Vegan Chocolate-Coconut Cake

This cake got astoundingly positive responses considering that it was totally improvised from what I had on hand, just because I really wanted to make a cake. Though it's got layers and frosting and everything, the amount of ingredients you really need is small, as is the amount of equipment: a pan, a bowl, a whisk and a big spoon should suffice. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples... or really cheap. Well, maybe you don't have coconut rum, but in my humble opinion it would be a very wise investment to buy some as it improves just about everything... like I said, my opinion.

The chocolate layers are moist, chocolatey, soft to the point of being crumbly, but that tenderness is not a bad thing provided you're careful when you cut up the cake. I was a bit skeptical, but I'd definitely recommend the cake to be used wherever you want vegan chocolate cake layers.

The icing inside is made with creamed coconut (sold in small 114 g. boxes in the Caribbean sections of many a Loblaws, or nearby the coconut milk. You can also use the coconut cream sold in cans, or the top thick layer that forms on canned coconut milk. Along with coconut rum, it makes a really nice filling that balances out the not-too-sweet cake. Topped with a bit of chocolate and toasted shredded coconut, the cake becomes a bit more attractive and has some more variety in texture.

Vegan Chocolate Coconut Cake

For the Cake:
1 1/2 C. Cake/pastry flour
1 TBSP Ground flaxseed (optional, but helps the cake rise a bit more in my experience)
3/4 C. Light brown sugar (you can also use 1/2 C. white and 1/4 C. dark brown sugar)
1/4 C. Cocoa powder
2 Tsp. Instant coffee granules (Optional, but adds flavour that complements the chocolate- you can also use weak coffee instead of the water)
1 1/4 C. Water (I used only 1 cup by accident- turned out fine)
1 1/2 Tsp. Baking soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/3 C. + 1 TBSP Oil
1 TBSP Vinegar, white 
2 Tsp. Vanilla extract

Margarine or oil, to grease the pan

Preheat the oven to 180℃. Line a 8''x8''/9''x9'' square baking pan, or a 9''/10'' circular pan, with baking parchment, and grease with margarine or oil.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Separately, beat together the oil, flaxseed and sugar, adding the vanilla, vinegar and milk once the mixture is homogeneous and mix together until just combined.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in comes out clean. Leave the oven on for the moment- you will use it to toast the coconut garnish.

Remove from the pan once cool- let it cool completely, as the cake is very crumbly and fragile to begin with and is even more so when still warm. Chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour, then use a sharp serrated knife to cut through the centre to form 2 layers.

For the Coconut Filling:
1/4 C. Creamed coconut (the solid sort sold in boxes)- you can also use canned coconut cream or the thick top portion of a can of coconut milk, plus a little bit of coconut oil or margarine to adjust the smoothness of the icing as you see fit
1 C. Powder sugar
2-3 TBSP Coconut rum, or nondairy milk plus a little coconut flavouring

Beat together the coconut cream and sugar using an electric beater or a large wooden spoon, adding a bit of sugar at a time so it doesn't blow about everywhere. Add the coconut rum until a smooth, spreadable paste forms.

Spread the icing onto the bottom half of the cake and add the other half on top.

For the Glaze and Topping:
2 Oz. Semisweet or dark vegan chocolate
2 TBSP Creamed coconut, or coconut milk/cream
1/2 C. Unsweetened desiccated coconut

Spread the desiccated coconut on a pan and put into the oven- watch it carefully, as it burns easily! Have a cool plate or tray ready, and once the coconut turns golden brown (this can take anywhere from 1-5 minutes, so pay attention!) remove it and pour immediately onto the cool surface to stop the toasting.

In a microwaveable bowl, or another heatproof bowl set over a pot of boiling water, heat the coconut cream and chocolate until melted and mix well. Pour onto the cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut to finish. Refrigerate for at least half an hour before cutting.

Vegan Banana Nut Bread, Take 2

Ahh, nothing like the basics! Yes, I know that the world is overflowing with banana bread recipes as it is, but it's my firm belief that you can never try out too many, lest you miss out on "the one"- the banana bread that has just the right flavour, texture, moisture, sweetness and so on for your tastes. Everyone's is different, and since this recipe didn't require me to go get organic eggs, milk or butter from the natural foods shop (though that's the only way I'll buy them) I think it's definitely worth a shot. 

This is a good one to make with limited kitchen equipment on hand- I didn't even have a loaf pan, so I used a large square cake tin, which worked very well and reduced the baking time. In spite of its very basic nature, it was well-received by those who tried it before me - someone at the lab asked for the recipe- that's a good sign!

