A Birthday Cake Fit for a Princess!

(Cross-posted from Sexy Vegan Mama)

We're halfway through Vegan MoFo, and still going strong! Have you found something deliciously new this month?

Before I forget, please, please, pretty please go to this link and VOTE for my blog in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Moms blog contest! No registration required -- just a click! Remember, you can vote once EVERY 24 hours. The contest is winding down, and as a late nomination, I could use some help getting into the Top 25. Thank you!

Princess came home for her birthday weekend. I couldn't be more proud of that young lady... She's anxiously waiting to hear back on her applications to vet school, working, finishing her senior year at university with a major in Wildlife Ecology. It's a marvel to me that I had a hand in producing this amazing human being!

Anyway, for her 22nd birthday, I asked her what kind of cake she wanted. "Chocolate!" she said, which wasn't a big surprise. That girl loves her chocolate. Who doesn't?! "And," she added, "could you make that peanut butter cream frosting you did that one time?"

Ah, yes... That one time. See, it was The Dude's birthday, and our family was spending the weekend at Birch Bay. Our hotel room had a kitchen, so I'd packed everything I'd need to make a fabulous cake and frosting -- with the exception of the vegan margarine, which I didn't want to hassle with chilling during the several-hours-long drive. I figured I'd just pick some up at the local grocery when we arrived.

Except... none of the local groceries HAD vegan margarine. How was I going to make a creamy vegan frosting, with no margarine? I scanned our grocery booty, and spotted the creamy peanut butter. Hey, I thought, margarine is basically just fat, and peanut butter is full of fat. I wonder... It didn't have the exact consistency I wanted, but it worked well enough to cover the cake.

This time, I solved the consistency problem by adding a bit of margarine to make it even creamier and "buttery."

I was all prepared to mix up two layers of chocolate cake when inspiration struck. What if... What if I put peanut butter IN the cake?!

The result was a zebra-striped peanut butter and chocolate cake, and it was divine. The technique to produce zebra stripes in the cake is easy-peasy, and you can find many, many tutorials online, if my photos and description leave anything to be desired.

Happy baking!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Zebra Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

Peanut Butter Cake Ingredients:


1 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 c. cane juice crystals or natural sugar (I use Zulka)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1 c. cold water
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 T. vanilla
2 T. lemon juice


Chocolate Cake Ingredients:

1 2/3 c. unbleached flour
1 c. cane juice crystals or natural sugar (I use Zulka)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1 c. cold strong coffee or espresso or water
1/3 c. canola or olive oil
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. vanilla extract


Peanut Butter Cream Frosting


1/2 c. vegan stick margarine
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
1 lb. vegan powdered sugar
1/8 - 1/4 c. vanilla soy milk


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl or with your stand mixer, combine the following Peanut Butter Cake ingredients: flour, cane juice crystals, baking soda, and salt, stirring until well-combined.

Blend in cold water, peanut butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until light, airy and creamy.

Set aside batter and begin Chocolate Cake:

In a large mixing bowl or with your stand mixer, combine the following Chocolate Cake Ingredients: flour, cane juice crystals, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until well-combined.

Blend in coffee or water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat until light, airy and creamy.

Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Tip #1: Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray and use a paper towel to evenly disperse the spray over the pans' surfaces, then dust with flour.

Tip #2: Cut two waxed paper circles just smaller than the bottom of the pans, then insert into bottom of pans before pouring batter. Make sure to smooth out any air bubbles before filling. The waxed paper will ensure easy removal when the cakes are turned out.

Pour 1/4 cup Peanut Butter Cake batter into the center of the first pan, and 1/4 cup Chocolate Cake batter into the center of the second pan.

Pour 1/4 cup Chocolate Cake batter directly on top of Peanut Butter Cake batter in first pan, and 1/4 cup Peanut Butter Cake batter on top of Chocolate Cake batter in second pan.

Continue adding 1/4 cup of alternating batter into each pan until all batter is dispersed, and the batter has "smooshed" out to fill the edges of the pan.

On a flat surface, spin each cake pan to push the batter even farther out to the edges. The center of the cake tends to rise more than the edges, so this will help produce a more even cake top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cakes pull away from edges of pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

While cakes are cooling, make your frosting:

With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together margarine and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.

Add powdered sugar, turning mixer down to low speed, and blend in. The mixture will be a bit dry and crumbly -- don't freak.

