I have been trying to expand my food choices, develop a whole foods and plant based way of eating, and try to find new ways to enjoy food. And I miss cake. There I said it. I have missed delicious sweet treats, that up until recently I would pour out of a box, plop in a couple of eggs and oil and call it good. I am trying to get away from that. I am trying to eat foods that I understand what is in it and how I feel after eating it.
With that in mind, I have been experimenting with baking. I wanted to make a chocolate cake that my family (picky no veggie or healthy food lovin boys!) would enjoy and that I could share with my vegan friends. So I started with my good old Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook and checked out the chocolate cake recipe.
The basic chocolate cake is as follows:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour, which made the cake a bit more dense.)
1 teaspoon baking power
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Earth Balance Butter (vegan)
1 3/4 cups pure cane sugar
1/2 cup silken tofu (processed in the food processor)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (100% cacao baking chocolate), melted and cooled.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and set to the side. In a large mixing bowl eat the butter on medium high for 30 seconds. Add sugar, beat until combined. Add tofu and continue beating. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Add dry mixture and 1 1/3 cups water alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined. Pour batter into pan(s) and bake. I used a bundt pan and it took 50 minutes. Use a wooden toothpick to test the cake starting at about 35 minutes and then go from there depending on what type of pan you use.
For the frosting - I jumped on Pinterest and explored vegan recipes. I wanted something chocolaty and decadent. I was lead to a recipe on The Cupcake Project's website. They got the recipe from Vegetarian Times and made their own version, which I took and made my own version.
3/4 cup silken tofu
3 ounces of chocolate (I used unsweetened, but next time I am going to use sweetened)
1/4 cup pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Place tofu in a food processor or blender, pulse until smooth. Add vanilla, pulse. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or microwave. Pour the chocolate into tofu, pulse until mixed together. If you use unsweetened chocolate, you might will want to add the sugar here, pulse.
It makes a smooth easy to spread chocolaty frosting that completely covered the bunt cake.
It turned out great! Very rich and chocolaty!! Everyone asked for seconds, so it must of been a hit. Now I just have to figure out how to get some veggies hidden in there....
With that in mind, I have been experimenting with baking. I wanted to make a chocolate cake that my family (picky no veggie or healthy food lovin boys!) would enjoy and that I could share with my vegan friends. So I started with my good old Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook and checked out the chocolate cake recipe.
The basic chocolate cake is as follows:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour, which made the cake a bit more dense.)
1 teaspoon baking power
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Earth Balance Butter (vegan)
1 3/4 cups pure cane sugar
1/2 cup silken tofu (processed in the food processor)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (100% cacao baking chocolate), melted and cooled.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and set to the side. In a large mixing bowl eat the butter on medium high for 30 seconds. Add sugar, beat until combined. Add tofu and continue beating. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Add dry mixture and 1 1/3 cups water alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined. Pour batter into pan(s) and bake. I used a bundt pan and it took 50 minutes. Use a wooden toothpick to test the cake starting at about 35 minutes and then go from there depending on what type of pan you use.
For the frosting - I jumped on Pinterest and explored vegan recipes. I wanted something chocolaty and decadent. I was lead to a recipe on The Cupcake Project's website. They got the recipe from Vegetarian Times and made their own version, which I took and made my own version.
3/4 cup silken tofu
3 ounces of chocolate (I used unsweetened, but next time I am going to use sweetened)
1/4 cup pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Place tofu in a food processor or blender, pulse until smooth. Add vanilla, pulse. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or microwave. Pour the chocolate into tofu, pulse until mixed together. If you use unsweetened chocolate, you might will want to add the sugar here, pulse.
It makes a smooth easy to spread chocolaty frosting that completely covered the bunt cake.
It turned out great! Very rich and chocolaty!! Everyone asked for seconds, so it must of been a hit. Now I just have to figure out how to get some veggies hidden in there....
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