My verdict is that despite having less oil and sugar than most banana breads, this one is still delicious in it simplicity- no egg replacers, no milk replacers, you don't even need baking soda! It's very tender, soft and fluffy, and adding the sugar sprinkle on top makes it have a nice caramelized crust. Just don't let the bottom burn by putting it too low in the oven and close to the heat element- I made that mistake. Oops. Well, it still tasted good! You can also add chocolate chips or pecan pieces, or use some different spices to make variations. Consider this recipe the next time you're stuck with too many bananas!

Vegan Banana Nut Bread II
Adapted from BBC Good Food

225 g. Cake flour (All purpose is fine; I only had cake or bread flour available as options)
100 g. Brown sugar
75 g. Neutral oil (I used canola)
3 Tsp. Baking powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Nutmeg, optional
2 Tsp. Vanilla
3 Large or 4 medium sized bananas, as ripe as possible
50-75 g. Walnut pieces

Some raw cane sugar or granulated sugar to sprinkle on top- optional

Preheat oven to 200℃. Grease a large loaf pan or square pan with a bit of oil and cover the bottom with greased baking parchment. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar and cinnamon

Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients (excluding the walnuts). Separately, mash the bananas finely and add the oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well, until homogeneous.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until just combined, then stir in the walnuts.

Pour into the greased pan and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon and sugar, if you like. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes to an hour, or until a fork poked in comes out clean- cover with aluminium foil if it is browning too quickly.

Let cool before slicing.

Lemon Loaf, with Lavender or Otherwise (dairy-free)

Shhh, ignore the bad photography and aluminium pan... 

I've procrastinated on posting this recipe for a while because, let's face it, this isn't a very pretty loaf in pictures. I'd say it looks better in person, and also once I get a chance to explain why it's got all those green flecks in it- I use homemade lavender sugar, which contains more leaf than flower (both have the characteristic taste and aroma, and my mum puts the whole sprigs into the sugar).

I was actually worried when I made this that people would be too weirded out to try it, but fortunately nobody was- and it turned out to be extremely popular! I mostly came up with this recipe because I had a few odds and ends of baking supplies left before moving, and I wanted something to use them all up. Since I had lemons, coconut milk, pastry flour and my mother's homemade lavender sugar, I went for this loaf.

I think what really sold me on this recipe being a success is that I got requests for the recipe- always the best compliment to me! And really, it did turn out very good. It's moist, lemony, fluffy, aromatic, and lightly crusted in a glaze that is easy to make but was the subject of many compliments. The lack of special ingredients or equipment makes this a good anywhere-anytime recipe for the arsenal.

Lemon (Lavender) Loaf
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 C. Cake flour
1 1/2 Tsp. Baking powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 C. Sugar
2-3 Tsp. Dried lavender flowers or finely chopped leaves, or another complimentary flavour of your choice (1/2 C. dried cranberries, shredded coconut, 1 C. fresh blueberries...)
1/3 C. Neutral cooking oil, such as canola
1/2 C. Full-fat coconut milk
2 Eggs
3 TBSP lemon juice
Zest of one lemon, or 1-2 Tsp. Lemon extract
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

For the Glaze:
1/3 C. Powder sugar
1-2 TBSP Hot water
1 Tsp. Lemon extract, or zest

Preheat oven to 180 and grease a 8" x 4" loaf pan. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Separately, beat together the sugar and oil, then add the eggs, coconut milk, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined, adding any additional flavourings of your choice at this point. Pour into the pan and bake for 1- 1 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted deeply comes out clean. Remove from the pan after 10-15 minutes.

For the glaze, whisk the hot water into the sugar one spoonful at a time, along with the lemon extract/zest. Adjust until the thickness is about that of heavy cream. Pour half onto the cake after it has cooled for only 10 minutes, then the rest about 15 minutes after that to ensure you get a nice "shell" of glaze.

Man'oushe- Lebanese Flatbread with Za'atar

There's this great grocery store that sells stuff from pretty much every place in the near East- including a fantastic variety of fresh breads, such as man'oushe (as it is known in Lebanon, though it is known by other names elsewhere). There's plenty of topping options, but my favourite is the za'atar and olive oil breads (and the miniature ones with cheese and olives... but that's another experiment waiting to happen). I bought a big bag of za'atar in hopes of making my own version, but previous attempts had all been slightly disastrous (read: tooth-chippingly dry and hard). At last, I decided to try again with a new formula that contained such surprising bread ingredients as cake flour and a whole tablespoon of sugar, and finally found success.