Add 1/8 cup soy milk and blend in. If you want your frosting softer and lighter, blend in soy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.

Return to cooled cakes. Remove wax paper (if used) from bottoms of cakes and flip one onto a serving plate or covered cake circle. Using a serrated knife, carefully level the cake.

Fill a decorator's bag with frosting and pipe a thick border around the top of the leveled cake. I use a Wilton #21 star tip for this.

Spoon out a generous amount of frosting into center of cake and spread a thick layer to the piped border. This will be your cake "filling."

Flip the second cake and place directly on top of first cake. Using your serrated knife, level off the second cake.

Cover the entire cake with a crumb coat and chill for 30-45 minutes.



To cover the cake, I used my Wilton #21 star tip and a decorator's bag to pipe random scrolls onto the top and sides of the cake.

Note: I actually ended up using one-and-a-half batches of Peanut Butter Cream frosting.

Princess picked out her own candles. I must say, I agree with her selection, as she's certainly a STAR!

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Cheesecake is a Privilege, Not a Right

Do any of you parents have wrestlers?

While I'm pretty sure I'll pack on an extra fifty pounds before this cookbook is done, I feel super-sorry for The Dude. He's borderline for his weight bracket and Mr. Wright (former state wrestler) has been training The Dude hard and serving as the food police.

So sad... The Dude didn't get any of this cheesecake.

I'll have to recreate everything after wrestling season is over. Oh, darn.

Sexy Vegan Mama: Kahlua Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate crinkle cookies are a childhood favorite of mine, and I hadn't had them in years so I set out to create a vegan recipe I could make and share with my friends. And, you know, a little booze couldn't hurt in dealing with those childhood memories, right? The result? Kahlua Crinkle Cookies! They have just a touch of coffee flavor, and they're delicious!





Kahlua Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar (I use Zulka, found in many supermarkets in the baking or Hispanic foods aisle)
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canola or olive oil
2 T. Ener-G egg replacer, prepared with 6 T. warm water
2 t. Kahlua

2 c. unbleached flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

4 T. water

1 c. confectioner’s sugar, set aside

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugars and oil, mashing out any lumps and ensuring oil is evenly distributed.

Prepare egg substitute with Ener-G and water. Set aside.

Put cocoa mixture in microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for another minute and stir thoroughly. Add egg substitute and Kahlua, then whip with a wire whisk or beater.

In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well.

Add cocoa mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well mixed. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, and blend in to moisten dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap or put in a large zipper bag, then chill in refrigerator for four hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a rounded teaspoon to scoop dough, then roll into balls, about 1 1/4" in diameter. Coat balls completely in confectioner’s sugar , then place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, flattening gently with the heel of your hand.

Great job for little ones
(who may not have had as much Kahlua during the waiting/chilling period as Mom)!

Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool for five minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Makes about 65 dainty cookies.

Sexy Vegan Mama: Frangelico Shortbread Cookies

Last Christmas, I gave you my hearts...

As the mother of seven kids, I tend to adopt the philosophy that just about anything can be helped or made better by a shot or two of booze. That's why I created this veganized, booze-ified shortbread alternative.

I've been terrified of shortbread ever since that unfortunate communion experience, but I'd gladly accept these as stand-in sacraments!

Sexy Vegan Mama's Frangelico Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

3 sticks vegan margarine (I use Nucoa)
1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar (I use Zulka, found in many markets in the baking or Hispanic foods section)
1 t. Frangelico
3 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 c. slivered almonds, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add Frangelico and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and almonds, then add to margarine mixture, stirring and stirring until all the flour is blended in. If the dough is too dry, you can add a teaspoon or two of water.

Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a thick circle, and cover with plastic wrap or put into a large plastic zipper bag. Put in refrigerator for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to 1/2” thickness. Cut into shapes and bake on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 10 to 13 minutes.

Watch the cookies carefully and remove them from the oven when they first start to slightly brown around the edges. Timing is everything with these! If they stay in too long, the liqueur will scorch and then you will cry.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about five minutes (they’ll bake a little bit more on the sheet) before transferring to a cooling rack.

These cookies are crisp and crunchy and hold their shape well. I also think they'd be delightful with Gran Marnier or amaretto instead of Frangelico!

