Classic White Cake

http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-recipes/cakes/76-white-cake.html

This Classic White Cake recipe is a simple way to make delectable light and fluffy vegan cakes. It features a touch of apple cider vinegar for a superior crumb and flavor depth and just the right amount of vanilla extract and almond extract for a rich flavor. It's subtle vanilla notes won't compete for attention if you're interested in adapting it into more complex cakes. 

¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk

1 teaspoon golden flax meal

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup + 3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1)

Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Lightly coat a 8 inch round cake pan with canola oil and dust it with flour, making sure to shake off any excess. In a small bowl, whisk together non-dairy milk, flax meal and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for at least 5 minutes so the mixture thickens. 

2)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. 

3)

In another medium mixing bowl whisk together sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, salt and almond extract. Now whisk in the flax mixture from Step 1 until well incorporated.

4)

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the wet ingredients and whisk together until just incorporated and the lumps are eliminated.

5)

Pour mixture into the cake pan. To eliminate air bubbles lift the cake pan about 2 inches off the counter and drop it onto the counter a couple times. Bake for 27 to 29 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for about an hour then transfer to a cake rack to cool completely before frosting. Makes one 8 inch round Classic Vegan White Cake

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Secret Recipe: Vegan Devil's Food Cake from Greens Restaurant

I made these cupcakes for Britney's birthday. We went bowling at the same place we went last year. It's a restaurant & bar that serves southern food and then it also has a few bowling lanes in it. I made the vegan cupcakes with rolo candies stuck in the center of some of them. I then used store-bought frosting and decorated them with the words "Happy Birthday Britney" on them (not shown here). 

(This picture is from their website, mine are below--it was just such a good pic I wanted to keep it too!)

This chocolate-lovers cake from chef Sandi Sumaylo of Greens Restaurant is dark, dense, and, believe it or not, vegan. Make it for Easter dinner or someone’s upcoming birthday. You can tell them that in March, Twitter’s Biz Stone (a vegan) made his birthday wishes over the cake topped with candles.

Makes 1 cake

1 cup hot water                                   

½ cup cocoa powder                       

1 cup soymilk                                      

½ cup maple syrup                                   

½ cup rice bran oil                                   

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar           

1 tablespoon vanilla                                      

1 cup cake flour                                   

1 cup all purpose flour                                   

½ cup maple sugar                                   

1 tablespoon baking powder                       

1 tablespoon baking soda                                   

1 teaspoon salt                                               

1.  In a large bowl, combine hot water and cocoa powder. Whisk until cocoa powder has dissolved

2.  Add soymilk, maple syrup, rice bran oil, champagne vinegar, and vanilla, and whisk well. 

3.  In another bowl, sift dry ingredients and add to wet

4. Whisk dry and wet ingredients together until combined.

5.  Pour batter into parchment-lined springform pans

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, when cake feels springy and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

7.  Let cool, de-pan, and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

8.  Cut top off cake to even out, and cut into two layers to frost.

Here you can see that lighter brown in the middle which is the rolo. 

Frosting (I didn't make this frosting but I thought it would be good to keep for reference in the future)

4 ounces vegan butter                                   

1 ¼ cup soymilk                                      

1 cup organic powdered sugar           

½ teaspoon vanilla                                      

8 ounces vegan chocolate chips           

1.   In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, bring vegan butter, soymilk, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a simmer, whisking at all times so that soymilk does not burn on the bottom of the pot.

2.  Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts. Let cool until it is warm to the touch.

3. Place in a food processor, and let it run until the frosting is smooth and shiny

4. To assemble, place cake on a rack over a sheetpan. Spread 1/3 of the frosting in between the cake layers, pour remaining frosting over top layer, and let it pour over sides. Let it set in refrigerator or at room temperature before cutting.  

I wanted to add this picture because these are the measuring cups I used to make the cake. Claire gave them to me for Christmas and they are just too cute. They are those little Russian stack-able dolls. The upper part and the lower part are both measuring cups! SUPER AWESOME!! Thanks Claire!

December vacation!

