I've been modifying and trying lots of different recipes for cream cheese frosting, trying to find the prefect frosting to go with carrot cake (recipe posted: 4-16-08).
This one is pretty darn good:
1/2 c non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, softened
1/2 c vegan cream cheese (such as Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)
4 to 5 c confectioners' sugar
2 to 3Tbs real maple syrup
Cream together margarine and cream cheese. Using mixer, add 4 cups of sugar 1/2 c at a time. Continue mixing and add maple syrup to taste. Then add the last cup of sugar a little at a time until it reaches the correct consistency. Mix until smooth and creamy. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Vegan Cupcakes
For my birthday a friend gave me the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 dairy-free recipes for cupcakes that rule.
Since then I've been making cupcakes for every occasion and inventing occasions when necessary. So far all of the recipes have been really yummy and we've tried at least a dozen recipes from the book. I've had a few people ask for copies of the recipes; they couldn't believe that the cupcakes were vegan either. The title doesn't lie: the cupcakes rule!
One thing I've noticed, the cupcakes start to lose some of the moisture and texture by the second day, and by the third just aren't nearly as good. I have realized that I just have to get up extra early to bake them the day of the party, but it's worth the effort.
At the risk of copyright infringement, here is one of our favorites: Dulce Sin Leche
Don't let the name fool you, they may not have milk but they are definitely sinful. (This is all you get, just a teaser; now go by the book!)
Cupcake Ingredients
1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c oil
1/2 c soy milk (or rice or almond milk)
1/2 c coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon
Dulce Sin Leche Topping Ingredients
1/2 c full-fat soy milk
1/4 c soy milk powder
1 Tsb arrowroot
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c brown rice syrup (this is an essential ingredient and can be found in health and specialty grocery stores)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp caramel extract (optional)
Directions
Make the topping first. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy milk, soy milk powder, and arrowroot. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Stir in brown sugar. Then stir in brown rice syrup, turn up heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil, then bring back down so mixture is at a low simmer, all the while stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is thick and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Sauce will have a thick consistency, like cake batter. Whisk in vanilla (and caramel if you got it) and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together the oil, soy milk, coconut milk, lemon zest, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth.
Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way full. Pour 1 tsp of the topping on top of each cupcake and use a butter knife to swirl the sauce into the cupcake. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until lukewarm.
Spoon 2 to 3 tsps of topping on top of each lukewarm cupcake. Topping will be very sticky; allow to sit for an hour before serving.
A quick warning: It doesn't matter how long you let these cupcakes sit, they are a gooey, delicious mess.
Since then I've been making cupcakes for every occasion and inventing occasions when necessary. So far all of the recipes have been really yummy and we've tried at least a dozen recipes from the book. I've had a few people ask for copies of the recipes; they couldn't believe that the cupcakes were vegan either. The title doesn't lie: the cupcakes rule!
One thing I've noticed, the cupcakes start to lose some of the moisture and texture by the second day, and by the third just aren't nearly as good. I have realized that I just have to get up extra early to bake them the day of the party, but it's worth the effort.
At the risk of copyright infringement, here is one of our favorites: Dulce Sin Leche
Don't let the name fool you, they may not have milk but they are definitely sinful. (This is all you get, just a teaser; now go by the book!)
Cupcake Ingredients
1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c oil
1/2 c soy milk (or rice or almond milk)
1/2 c coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon
Dulce Sin Leche Topping Ingredients
1/2 c full-fat soy milk
1/4 c soy milk powder
1 Tsb arrowroot
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c brown rice syrup (this is an essential ingredient and can be found in health and specialty grocery stores)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp caramel extract (optional)
Directions
Make the topping first. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy milk, soy milk powder, and arrowroot. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. Stir in brown sugar. Then stir in brown rice syrup, turn up heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil, then bring back down so mixture is at a low simmer, all the while stirring constantly. Cook until mixture is thick and slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Sauce will have a thick consistency, like cake batter. Whisk in vanilla (and caramel if you got it) and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together the oil, soy milk, coconut milk, lemon zest, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth.
Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way full. Pour 1 tsp of the topping on top of each cupcake and use a butter knife to swirl the sauce into the cupcake. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until lukewarm.
Spoon 2 to 3 tsps of topping on top of each lukewarm cupcake. Topping will be very sticky; allow to sit for an hour before serving.
A quick warning: It doesn't matter how long you let these cupcakes sit, they are a gooey, delicious mess.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pumpkin Bread
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil (can substitute apple sauce)
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin (I used fresh, but canned will work)
1 2/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c raisins or dates (optional)
1/2 c nuts (optional)
1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)
Mix dry ingredients. Cream oil and sugar. Whisk in all other wet ingredients. Fold in dry ingredients, then add raisins, nuts, etc. Don't over mix or the bread becomes tough.
Pour into pan and bake 350F approximately 30 minutes for 9" round cake pan, or 45 minutes - 1 hour for bread loaf pan.
I didn't add any raisins, nuts or choco chips the first time and it turned out great. I had a little left over soy cream cheese frosting that turned the bread more into a cake. Yum!
Next time I'm going to try adding a little ginger. This is a great basic recipe that can easily be changed up depending on your tastes.
