Mmmmmmm, Cakey!

So: CAKE.

I really think it may be my favorite thing to make. It's just so EASY and yet, with some easily souped-up frosting, so GODDAMN GOOD. And it's a giving-type food: I rarely bake one except when I'm baking it FOR someone. And I like that. It's kind of a love-food.

But honestly, baking 3 cakes in one day SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. I seriously felt angry with cake when I'd gotten through the first two and realized I still had one more to bake. And then I felt pitiful and weepy. And then angry again.

It was an emotional kitchen day.

Anyways, I've been holding off on posting any of the cake recipes I used mainly because I hadn't actually TRIED a slice of each of the cakes I baked.

But yesterday, I finally nibbled on some vanilla, so I can now legitimately offer up some successful recipes to you.

Recipes for the chocolate cakes can actually be found HERE. I used that basic chocolate cake recipe (which is a good one) but filled up a (well-greased) 9x13 pan instead of two cake pans. The oreo one actually ended up a little bit overbaked and dry, unfortunately, so just keep your eye on that oven-timer and poke away with some forks. I think I may have actually gotten away with baking it 5 or 10 minutes less than the original recipe calls for.






The vanilla cake I snagged from the Vegan Chef. This one I actually ended up baking 5 or 10 minutes MORE than the recipe called for, mostly because it didn't even look or feel at all stable when the 30 minutes went by. But it was rich buttery vanilla-ish for sure, and I'd definitely use the recipe again. The only change I really made to it was to sub in more vanilla for the almond extract, mostly because I didn't have any at home.


VANILLA WHITE CAKE

                          from The Vegan Chef

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/3 c. unbleached cane sugar


• 1/2 c. non-hydrogenated vegan margarine


• 3 c. unbleached flour


• 1 T. baking powder


• 3/4 t. salt


• 2 c. soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice


• 1 T. vanilla


• 1 t. almond extract (or 1 extra t. vanilla)

DIRECTIONS

Lightly oil a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.

Place the sugar and margarine in a large mixing bowl, and cream together until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternating with the soy milk, and continuing to beat the mixture well between each addition.

Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat the mixture an additional 2 minutes at medium speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Yield: One 9x13-inch cake

(Recipe from The Vegan Chef)





So there's the cakes.

As for the FROSTINGS, the buttercream is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and can be found HERE. The only difference between the buttercream and the oreo-buttercream is--obviously--oreos. So you can choose whether to add them in or keep them out.

The frosting on my double-chocolate cake was the Rich Chocolate Ganache recipe, also from Vegan Cupcakes. And I've gotta say, although I'm a big endorser of super sickeningly spun-sugary sweet whipped mounds of gloriously tooth-achy fluffy frosting, my favorite of the bunch actually ended up being the ganache. There's just something about the maple-iness of it (and I didn't even use the good maple syrup, or good chocolate for that matter). And the consistency. And how it was just so ooey gooey rich. *Drooling again* So I definitely recommend. One batch of it can easily frost a 9x13 cake and should probably be plenty for a layered 9" circular cake as well.




RICH CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING

                                      from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 c. soy milk


• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped


• 2 T. pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small sauce pan. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a rubber heatproof spatula to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside at room temperature till ready to use.

(Recipe originally from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, posted at Funky Jiva)



So there you go. Your wish is my command, Eat a Vegan!

Chocolate Caramel Anti-Blue-Balls Crack(ers)

                          from Smitten Kitchen

Jeebus! What with the threat of folks getting cracker blue balls, I figured I'd better post the recipe as quick as possible.

I promise: Your balls will love them, and will surely stay their natural color now.

They are reminiscent of Skor bars. Kind of sort of. And they're easy simple peasy to make. And kind of fun.

But yes, they ARE addicting. So ONLY MAKE THEM WHEN YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE AROUND TO HELP YOU EAT THEM, OKAY? If you don't heed my warning and gain 50 lbs from gorging on them with your non-blue balls, you only have yourself to blame.



INGREDIENTS:

• 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice (or 4 to 6 sheets matzo)


• 1 c. vegan margarine, cut into a few large pieces


• 1 cup packed light brown sugar


• A big pinch of sea salt


• 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract


• 1-1/2 c. semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)


• 1 c. toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)


• Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350-F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with crackers. It'll be easy as pie: like 8 rows of 5 or something like that.

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You'll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you're using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it's really not necessary.)

Once completely cool -- I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) -- break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I've never seen it last that long.

(Recipe originally from Smitten Kitchen)

Surprise Surprise!

So we threw a surprise party for my mom this past Saturday. We managed to get a hold of some of my mom's work friends. We invited her best friend. My brother came home from Chicago with a bunch of friends and surprised her. And my other sibs came as well.

My mum's the one with the crown on
and the completely flashed-out face



And surprise her we did. We'd been planning it for a couple months, so we really were sure that SOMEone would slip up during that time, especially given the amount of folks who knew what was going on. And as 7-o'clock creeped up on us and none of her friends had yet appeared at my door, we started to get nervous. But then: blam. Shortly before she showed up with my brother, a bunch of folks poured in just in time.

And she hadn't a clue.

It was wonderful.

The weather was warm but--thankfully--had cooled off for the most part by the time the party started, so we were able to lounge about in my living room and also sit out on the roof. And it was a lovely moment, bringing three cakes lit up with candles out onto the dark roof and singing happy birthday to my mom under the city stars.

In preparation, I spent most of last Friday baking and cooking. By the end of the day and the last cake I had to bake, I was tired and feeling angry towards cake and wanting to just cry for having to make the last cake and hating it for needing to exist. It was a long day.

Even more annoying was the fact that 6 or 7 folks rsvped to say they were coming and then didn't come. Which would've been fine except for the fact that it caused me to make WAY more food than necessary. Which was a waste of my time. And which, in turn, resulted in me sending home like 8 plates of bakery with my sibs and mom.

Ultimately though, I was pleased with the goodies and the response they received from party guests.

My menu:

• Chips & black bean & corn salsa



• Veganomicon hummus with baby carrots and crackers



• Creamy spinach-artichoke dip



• Cream-cheez crescent-roll veggie pizza (recipe forthcoming this week):




• VwaV chocolate chip cookies



• Choc-PB rice krispy treats



• Chocolate caramel crackers (recipe also forthcoming this week):





• Three cakes: Vanilla with buttercream frosting, chocolate with oreo-buttercream frosting, and chocolate with chocolate ganache frosting (a few recipes forthcoming this week as well)


The three cakes jamming up my fridge

• Lots and lots o' beer

The biggest crowd-pleaser was (strangely enough) the pizza. You ever notice how it always seems to be the least expected and easiest food? =P

Anyways, stay tuned for some more recipes this week.

And hurrah for the urge to post!