Let Them Eat Cake!

And we did.

Yesterday, my class was a health-supportive version of Ace of Cakes or Cake Boss. We put our knowledge of leaveners and mixing methods to work and baked a wide variety of amazing cakes. Some were vegan, some were not. Some were easy, some were hard. Some were simply awful (sorry Steamed Fruit Cake), but the class was fun. Here are the recipes for a couple of my favorite items:

Tender Cocoa Cream Cake: Yields 1 9-inch Cake
Dry:
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup maple crystals
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet:
1 tsp salt
1 cup almond milk
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Oil and flour a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Sift together dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Mix into dry ingredients until smooth and fully incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 40-50 minutes until cake is springy to the touch and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
6. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Note: This cake is truly "tender." Be gentle when removing it from the pan, cutting and frosting it!

Pineapple Cake: Yields 1 9-inch Cake
Recipe courtesy of Jenny Matthau
2 cups + 2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 and 1/4 cups pineapple juice
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Oil and flour 1 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, maple syrup, juice, vanilla and salt. Mix into dry ingredients, whisking just until smooth.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm in the center.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Yields Enough for one 10-inch Cake
5 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 and 1/2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups maple crystals
3 Tbsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

In a medium bowl at medium-low speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. Chill to allow to set up.

Chocolate Fudge Icing: Yields about 3 and 1/2 cups
Recipe courtesy of Jenny Matthau
2 and 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 and 1/2 cups smooth nut butter
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups cocoa, sifted

In a food processor, combine maple syrup, nut butter and vanilla. Sift in cocoa and mix until combined.


These were a few of my faves. Even after baking cakes for so long yesterday, I actually tested a cake recipe for that recipe contest tonight. I'll be tasting it tomorrow night, so I'll have to get back to you on whether or not it was a success. Also making a dinner tomorrow night in honor of our first Friday Night Dinner Recipe Test on Wednesday. Recipes and photos to come!