vegan alternatives

Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake

Published on September 21, 2016May 27, 2018 by AliciaLeave a comment

One of the items on my summer bucket list was to make a vegan cake, and I surprisingly did it. I’ve had this recipe on a word doc for a while so I don’t have the website where it originated. I also may have adjusted a family recipe to make it vegan, I really can’t remember. Anyway, the cake was delicious, and even my sister, who isn’t vegan, really enjoyed it. Note I didn’t make the frosting (we used store bought) but I have made the frosting for cupcakes I once made and the frosting is delicious as well.

As a kid, I always loved chocolate cake, and I’ve always been a sucker at parties for cake. However, since going vegan, cake has been something I haven’t been able to enjoy. For my birthday I didn’t get a cake (because my family doesn’t really know anything about vegan baking) and just ended up eating grapes after my grandma put candles in a few of them.

With this recipe, I was quite surprised it turned out as good as it did. With a few of my other vegan baking experiences, I’ve ended up with underdone banana bread, dry chocolate chip cookies, and the most disgusting oily frosting I’ve ever eaten (not this recipe’s). So naturally, I was a little bit nervous about making this recipe. Not only did I have to please myself, but my sister was also going to enjoy this cake as well, and I don’t think I would live it down if this recipe turned out less than perfect. However, it did, and after she added some flower sprinkles, the cake was to her liking.

How I made this delicious vegan cake:

After preheating my oven to 350F, I gathered all of my ingredients (listed at the end of this post)

Next, in a large bowl (as large as you have) put all of the dry ingredients in that bowl ,and whisk together.

Now, in a medium sized bowl, add all of the wet ingredients and whisk those together as well.

Using a mixer, gradually mix the wet ingredients with the dry, making sure not to over mix.

Next, grease two 8″ round pans and divide the batter into the two pans.

Note: When baking my cakes, there was some cake hat stuck to the pan, not too much and the cakes were not difficult to remove, however, to make the residue as minimal as possible and removing the cakes simple, you can place parchment in the pans before pouring the batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (40 minutes) Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Once the cakes are cooled, run a knife around the edge of both cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove each cake.

Once the first cake is set on the plate, cover the entire top of that cake with frosting. Then place the second cake on top of that. Frost the entire top of that cake and around the sides of the entire cake. Decorate if ~~needed~~ desired. Serve.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

2½ Cups Flour
2½ Cups Sugar
1 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt

Wet Ingredients:

2⅔ Cups Non-Dairy Milk of Choice (I used almond)
⅔ Cups Vegetable Oil (Canola can be used as well)
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F (180C).
Prepare two 8″ round baking pans by lightly greasing them.
In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then put aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
Divide the batter into the prepared pans, then bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
To Assemble the Cake: Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove the cakes.
Set the first cake on your cake plate, and frost the top. Place the second cake on top of the frosted cake, and spread the remaining frosting on top of that cake.

I hope all of my vegans (and non-vegans) try this recipe and let me know how it goes. Also, if anyone has any other fool proof vegan recipes I should try, let me know.

Alicia

CUPCAKES

Published on July 2, 2016May 27, 2018 by AliciaLeave a comment

Alright, friends. Living in California and being vegan is one thing. There are vegan shops, cafes, restaurants, and Whole Foods on every other block. In Chicago, on the other hand, vegan food is a bit more hard to come by. Yes, I can get my fresh fruit, veg, and yes my ever so needed protein at Target, Trader Joe’s, and our sole Whole Foods. However, when it comes to sweets, and meals at restaurants that are vegan that’s another story.

For my birthday, I mentioned I was going to make a vegan cake. Yet, on the day of my birthday our gas went out and I was unable to use my stove. Wanting some sort of cake or cupcake because what kind of birthday is it without cake? My mom and I ventured to Whole Foods to see if we could find some vegan cake. They only had gluten-free cakes 😦 BUT they had vegan cupcakes. Naturally, I bought 3 to have one then and then save some for later. It was not only one of the best vegan desserts I have ever eaten but any dessert I have ever eaten. Also, it turns out that the cupcakes are made right here in Chicago.

This morning, my mom and I made the drive there, got there right as they opened and got 6 cupcakes. 3 vegan and gluten-free and 3 regulars (I’m the only vegan in the house).

The outside of Swirlz. Very quaint but super adorable

Swirlz (the name of the cupcake place) has flavors of the day. They mainly are nonvegan and filled with gluten but they also make gluten-free ones, and vegan and gluten-free ones. Today’s selection in the vegan and gluten-free department were cookie dough and vanilla. I’m typically not too keen on cookie dough or vanilla. I’m more of a chocolate kind of gal. However, upon returning home, and opening the super cute box the cupcakes were housed in, I have fallen in love with cookie dough cupcakes and the Swirlz cupcake shop in general. The cupcake was sort of like a chocolate chip cupcake with a dollop of cookie dough in it and then topped with vanilla frosting and a cookie dough piece.

The shop was super adorable and I am definitely feeling a second trip on a different day for another cupcake type. 😉

PS, I highly recommend this shop to any of my followers who are ever in my neck of the woods. Vegan or not, their cupcakes are to die for.

They are located at: 705 w. Belden, Chicago, IL 60614

Their website can be found here

If any of you have been there or are planning on making a trip, let me know.

Alicia

Starbucks stop after the cupcake stop

Ty mom for this photo. Ty vinted for my cute kimono

🙂

She looks a little upset because she knew she wasn’t getting any

Published on January 8, 2016May 27, 2018 by AliciaLeave a comment

Hi guys. I know quite a few people who are very hesitant about going vegan because they loveeeee sweets. It was definitely a big thing for me. However, there are so many alternatives for milk, eggs, and butter and just completely different recipes, So I’ll share a few

Milk alternatives

Coconut milk
Rice Milk
Almond Milk**
Soy Milk**
Flax milk
Oat Milk
Macadamia Nut Milk
Cashew Milk
Hemp Milk
Hazelnut Milk

**Most commonly used/found alternatives (Silk is my favorite brand)

Egg Alternatives

Ener-G Egg Replacer(Never used but friends I know love it)
Flax seed (Grind up- does gives a nutty flavor so best in baked goods)
Banana
Tofu

Butter Alternatives

Coconut Oil (I love it. I use it for so much more than butter replacement.. it is basically a gift from the gods)
Avocado- mashed
Flax Seed Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

So, these are some top milk,egg, and butter substitutes. What do I do with all of these???? Make some yummy vegan recipes of course…

Vegan Gluten Free Brownies

Vegan Gluten Free Brownies and Mix

Vegan Almond Butter Blondies

Gluten Free Vegan Brownies

Vegan Salted Caramels

Vegan Cookie Dough (for 1; when it’s one of those days)

If you guys have other vegan/ gluten free recipes you love, let me know.

Talk to you all soon

Alicia