This recipe came from my old roommate's Aunt Linda. Thanks!
1/2 c oil (can substitute apple sauce)
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin (I used fresh, but canned will work)
1 2/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c raisins or dates (optional)
1/2 c nuts (optional)
1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)
Mix dry ingredients. Cream oil and sugar. Whisk in all other wet ingredients. Fold in dry ingredients, then add raisins, nuts, etc. Don't over mix or the bread becomes tough.
Pour into pan and bake 350F approximately 30 minutes for 9" round cake pan, or 45 minutes - 1 hour for bread loaf pan.
I didn't add any raisins, nuts or choco chips the first time and it turned out great. I had a little left over soy cream cheese frosting that turned the bread more into a cake. Yum!
Next time I'm going to try adding a little ginger. This is a great basic recipe that can easily be changed up depending on your tastes.
This recipe came from my old roommate's Aunt Linda. Thanks!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Carrot Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups apple sauce
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots (Note: my aunt swears that hand-grating makes a better end-product than using a food processor.)
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
Frosting
10 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, room temperature
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Grade A maple syrup makes a whiter frosting; Grade B maple syrup makes a slightly darker frosting, but a stronger maple flavor)
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans.
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend.
In separate bowl, whisk sugar and apple sauce until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time.
Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. (Note: Don't over mix the batter as the cake will come out dense and heavy. The first time I made this I mixed the batter by hand and it turned out great. The second time I used a mixer and it came out dense and heavy.)
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and shortening in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
(Note: The first time I made this for a party I used real cream cheese and butter, and the frosting turned out great, if a little soft at room temperature. The next time I tried substituting a tablespoon of vegetable shortening and 4-5 melted marshmallows for the butter, which worked great in other recipes, but the frosting never "set-up." I'm still looking for a great dairy-free cream cheese frosting recipe.)
Frost cake and serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
Adapted from original recipe at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102155
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups apple sauce
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots (Note: my aunt swears that hand-grating makes a better end-product than using a food processor.)
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
Frosting
10 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, room temperature
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Grade A maple syrup makes a whiter frosting; Grade B maple syrup makes a slightly darker frosting, but a stronger maple flavor)
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans.
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend.
In separate bowl, whisk sugar and apple sauce until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time.
Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. (Note: Don't over mix the batter as the cake will come out dense and heavy. The first time I made this I mixed the batter by hand and it turned out great. The second time I used a mixer and it came out dense and heavy.)
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and shortening in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
(Note: The first time I made this for a party I used real cream cheese and butter, and the frosting turned out great, if a little soft at room temperature. The next time I tried substituting a tablespoon of vegetable shortening and 4-5 melted marshmallows for the butter, which worked great in other recipes, but the frosting never "set-up." I'm still looking for a great dairy-free cream cheese frosting recipe.)
Frost cake and serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
Adapted from original recipe at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102155
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
No time to bake...
Don't have time to bake your own dairy-free cake? We found that Whole Foods makes a delicious dairy-free chocolate layer cake. The guys didn't know it was dairy free and were fighting over the last piece! You'll want to call ahead for this one.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
My sister-in-law adapted the traditional Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe to be dairy free and it's even better than the original!
3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 can (15 oz.) Libby's Pure Pumpkin (I substituted fresh, cooked Fairytale Pumpkin) 1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk (substitute 1 can of coconut milk) 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Directions:
MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir pumpkin into sugar and spice mixture. Gradually stir in coconut milk.
Note: If you're using fresh pumpkin, you may need to let some of the water drain out after you puree it using a cheese cloth or a extra-fine strainer. Otherwise the pie may be a bit soupy and will need to bake a lot longer.
POUR into pie shell.
Note: Most pre-made pie shells contain dairy, so you're better off making one from scratch using vegetable shortening. I haven't found a favorite pie crust recipe yet, but I'll keep trying. All for the sake of research!
BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Swedish Cream Recipe
This is a recipe from a good friend whose mom is dairy free. She said that they made the regular dairy version and the non-dairy version of this recipe for a party once, and the non-dairy "kicked @ss!"
Swedish Cream
1 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (if you want to make this vegan, substitute agar flakes)
2 cups heavy cream (substituted Silk brand coffee creamer)
1 pint sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme Better Than Sour Cream)
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
2 tsp almond extract (Dr. Oetker, a German brand, is the best; use one vial as it's plenty potent)
Directions:
Combine sugar and gelatin in saucepan. Add Silk creamer and mix well. Heat until boiling then remove from heat and let cool. When cool, fold in Better than Sour Cream. Flavor with vanilla and almond extracts. Chill in fridge.
This is great dessert served by itself with fresh berries, or on the side of your other favorite desserts.
Swedish Cream
1 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (if you want to make this vegan, substitute agar flakes)
2 cups heavy cream (substituted Silk brand coffee creamer)
1 pint sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme Better Than Sour Cream)
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
2 tsp almond extract (Dr. Oetker, a German brand, is the best; use one vial as it's plenty potent)
Directions:
Combine sugar and gelatin in saucepan. Add Silk creamer and mix well. Heat until boiling then remove from heat and let cool. When cool, fold in Better than Sour Cream. Flavor with vanilla and almond extracts. Chill in fridge.