Here is a nice combo of all sorts of pictures I took over the December vacation in CA!!! I already miss it! After Robyn's graduation from UC Berkeley, I spent the night in Berkeley and hung out with friends on Monday as Robyn worked at the sailing club.

I went to lunch at Gather with Tricia and Karly Sherwood, friends from Berkeley. It was a totally Berkeley restaurant full of vegan options and organic vegetables. I had a wonderful sandiwch and a curry soup.

Tricia had a vegan pizza with cashew cheese. So delish!

All of the pizzas at Gather look like this with the bulbs of dough around the side. Wonderful

My lunch, coming at me!

Bad lighting but still cute

Tricia and I went sailing at the sailing club as Robyn worked. We had a lot of free time and there was someone who was going sailing. We put on all the gear and the sailor started teaching us all we needed to do. It became intense.

I barely knew what I was doing as I held that thing. 

Bringing the sailboat into the marina.

I'm a good looking sailor in all yellow, banana-ish.

I had to keep pushing the sunglasses back on my head because Tricia and I were wearing sunglasses from the lost and found that were pretty broken.

Tricia did know what she was doing!

I was more into the pictures than into the sailing, haha!

Looking hott Tricia!

I love the marina!

I look like a baby with the glasses streaming down my nose since they didn't fit my head at all.

 

Our sailor moving the main sail back up.

Off we go!

Robyn got into taking pictures!

After our big excursion. There hadn't been any wind which at first I liked so I wasn't scared about tipping over. Then we weren't going anywhere since you need wind to move on a sailboat. Then we had to paddle back. How ridiculous!

Me, Tricia and the sailor!

Quinoa and barley cakes

Served with a side of spinach and cauloflower curry pureed.

As we hung out in Napa, we went wine tasting on one of the days. It was Amir's first time with us wine tasting so he got a taste of Napa!

So much fun!! Cheers

Where's Amir? See his head on the right of the tree!

Lovely Christmas sister shot

Robyn and Trella enjoying the view from Silverado Vineyards

Nanwiches with goat cheddar cheese. Served with cream of brocoli soup.

Me and a Christmas buddy

He became my new best friend of the moment.

Robyn loved her food.

So did he!

Beautiful, Christmas table centerpiece.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas candy cane candle with my buddy.

Robyn and the candle in her Christmas shirt, worn annually.

Merry Christmas to you too Robyn.

Robyn, blowing out the candles on her graduation cake.

Cutting the cake.

UB with our buddy

AK with our buddy

Mom and Oma on Xmas morning

Matching floral headbands!

UB and AK on Christmas. Looking good family!

Me and my homemade gift from Robyn. Great gift wrapping!!

Our new neckwarmers for snowboarding or being fashionable.

Dad and me at Don Giovanni.

All these pictures are from the de Young museum in SF. Robyn took all of them.

Dad next to a Comfort-Tiffany lamp (possibly something connected to our family)?

Dad, fishing, for Uncle Tim.

Robyn and Dad enjoying their first Irish Coffee together at Buena Vista in SF.

The beautiful chandelier at the Stinking Rose, the restaurant all about garlic.

Hanging out in the booth

Beautifully red

Dad loved the garlic in the jacuzzi (roasted garlic roasting in EVOO).

This is the cute hallway to our table.

A Merry Forking Christmas: silly Christmas performance we attended in SF.

Robyn and I enjoyed the peppermint hot chocolate.

My pizza at the pizza-making contest on New Years with the cousins. We all used pizza dough from Papa Joes. I then made mashed potatoes from left over potatoes from our niokki. I then created a spicy Asian dressing and dressed a salad that I served on top of the baked pizza. The salad was phenomanal, the pizza was tasty and I really want to make it again soon!

Buddy got super serious making his pizza this year. He threw on his apron, cooked up lots and lots of garlic and even did a professional pizza crus finish!

Paige, working hard on her pizza. Her beautifully painted nails are on display in this shot.

As always, a fantastic family vacation in California. I wish I were still there but as expected, vacations must come to an end. Thank you all for the food, fun and merryment! :) XOXOXO

Robyn