I am going to try my hand at baking a vegan cake tomorrow for my birthday. Does anyone have any experience doing so, any tips or recommendations? I have not made the foray into vegan baking of any kind yet, so this is a total experiment. I am just generally wondering what to expect!
I have pulled a couple of recipes from Veganomicon and will probably try one of those, but if someone else has a tried-and-true recipe I'd love to see it.
I have had some very good vegan cakes at weddings I've shot, but unfortunately I don't have any recipes! Sorry. I just wanted to give some encouragement that there are some yummy ones out there.
(Although, every time I think of vegan cake, I think of the bit in Two Week's Notice where Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock are standing on the roof of her building eating cake that her mom has made. Hugh Grant takes a bite of his cake and then looks at her and says "Something's amuck with this sponge cake!" and she laughs and says "tofu!!")
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Last edited by PhotoChick; 08-29-2008 at 10:12 AM.
I am pretty sure I can avoid putting tofu in my cake!
Thanks for the encouragement, both of you - I think it is mostly encouragement/reassurance that I need, since this will be a wholly new experience. As long as I know that yummy vegan cakes are in the realm of possibility, I will feel better about my endeavors tomorrow!
Actually, I use blended silken tofu as the egg sub in the chocolate cake I make and it's delicious! It's been my go to birthday cake recipe for a few years now and in my opinion is better than the vegan cake the pastry chef made for our wedding, but it was her first vegan cake so I was just happy to have vegan cake at all. 1/4 c blended tofu = 1 egg. Do be sure it's the silken variety in the aseptic box, not the other kind you buy packed in a tub with water.
The recipe is on veganmania.com, I usually make the PB icing to go with it. You can also make the same recipe into cupcakes, just bake them for about 20 - 25 min or until it passes the toothpick test. I like to use 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 AP because it makes it a little healthier and I actually prefer the texture that way, but you can use all AP too.
Last edited by shananigans; 08-29-2008 at 12:57 PM.
Okay, just had to report back - why in the world does cake usually require eggs, butter, and milk?? The cake I made was DELICIOUS! (This was my first vegan cake, hence my earlier trepidation.) I am having some for breakfast as I type
If anyone needs a fool-the-most-diehard-omnivore cake recipe, I can at least vouch for this one, the Lemon Coconut Bundt Cake recipe in Veganomicon. Not exactly diet friendly (what, with a cup and a half of sugar and a can of coconut milk) but sometimes I think it just shouldn't matter.
I love vegan baked goods! I'm not vegan, but it's easier to have everything on hand for vegan baking. Does anyone else substitute 1 heaping Tablespoon of soy flour + 1 Tablespoon of water for an egg? It's works really well and as a bonus, it's cheap.
suitejudy~ Happy Birthday! Your cake sounds like it was scrumptious!
Okay, just had to report back - why in the world does cake usually require eggs, butter, and milk?? The cake I made was DELICIOUS! (This was my first vegan cake, hence my earlier trepidation.) I am having some for breakfast as I type
If anyone needs a fool-the-most-diehard-omnivore cake recipe, I can at least vouch for this one, the Lemon Coconut Bundt Cake recipe in Veganomicon. Not exactly diet friendly (what, with a cup and a half of sugar and a can of coconut milk) but sometimes I think it just shouldn't matter.
I've made several vegan cakes over the years, but it's been so long ago. You may want to check out a cookbook called "My Sweet Vegan" if you're looking for tasty vegan baked treats.
Any experience with vegan cake?
I am pretty sure I can avoid putting tofu in my cake! 
So far festivities have included going to my WW meeting and the unfinished Amish furniture store for some bookcases! 