Sexy Vegan Mama: Amaretto Sugar Cookies

For all Mr. Wright's crazy mad skills, one thing he is not is a baker. Perhaps that's why, when he used the last of my vanilla extract making pancakes Sunday morning, he didn't put "Run to store immediately to buy more vanilla before Mama tries to bake something and turns into a vegan Betty Crocker in a homicidal rage" at the top of his list of priorities.

No matter... I'm used to improvising. Remember, I have seven kids. The art of making life work, even without the necessary ingredients, is a study I've (nearly) mastered. Cookies are slightly more important than life, but I decided to try the same technique.

That's how I ended up with Amaretto Sugar Cookies. (It should come as no surprise that - although her pantry may not be well-stocked - the Gonzo Mama's liquor cabinet is meticulously attended to and replenished.) Here's the jolly recipe:

Sexy Vegan Mama's Amaretto Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 c. vegan stick margarine, chilled/firm (I use Nucoa)
1 c. evaporated cane juice crystals (I use Zulka, found in the Hispanic foods section at many stores or in the baking aisle) or vegan sugar

1 T. Ener-G Egg Replacer, prepared with 4 T. warm water and mixed well (or another equivalent of 2 eggs)
1 t. amaretto

2 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. sea salt

Topping:

1/3 - 1/2 c. evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon

(Optional: You may omit the cinnamon and use candy sprinkles, or make your own colored vegan sugar sprinkles, if you're really ambitious. Mix organic coarse sugar with food coloring. Spread out on waxed paper and dry well. Wear gloves.)

First off, your arm will get very tired creaming and stirring and stirring, so I recommend taking a couple swigs of the amaretto right off the bat, before you begin mixing. However, it's a good idea to get all your ingredients out on the counter, so your amaretto-impaired self won't forget to put something in.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and cane juice crystals or sugar. Make sure there are no lumps of margarine hiding in there!

Add prepared egg replacer "eggs" and amaretto and mix thoroughly.

Add in flour, baking powder and salt, stirring until well-blended.

Gather dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap or a large zipper bag, then put it in the refrigerator to chill for an hour or two.

Remove dough and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough out to about 1/4" thick with a rolling pin, then use cookie cutters to shape. Carefully transfer cut cookies onto a lightly-oiled baking sheet, sprinkle with topping, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edge just begin to brown slightly.

I find the cookies are less likely to break when removing from the cookie sheet if I let them sit on the sheet after removing them from the oven for about ten minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

These are also really good frosted with almond frosting. To make, blend confectioner's sugar with vegan margarine, vanilla soy milk and almond extract (to taste) until desired consistency.

Let's Get Ready to RUM BALL! Recipe: Sexy Vegan Mama's Rum Balls

I'm heading over to Spokane for a book signing tomorrow. The event has promised not only my stellar wit and dramatics, but also cookies.

Now, cookies are all well and good, but I find if I'm desperate for a good turnout, the promise of booze is much more effective than my sparkling personality. That's why I'm taking rum balls. Well, not just rum balls, but also Southern Comfort balls (which, we all know, are Mama's favorite) and Kahlua balls.

You, too, can bribe your loved ones with these grown-up treats. Here's how:

Sexy Vegan Mama's Rum Balls

Half of a 14.4-oz. box of graham crackers (Be careful and check labels. I found several brands with milk in them.)
1 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. rum, liqueur or flavored alcohol of your choice (vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, brandy, Gran Marnier, butterscotch schnapps... it's all good)
3 T. light corn syrup
3/4 c. cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, or vegan sugar for rolling

Whiz the graham crackers in a blender or food processor (I use the Magic Bullet) until they are very finely ground and almost powdery.

Very finely chop the almonds with a knife or in a blender or food processor until they are in small, coarse bits.

Mix all the dry ingredients - except the cocoa or sugar you've set aside for rolling - in a large bowl, then add liqueur and corn syrup and stir until well mixed. Your arm will get very tired, and you may need to use more liquor (if your dough is too dry, you can put some more in the mixture, as well as in your belly). The dough should be stiff and sticky, and hold its shape when rolled into a ball.

Form into 1-inch balls (a melon baller works great!), rolling with the palms of your (clean!) hands.

Roll each ball in the cocoa, confectioner's sugar, or vegan sugar, coating well.

Line the bottom of a covered container with wax paper and place the balls inside, in a single layer. Put the container in the refrigerator for two to three days before serving, and threaten your husband with castration if he tries to sneak any before they're cured.