This is great dessert served by itself with fresh berries, or on the side of your other favorite desserts.
Reading Labels
As a novice to the dairy-free lifestyle, I'll admit there is a bit of a learning curve. Here are a few of the things I've learned from researching and reading labels. (I read labels on everything now.)
Ingredients NOT to eat:
Surprising sources of these ingredients:
Ingredients that are OK to eat:
Ingredients NOT to eat:
- milk/butter/cheese
- lactose
- whey
- casein
Surprising sources of these ingredients:
- Most sausage and processed meats contain casein
- Many vitamins, tablets, and medicines use lactose as a binder
- There seems to be dried milk solids in just about everything from bread and tortillas, to crackers and cereals, and anything breaded
Ingredients that are OK to eat:
- coco butter
- peanut butter
- almond butter
- apple butter
- pumpkin butter
- Shea butter
- mango butter
- seed butters and vegetable butters
- coconut milk
- almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, or coconut milk for cow's milk (I prefer the almond milk)
- vegetable shorting, such as Soy Garden Natural Buttery Spread (vegan) for butter on toast
- olive oil or vegetable oil for butter when cooking
- Tofutti Sour Supreme Better than Sour Cream for sour cream
- Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese for cream cheese
- Silk brand coffee creamer for whipping cream in recipes (I'm not sure how well it whips up for whipping cream; I'll have to try it)
- dark chocolate and Baker's unsweetened and semi-sweet baking chocolates don't contain dairy, but read the labels (Note: cocoa butter is not dairy)
- often fresh-made bakery bread does not contain dairy; also sour-dough bread is usually safe
- soy cheese and rice cheese as decent substitutes for cheese, however I often find it's easier to leave it off
- Don't cook with rice cheese - it curdles, although the slices melt well for grilled cheese sandwiches
- One friend likes rice Parmesan
- I found a pepper jack soy cheese that's pretty good
- I learned the hard way that just because a "cheese" is called "veggie slices" doesn't mean that it's dairy free; read the label!
Fudgy Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Espresso Frosting
Cake:
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c cake flour (Swans Down cake flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
2 Tbs instant espresso powder (Medaglia d'Oro)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (Baker's 100% cacao* bar)
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme non-dairy, lactose free Better Than Sour Cream)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract
Frosting:
1 c whipping cream (substituted Silk non-dairy creamer)
1/2 c butter (substituted 5-6 marshmallows)
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
16 oz semisweet chocolate (Baker's dairy-free semisweet chocolate* bar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparing cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Oil and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides or use cupcake liners (makes 20-25 cupcakes).
Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Bring 1 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
In another large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, Better Than Sour Cream, eggs and vanilla to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to blend well. Add 1/3 of chocolate-sour cream mixture to dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Add remaining chocolate-sour cream mixture in 2 more additions, whisking well after each addition. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Gently tap each filled pan atop counter to burst any air pockets.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for cakes and 20 minutes for cupcakes. Let cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cakes and turn out onto rack. Cool completely.
Preparing frosting:
Bring first 6 ingredients to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until marshmallows melt. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour frosting into large bowl; cool until thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.
Frost cakes or cupcakes. I found that by warming the frosting in the microwave for a few seconds before frosting the cupcakes that it was much easier to spread and it regained a pretty, glossy shine. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*Although Baker's chocolate is dairy free, on the box it states that it is processed on equipment that processes milk. One friend has such a bad reaction to dairy that she won't risk it, however, I've never had reaction to it.
Here is the original recipe on Epicurious:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105697
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c cake flour (Swans Down cake flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
2 Tbs instant espresso powder (Medaglia d'Oro)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (Baker's 100% cacao* bar)
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c sour cream (substituted Tofutti Sour Supreme non-dairy, lactose free Better Than Sour Cream)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract
Frosting:
1 c whipping cream (substituted Silk non-dairy creamer)
1/2 c butter (substituted 5-6 marshmallows)
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
16 oz semisweet chocolate (Baker's dairy-free semisweet chocolate* bar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparing cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Oil and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides or use cupcake liners (makes 20-25 cupcakes).
Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Bring 1 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
In another large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, Better Than Sour Cream, eggs and vanilla to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to blend well. Add 1/3 of chocolate-sour cream mixture to dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Add remaining chocolate-sour cream mixture in 2 more additions, whisking well after each addition. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Gently tap each filled pan atop counter to burst any air pockets.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for cakes and 20 minutes for cupcakes. Let cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cakes and turn out onto rack. Cool completely.
Preparing frosting:
Bring first 6 ingredients to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until marshmallows melt. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour frosting into large bowl; cool until thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.
Frost cakes or cupcakes. I found that by warming the frosting in the microwave for a few seconds before frosting the cupcakes that it was much easier to spread and it regained a pretty, glossy shine. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*Although Baker's chocolate is dairy free, on the box it states that it is processed on equipment that processes milk. One friend has such a bad reaction to dairy that she won't risk it, however, I've never had reaction to it.
Here is the original recipe on Epicurious:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105697
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)