel okay posting it. The frosting recipe was inspired by this recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie, only I changed it somewhat, mostly because coconut butter is definitely not sold near me and my food processor is not cooperative when I try to make my own. It's not exactly the prettiest color in the world, and I would recommend decorating the top with coconut. Of course, if you're not so strict about avoiding sugar, you could use a different frosting, but this stuff really does have a good flavor and I would recommend trying it. 

Vanilla Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a circular 8-inch cake pan.

2) In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3) In another medium bowl, mix together oil, syrup, milk, vanilla, almond extract, lemon zest, and vinegar until completely combined. 

4) Add liquids to flour mixture and stir until combined and no lumps remain.

5) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

6) Cool on a wire rack in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and let cake rest on rack until completely cool.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting:

Banana-Coconut Frosting

• 1 overripe banana
• 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (okay I have to admit I didn't measure this at all, so have at least 1 cup available, but you might not need it all)
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of salt

1) In a blender or food processor, blend banana until smooth. 

2) Add 2/3 cup coconut flakes and combine. At this point, it should be about the consistency of frosting (not smooth, obviously, because of the coconut, but the same thickness); if it seems too liquidy to be spread on cake, add a bit more coconut. 

3) Add maple syrup, extracts, lemon zest, and salt and mix until combined. 

4) Refrigerate until ready to use (it tastes best cold).

To assemble cake, frost with banana frosting, then sprinkle on some extra coconut flakes and lemon zest. 

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until serving.

 

Christmas 2012

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! I had such a nice day.

On Christmas Eve, after church, we drove through the neighborhood to look at the luminaries. I went on a walk later to take some pictures. My neighborhood is the only one in my town that has luminaries, and it's always been one of my favorite things about this holiday. Ever since I was little, the first thing I'd do when I woke up on Christmas morning was look out the window to see the dim lights of the remaining luminaries (of course, I couldn't do that this year because it snowed overnight, but that's okay because snow is even prettier).

Christmas at my house is always very relaxed. Basically, we get up whenever we feel like it (9:30 this year!), and start the morning off with coffee, cinnamon rolls, and opening stockings. We didn't have stockings this year, since we now have cats who I'm sure would have loved to have pulled them down from the mantel. But we did have what may be the greatest cinnamon rolls! I used this recipe, and really, it was great. There's only a few changes I'd suggest. Don't use nearly as much margarine as it calls for in the filling and the pan sauce, because that's really disgusting and it doesn't need it at all. When you roll out the dough, it's going to be pretty huge (I don't have the measurements), but don't worry that you did something wrong. Roll it up so that's it's long, not short (I can't think of a better way to explain what I'm trying to say…..), and cut it into what looks like mini rolls. They will expand plenty once they rise and bake, and you should be able to get about 14 decent sized rolls from it.  I'd also really recommend baking them in a springform pan, if you have one, because that way you can pop the sides off and drizzle on the icing and have a very nice arrangement.

We got a Christmas present for our cats - a shelf for the window. Needless to say, they spent the entire day there, birdwatching.

After we ate our breakfasts, we spent most of our day sitting in front of the fire, opening presents, and eating snack food. We always keep out tray of crackers and cheese (and Daiya cheese), dips, and veggies, plus a pot of soup with some bread, to snack on all day, and I really like it so much more than planning a huge meal. It's such a relaxing day! We used this recipe for a spinach artichoke dip, and it was way better than I had expected it to be; even my brother (an omnivore) liked it! We also made a potato soup that was pretty fantastic.

I don't normally like to brag about what I got for Christmas, but I am going to mention that with a couple new vegan cookbooks plus a brand new food processor (!!!), you can expect some fabulous recipes in the near future.

Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and that 2013 is a great year for you! :-)

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe