Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on cooling racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cakes with a butter knife and invert onto other cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the spread, in a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and sugar. Whisk well to break up any lumps. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk thoroughly. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble. Lower the heat and continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and mix in the coconut until well coated. Let the mixture cool.
To assemble the cake, place one of the layers on a platter. If needed, level the top of the cake using a cake level or a knife. Cover the top with half of the spread. Drizzle on half of the ganache. Place the other layer on top and level it if you’d like. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining spread and drizzle with the remaining ganache. (See page 14 for more tips on frosting cakes.) Store in a covered container at room temperature.
DIFFICULTY:
SERVINGS: 10 to 12
CHAPTER 5
Think Outside the Round Cakes
Cakes need not always be fancy rounds bedazzled with frosting or simple coffee cakes perfect for snacking on. They come in many shapes and sizes, and we’re equal opportunity cake-consumers, so no cake is left out!
POUND OF MAPLE SUGAR CAKE
This rich brown sugar pound cake is dense, moist, and delectable. Topped with a delicious maple glaze, what more could you ask for?
INGREDIENTS
2 cups
all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons
baking powder
1/4 teaspoon
salt
1/2 cup
margarine, at room temperature
1 cup
firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup
unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup
nondairy milk
1 tablespoon
molasses
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1 recipe
Maple Glaze (page 131)
1/2 cup
chopped walnuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar until combined. Add the applesauce, milk, molasses, and vanilla and mix well. Incorporate half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, blending until just mixed, then repeat with the other half. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 42 to 48 minutes, until brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto another cooling rack. Let cool completely before glazing.
Spread the glaze over the cooled cake and decorate with walnuts, if using. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
DIFFICULTY:
SERVINGS: 10
ORANGE YOU GLAD IT’S PUDDIN’ CAKE?
This is one of those simple, delightful recipes that’s easy to throw together and is the ultimate comfort food on a cold day. The top gets a light crunch, which gives way to the moist, fragrant cake and creamy pudding bottom.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup
all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup
organic granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
a scant sprinkle
salt
1/4 cup
margarine, melted
1/2 cup
nondairy milk, warmed
1 medium
orange, zested, plus 1/2 cup juice
11/2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
1 cup
boiling water
powdered sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch square pan or other small baking dish.
To make the cake, in a small bowl, combine the flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the margarine, milk, orange zest, and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. It will seem like there isn’t much batter; this is normal. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch until there are no lumps. Sprinkle this over the top of the batter. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and water and pour over the top of the batter. Do not stir. At this point you will question whether I’m crazy.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Check an 8-inch square pan after 30 minutes; wait a few minutes longer for a smaller pan. The cake will have risen to the top of the pan and will be lightly brown. The pudding layer will be bubbling up around the sides, and when moved the cake will appear to float. Let the warm cake sit in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving, to let the pudding thicken. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. This cake is best served warmed the day it’s made.
DIFFICULTY:
SERVINGS: 6
GLUTEN-FREE LEMON POPPY CHEESECAKE
This cheesecake can easily be made gluten-free or not, depending on the kind of cookies you buy for the bottom. It’s light and creamy and delicious, and I dare any nonvegan to smite its name—this is a cheesecake to be reckoned with. If you want to make it really thick, you can double the filling and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Like all cheesecakes, this is best made the day before you wish to serve it.
INGREDIENTS
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
11/4 cups
crushed graham cracker or ginger
cookie crumbs
1 tablespoon
organic granulated sugar
2 tablespoons
melted margarine
FILLING
1 (12-ounce) package
aseptic firm tofu
1 (8-ounce) container
soy cream cheese
¾ cup
organic granulated sugar
2 medium
lemons, zested
1/4 cup
lemon juice
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1 tablespoon
poppy seeds
RASPBERRY TOPPING
1/4 cup
organic granulated sugar
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
11/4 cups
raspberries
1 tablespoon
water
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
To make the crust, in a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and sugar. Add the margarine and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
To make the filling, in the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the tofu, cream cheese, and sugar. Process until mostly incorporated. Add the lemon zest and juice, cornstarch, and vanilla and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the poppy seeds and mix by hand (you don’t want to pulverize them). Spread the mixture evenly over the crust and return the pan to the oven.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top should look set up and almost like it has a skin on it, but the cake should still jiggle a little if tapped. Let cool to room temperature in the pan on a cooling rack before transferring to the refrigerator.
To make the topping, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the raspberries and water. Mix until incorporated and cook on medium-low heat unt
il the raspberries soften and release their juices. Mash them lightly with the back of a fork and continue to cook, stirring often, about 8 minutes, until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve and the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, before spreading over the cheesecake. Store the cake covered overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the springform ring before serving.
DIFFICULTY:
SERVINGS: 12
PLUMPY PUMPKIN ROLL
Moist, pumpkiny cake and creamy filling make this the envy of all the sugar pumpkins in the neighborhood. This pumpkin roll is much easier to make than it looks, but it does require that you are attentive to the directions. Be sure to read ahead of time the technique for rolling it so you can be fast on your feet; then, you should be all set. What’s great about this roll is that you can make it a day or two before you need it and stow it away in the refrigerator for fast and fabulous munching. Enjoy with a warm cup of chai . . . total perfection.
