So, as you have seen in some of my previous posts, I have not been able to get to a level of cake that actually tastes in texture like proper cake and that doesn't dry out within 10 minutes of being out of the oven. That was until now!
I have been scouring Pinterest and building up ingredients in my cupboards. So when the right recipe came along, I'd be ready. Well it did and I have been experimenting. Now because these recipes aren't my own and I didn't adapt some of them, I will not write them up as such. Instead, I will share with you the ones to go for, how they have worked for me and what I would recommend changing in them.
Enjoy my adventure of the last few months, which is making cake that's edible!
Cake No 1 - Vanilla Cupcakes
This recipe is one from a website called The Loopy Whisk. I was perusing Pinterest, as you do. Pinning things all the time "for me to make soon". Some of these pins have been there for more than 2 years bear in mind. I found this pin, "Vegan & Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes" with a very enticing picture. I thought to myself, maybe I should actually try making something again. (The Cinnamon Cake didn't work so well, it put me off)
This was the pin to bring me back to baking. The ingredients are very basic (if you're Vegan or Gluten Free), everyone has GF Flour, Caster Sugar, Baking Powder, Plant Based Milk, Vegetable Oil and Vanilla Extract. The only things that you might not have (but really should on this diet) are Xantham Gum and Bicarbonate of Soda (or Baking Soda in American). It's a really simple recipe, all you do is mix the dry ingredients and mix the wet separately, combine and whisk together. Then Bob's your Uncle, you have a cake mixture.
The first time I made this recipe, I only had Vanilla Extract. The basic cheap stuff that you get in the little bottle. I wasn't to know that was inadequate and actually, you need so much of it to taste any Vanilla you might as well get the proper stuff. So the first time, the cake didn't carry much flavour, although the texture was on point.
Next time, I had invested in some Vanilla Bean Paste, not much more expensive and it will last you longer because you use less of it anyway! I can tell you it took the flavour up a notch and made it that next level.
Now bear in mind with this recipe that there is a fair amount of Vegetable Oil going into it. I know that isn't for everyone, yet what it does to the cake is keep it fluffy and moist. This cake is also the first Vegan one I've seen that actually rises! So following the recipe is key, trust the process. Yes they might be a bit oily on the cupcake case, however once you take a bite you won't care! I promise.
The only thing with this recipe is the icing. I do not do Coconut unless it is Coconut Oil and then it is sparingly. I hate the flavour, to me it is the worst thing ever. So I had to improvise here, using my small amount of knowledge on buttercream and trying to make one without a recipe. I mean, it didn't go terribly. In hindsight, I know now I used way too much butter and that's why it looked split. Instead (as requested by my boyfriend for his birthday) I now follow the recipe for Icing from the cake I'm going to talk about next. It's so much better and it doesn't necessarily have to be chocolate. Though it does taste insanely decadent in that flavour.
Overall, great recipe. Those wanting to bake, and to try a simple recipe first, this would be the one to go to. If you want to try it, because I'm so nice to The Loopy Whisk I'll even leave the link... http://theloopywhisk.com/2018/02/20/gluten-free-vegan-vanilla-cupcakes/
Cake No 2 - Chocolate Cake
So this recipe is from Veggie Desserts. It claims on Pinterest to be the best Vegan Chocolate Cake ever, so naturally I had to try that out. I mean there are quite a few recipes claiming this feat, though this one had the simplest ingredients. The simpler the better in my opinion.
In this one, I did have to alter it to be Gluten Free, though I really don't find that hard as the Gluten Free flour seems to adapt pretty well these days. (Just don't ask the cookies I made last week, such an epic fail.) I used plain, not self raising by the way, it saves having to buy extra flour unnecessarily.
Anyway, the only maybe slightly odd thing in this recipe is the Lemon Juice, thankfully Chris had been buying loads of Lemons to put in water. Apparently it helps metabolism or something, so I was in luck there. Otherwise I would be an ingredient down and actually it is quite an important one.
The clever thing with this recipe is the use of the lemon juice to froth up and almost turn the Almond Milk bad. I guess it has a chemical reaction like normal milk with acid, just a little less and this causes it to then combine with the baking agents making it rise a bit more. In order for it work properly, you combine the lemon and milk 10 minutes before using it, in order to get it to the best consistency.
The recipe calls for Maple Syrup, though I used Agave Nectar in my cake as I just prefer the taste. It also calls for coffee, although I cannot stand the stuff, I followed the recipe. It is after all, a tiny amount. Plus, I know coffee gives the Chocolate flavour a bigger kick.
You have to melt the Coffee, Vegan Butter and Agave in a saucepan, I guess to get the Coffee to combine in a better way. Then add it to the dry ingredients followed by the milky lemon mixture. Again, super easy with the ingredients needed. (I have written a must have list below for GFV baking.)
I only have one cake tin, so I had to bake my cake in two lots. Oh and when you do it, make sure you get the cake out properly and lay it on the cooling rack on it's flat side. I may have put mine on it's risen side, meaning it cracked right down the middle. I did manage to build the cake in pieces and you couldn't tell. However, avoiding this disaster completely would be a good shout! I even managed to add two little Vegan Chocolate Penguins to the top for added effect!
The best part about this recipe, is the icing. It's so delicious, with a perfect consistency and gorgeously intense flavour. Chris even said to me, "Oh wow, you've finally got the icing right". I gave him a bit of a glare, though he was right, I did fail at icing quite a bit recently.
I can tell you for sure this cake is good, as when presented to my friends (not Vegan or anything). They said, repeated, and I quote here... "This cannot be Becki Friendly, I don't believe you. You shouldn't be eating this, you'll get ill. It's too good to be Becki Friendly".
There you have it, a cake worthy of everyone, especially those who are dying for decent cake due to allergies.
Get cracking now, again I'm going to plug Veggie Desserts, the recipe can be found here... https://veggiedesserts.co.uk/best-vegan-chocolate-cake/
I can tell you for sure now, making Gluten Free Vegan cake isn't rocket science. It is a piece of cake. (I groaned at myself for that one.) So those of you, like me, who are dying for a piece of proper cake. I'll leave you with a little list of must haves to get started so you can get the necessities in. After that, get baking!
- Plain Gluten Free Flour (I like Doves Farm)
- Bicarbonate of Soda, also called Baking Soda for my American friends (Again Doves Farm is good)
- Xantham Gum (Doves Farm, really showing the love)
- Baking Powder (Dr Oetkar is Gluten Free)
- Icing Sugar
- Caster Sugar (I like the Barrington's one)
- Almond Milk (or other plant based if you're allergic to nuts go for Soy or Oat)
- Vegetable Oil (I really hope, you'd have that anyway)
- Vegan Butter (I like Vitalite)
- Cocoa Powder (in case of Chocolate Cake emergency)
- Agave Syrup (in case of less Sugar cake emergency)
- Vanilla Bean Paste (for intense flavour, again Dr Oetker)
That should be it. Of course, some recipes will ask for more, though if you have these basics in your cupboard then you'll be much closer to making cake on the spur of the moment! Trust me, you'll need to stop yourself from baking. It becomes somewhat of an addiction!