Birthday Cakes
It’s my birthday next week and in true birthday tradition I have to bring in cakes to work. What to make? Last year I think I did a strawberry and cream cake along with Expresso cupcakes. Cupcakes are good because they travel well, don’t need cutting and are easy to eat in a work situation. This time I plumped for Night & Day cupcakes from How to be a Domestic Goddess.
This year there is the added challenge of having a vegan in the team. It just so happens there is a recipe I’ve seen in Divine that I’ve been saving up for just such an occasion – Balsamic and Chocolate Cake. I’m a little bit nervous about this – a cake without eggs?
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Sifted 175g flour (used 1/2 wholemeal spelt and 1/2 white spelt) with 50g cocoa, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt.
- Mixed in 175g granulated sugar & made a well in the centre.
- Poured in 100ml sunflower oil, 25ml cold pressed olive oil and 150ml warm water.
- Combined liquid and flour then mixed in 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar.
- Spooned mixture into a 21cm cake thingie and baked at 180°C (gas 4) for 30 mins. Turned oven off and left for further 5 mins. Cooled in container.
I needn’t have worried, the cake was delicious. It rose well, had a moist yet light texture and had a rich chocolatey taste with a slight balsamic twist. It was just as delicious two days later! I was advised by my vegan colleague that silken tofu mixed with melted dark chocolate makes a good cake topping so I might try that next time.
Night & Day Cupcakes
- Creamed 75g granulated sugar, 50g muscovado sugar with 125g unsalted butter
- Beat in 2 duck eggs alternately with 125g flour (1/2 wholemeal and 1/2 white spelt), 1 tsp baking powder and 2 level tbsp cocoa.
- Stirred in 1 tsp vanilla extract with 1 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp warm water.
- Divided into 12 cupcake cases and baked at 180°C (gas 4) for 20 mins.
- Sieved 100g icing sugar.
- Mixed in 100g cream cheese and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Spooned onto cupcakes and decorated each with a chocolate coated coffee bean.
Maya Russell
28th March 2013 at 5:35 amIt must be hard to be a vegan. A vegan once came to my house and couldn’t stand the creamy smell of the Bailey’s I was drinking! Anyway, interesting that there’s a cake recipe for when you run out of eggs.
Judith Luscombe
15th April 2013 at 9:59 amI confess I dont actually know much about the Vegan diet but this looks a very interesting and delicious recipe.
Tracy K Nixon
8th August 2013 at 4:10 amI have a friend who is vegan and she struggles to find anything decent recipes! I’ve emailed this to her!