INGREDIENTS
CAKE
¾ cup
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
1/4 teaspoon
ground ginger
a sprinkle
salt
¾ cup
canned pumpkin puree
(not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup
organic granulated sugar
3 tablespoons
canola or other mild vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1/4 cup
powdered sugar
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
1 (8-ounce) container
soy cream cheese, at room
temperature
3 tablespoons
margarine, at room temperature
11/2 cups
powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the sides of an 11 x 15-inch jelly roll pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Parchment is a necessity for this recipe. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, you can still make this with a 9 x 13-inch pan, but you will need to increase the baking time by a few minutes because the cake will be thicker.
To make the cake, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin and sugar until creamy and well mixed. Add the oil and vanilla and mix until well blended. Incorporate half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, blending until just mixed, then repeat with the other half. Carefully spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan (an offset spatula is great for this). If using the jelly roll pan, the batter will be spread very thin.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, a little longer for a 9 x 13-inch pan, until the cake is puffy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. We are going to wrap this cake up in a towel directly from the oven to create the dense crumb and natural curve needed for a rolled cake. This is not hard, but to ensure success, read the next step a couple of times if you’ve never tried this technique before.
While the cake is baking, prepare a clean dish towel (that is at least the size of your pan) by sprinkling it with the powdered sugar. Once the cake is done, immediately loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife and invert onto the prepared towel, near an edge. The top of the cake should be face down. Peel off the parchment. Carefully wrap up the cake in the towel, rolling from the long side (you want a longer, skinnier roll, rather than a shorter, fatter one). A large part of the towel will be wrapped inside the spiral of the cake. Let the towel-wrapped cake cool completely on a cooling rack.
While the cake is cooking, il a large bowl, preferably with an electric mixer, prepare the filling by creaming together the cream cheese and margarine. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until creamy. Store in the freezer to firm up, no longer than 1 hour, until ready to use. You want to make sure the creamis firm, but still easy to spread.
To assemble the cake, ready a piece of plastic wrap big enough to wrap around your roll. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and gently spread the filling along the inside (top) of the roll, all the way to the edge. Reroll the cake, without the towel, and carefully transfer to the plastic wrap. Roll the cake in wrap and then add a layer of tinfoil to help provide stability. Store the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve cold. Store leftover cake, wrapped, in the refrigerator.
DIFFICULTY :
SERVINGS : 10 to 12 (2 slices per serving)
GLUTEN-FREE BERRY SHORTCAKE
For shortcake, you coat your flour with cold fat (margarine) before adding liquid, to keep the crumb tender by preventing gluten from forming. It’s a perfect treat for baking gluten-free! Add the fresh berries and amazing coconut cream topping and you’ll be in summer heaven. Don’t need gluten-free? Omit the brown rice flour and tapioca starch and replace with 1 cup all-purpose flour.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups
chopped fresh berries, such as
strawberries, blueberries, or
raspberries
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup
organic granulated sugar
1 cup
gluten-free oats, coarsely ground
1 cup
brown rice flour
1/4 cup
tapioca starch
1 teaspoon
baking powder
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1/4 teaspoon
salt
1/2 cup
cold margarine, cut into pieces
1/2 cup
nondairy milk
1 recipe
Coconut Cream Topping (page 136)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine the berries and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to macerate.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch round pan and dust with gluten-free flour.
In a food processor or a large bowl, combine the oats, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the margarine in chunks, cutting it into the flour by pulsing or with a fork, until the mixture is coarse. Slowly pour in the milk until the mixture comes together into a sticky batter. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack. Serve with the berries and the cream.
DIFFICULTY:
SERVINGS: 8
LOVELY LEMON POUND CAKE
This recipe makes one tall, full loaf of pound cake and a nummy side of berry compote. Perfect for sharing, it’s a potluck hit, for sure.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups
all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons
baking powder
1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
1/4 teaspoon
salt
2 small
lemons, zested and juiced
¾ cup
nondairy milk
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1/4 cup
margarine, at room temperature
1/2 (8-ounce) container
soy cream cheese
1 cup
organic granulated sugar
1 recipe
Berry Compote (page 137)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, milk, and vanilla. Let sit for a few minutes to activate the lemon juice. In a large bowl, preferably using an electric mixer, cream
together the margarine and cream cheese until combined. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the milk mixture to the margarine mixture and combine. Incorporate half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, blending until just mixed, then repeat with the other half. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 42 to 47 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the loaf is lightly browned. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack. Serve slices of the cake with the berry compote. Store covered, at room temperature.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
SERVINGS: 10
GLUTEN-FREE PERFECT PB BROWNIE CHEESECAKE
Brownies. Peanut Butter. Chocolate. Cheesecake. It’s too much to handle! This
cheesecake has the potential to bring an abundance of joy to everyone you share it
with. The question is: Will you share? Don’t need gluten-free? Omit the chickpea flour,
Have Your Cake and Vegan Too Page 8