 I made some with za'atar and olive oil, and some with a vegetable spread that I thought might go well. I also took care not to overbake them, pulling them out of the oven as soon as they were golden to prevent another bread-frisbee. They came out fantastic, maybe not as good as the professionals make them, but the freshness of home-baked bread is unrivalled. And if they were so good on my first try- I'll be practicing this recipe a lot more often. They're soft and tender and can be topped with vegetables and cheese to make a sort of pizza, as I ate mine. Maybe I'll make some with cheese and olives next time...

Man'oushe with Za'atar
From Rose Water & Orange Blossoms

2 1/2 C. AP flour
1 C. Cake flour
2 Tsp. Salt
1 1/4 C. Water, lukewarm
1 Tsp. Dry yeast, or 15 g. Fresh yeast
1 TBSP Sugar
1 TBSP Oil
1/2 C. Za'atar
1/2 C. Olive oil

Mix the za'atar and olive oil and set aside.

Mix flours and salt. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 C. of the water and leave for 15 minutes.

Add the yeast mixture and oil to the flour mixture and add the water slowly until a dough forms- you can do this in a food processor, a mixer or by hand. Knead, pulse or mix on medium high until a smooth, elastic dough forms.

Let rise in a covered, lightly oiled bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Divide dough into four pieces and form balls. Let rest on a lightly floured surface, covered, for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 220℃, with a heavy baking tray or baking stone inside. 

Roll out the balls of dough into circles with a floured rolling pin. Rotate as you go to keep it evenly round, until the circle is about 1 cm thick.

Spread about 1 TBSP of the za'atar-oil mixture onto the round with the back of the spoon. Repeat with the other three Use a peel or other thin, sturdy tray to transfer the breads onto the hot baking tray or stone in the oven, and bake for 7-10 minutes.

Buttermilk Streusel Cake with Fruit

This is one of my recurring favourites, especially when I have a little buttermilk kicking about in the fridge. It's one of those infinitely variable cakes that you can adjust to suit whatever fruit you have on hand. Rhubarb, as the original recipe used, is great, but so are berries, stone fruit and mandarins. You can omit the streusel and use some sliced nuts or a sprinkling of sugar to further simplify the already extremely easy recipe, and change the flavours up a little- I used lemon zest to make it taste bright and fresh, but nutmeg goes very well with peaches, too. You can add a little almond extract for stone fruit, some orange zest with blueberries, cinnamon with apples, and so on. If you don't have any fruit, you can also just make a straight-up streusel cake, substituting a quarter of the flour used with cocoa powder to make a chocolate version. You can even marble the chocolate and vanilla parts- this is a very versatile recipe.

While it's delicious on its own, accompaniments are welcome. Vanilla sauce, whipped cream or sour cream all give a textural counterpart to the spongy cake and crunchy streusel. Which one you use depends of whether the fruit you chose is more sweet or sour- use the former two with more sour fruit, and the latter with sweeter ones.

I used a couple of peaches, some blueberries and raspberries, a nectarine and my leftover 18% sour cream. As always, this cake tastes extremely bright and summery, soft and tender with the right amount of crispy streusel, the fruits adding colour and flavour. Just make sure the fruits are in relatively light pieces so they don't sink into the cake. If you don't have cake flour, substituting 30 grams of the flour called for with cornstarch will let you use all purpose flour. This will make the cake lighter and more tender. Once good trick is to use vanilla pudding powder instead of cornstarch for this in order to add some extra vanilla and colour. 

Don't forget to make some coffee or tea to go with it!


Buttermilk Streusel Cake with Fruit
Adapted from Chefkoch

280 g. Sugar
3 Eggs, room temperature
2 Packets vanilla sugar
Zest of one lemon
Pinch of salt
375 ml. Buttermilk
375 g. Cake flour
2 1/4 Tsp. Baking powder

To Top:
400-500 g. Fruit, in thin slices if large
60 g. Butter, softened but cool
60 g. Sugar
1 Packet vanilla sugar, or 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
90 g. Cake flour

Grease and line a 8"x8" or 9"x13" baking pan. Preheat the oven to 200℃.

Beat the eggs, zest, salt and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow. Whisk in the buttermilk and sift in the flour and baking powder.

Pour into the prepared baking pan and top with fruit. Mix the butter, flour and sugar with hands and sprinkle the pieces on top of the fruit.

Bake for 20 minutes at 190℃, and 15 minutes at 180℃. Serve with vanilla sauce, whipped cream or sour cream.