Tuesday 2 February 2010

the cake.....

now a few excuses before we start...

ONE - i am a terrible, terrible cook who avoids the kitchen as much as possible, so when i do get dragged kicking and screaming to *that evil place* my measuring is a little hit and miss...

TWO - when forced to cook or bake it is all done on our ancient wood fueled Rayburn.. she is pale blue and wants to be beautiful... sadly i never find time to clean and polish her... due to her grubby state she refuses to play fair and maintain an even heat which in turn makes all timings a little hit and miss...

THREE - i have been told that i have odd eating habits so it is completely possible that this cake is truly hideous and only fit for my complicated palate...

saying all this - the recipe is taken from a real book... easy vegan cooking by leah leneman

here is what it says (minus my notes in brackets.. clearly)

4oz raw cane sugar ( i use whatever sugar is lurking - caster, granulated etc)
4 tsp cocoa or carob powder (both are good)
1/2 tsp sea salt ( i use maldon)
6oz wholewheat flour ( i use any plain flour that is lurking next to the sugar)
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 fl oz vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract ( please do not use yucky essence)
2 tsp white wine vinegar ( the egg substitute)
200 ml cold water

mix all dry ingredients in bowl, add wet ingredients, stir gently and DO NOT BEAT (hand not mixer folks)

pour in to two sandwich tins and bake at 350 F, 180 C, gas mark 4 for 30 minutes

now.......

i have made this cake rather a lot *ahem*, and find that the ingredients listed are on the mean side so i always DOUBLE the quantities shown above and use an 8 inch deeper than the usual sandwich tin...

i fill mine with a chocolate butter cream made using a vegan spread... i also in moments of extreme weakness add good quality cherry jam from the makers with the gorgeous jars and jolly lids :)

the topping is personal choice... go with a light dusting of cocoa and icing sugar, more vegan spread/butter cream or use the delight shown below... you will not be disappointed - it adds a dark and mysterious quality to the whole cake...

2oz vegan spread
1 oz cocoa or carob powder
4 tbs water or soya milk ( i always use water)
50z raw cane sugar (again i use the lurking sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract (extract folks... extract) this is optional - if you do not have any then worry not

combine everything except vanilla in a saucepan, bring to boil very slowly stirring all the time
boil for one minute or like me just before it starts to smell burnt!
remove from heat and beat until cold - if you stop beating it will set and not behave itself at all...
add extract if you like.... and pour on to cake... leave to set

and there we have it folks one truly lovely cake that can be as vegetarian / vegan as you like..
the really clever bit is the vinegar acting as the egg - genius

we are down to the last slice of ours and it is going to end in a battle of * paper scissors stone * to see who gets it....

best of three?

do shout if you have any questions as no doubt i have left out vital info

good luck and enjoy

i shall be back tomorrow with tales of an act of great kindness from a stranger and two hounds that will be busy celebrating a birthday - much fun and homemade presents as i am still snowed in....

t x

9 comments:

alison young said...

off to warm up the oven now....

P.K said...

Thank you, I will give a try.

Anonymous said...

I think we went to the same cookeryschool !

Judith x

The Vintage Kitten said...

Ive never tried a vegan cake before. Im with you on the temperamental range. My Aga loses heat at the most awkward times (usually while doing Xmas Dinner)!!!!

Elizabeth said...

Anyone who bakes a cake in a wood burning oven gets my vote, no matter how the cake turns out! And I'm sure it was yummy. I'll have to try this for my teenage son who has decided to be a vegetarian. Thanks for the recipe!

julie said...

sounds delicious, I will let you know. It sounds like you are having a bit of a time of it with the snow, difficult with animals to look after. Our duck george died on sunday so mildred is wandering around alone, not sure if she is secretly enjoying the freedom(he was a bit of a bossy boots)or wether she is really sad.
jules x

Julie said...

Cake sounds yummy. I think I'll have to try it - it will be my first vegan attempt. I have been know to start making a cake (to fuel that chocolate munchy feeling) and then have to give up because of a lack of eggs - sooo diappointing!

Hope the snow lets up and you can get out soon.

Foxtail Lilly said...

Lovin your style- I too HATE COOKING !!!
Txx

claire said...

Thank you for that..I have the same -haven't got that stick that in instead - approach to cooking!!
My youngest is allergic to eggs..but loves cake..so I shall try it later (as long as I have white wine vinegar lurking in the cupboard!!)
x