Vegan Baking
Once upon another lifetime ago, I decided to ‘do my bit for the environment’ and adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. This lasted several years until eventually I gave it up as my interests in cooking and restaurants grew to the point where I wanted to be able to learn from eating/tasting everything at least once.
Chefs are often notorious for being quite vocal about their dislike of vegetarians and vegans. Sometimes you can’t blame them, when customers claim to be vegan right up to the dessert course, where they knowingly order the creamiest dish on the menu.
These days, my kitchen lifestyle choice is to cook with eggs and butter, in moderation, but I’ve always been interested in what vegan baking has to offer. Working under certain constraints sometimes inspires you to think more creatively.
When we were in New York late last year, I got a chance to visit the famed vegan/gluten-free bakery, Babycakes NYC. Inspired by the trip, I even bought their cookbook. Unfortunately, despite the many delicious things we tasted at their store, I couldn’t get the book’s recipes to work for me. For example, this Babycakes banana bread I made recently, with agave nectar, coconut oil and other expensive ingredients, looked better than it tasted.
Despite being discouraged, it didn’t stop me from wanting to try the vegan chocolate cake recipe in Flour by Joanne Chang. You can’t help but love the simplicity of the recipe (Essentially, combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Bake. Eat.) and the lack of having to seek out speciality ingredients.
This is by no means the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. As a vegan (and low-fat!) cake, it is suitably moist with a pleasing chocolate flavour. A recipe worth attempting especially if you have long deleted eggs and dairy from your baking life.
Vegan Low-Fat Chocolate Cake :
(from Flour by Joanne Chang)
210g unbleached all-purpose flour
100g caster sugar
40g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
240g water
50g canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsulfured light or dark molasses
Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 175’C. Butter and flour a 6-inch round cake pan. [I used a slightly smaller pan and reduced the baking time by about 10 minutes]
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla and molasses. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and homogeneous. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Then invert the pan onto the rack, lift off the pan, turn the cake right-side up, and let cool completely.
Just before serving, dust the top with icing sugar. [I topped the cake with a vegan chocolate sauce instead]
Tags: cake, chocolate, cocoa, Joanne Chang, vegan
Rhyelysgranny said,
February 20, 2011 @ 8:37 pm
I am going to pass this recipe to a friend who is non dairy. It does look lovely and and is intriguing.
Trissa said,
February 20, 2011 @ 8:45 pm
Hi Y… my husband is sitting beside me and just said “wow – nice photo” – so it’s not just me who’s impressed with your cake. My husband is probably going to want me to make it for him as he has just started his diet! 🙂
Rosa said,
February 20, 2011 @ 8:56 pm
A lovely vegan cake! That icing is so beautiful.
Cheers,
Rosa
Anh said,
February 20, 2011 @ 9:39 pm
vegan cake or not, that cake looks delicious!I want a slice, with cream. Is it bad? 😉
Dominique (De vous à moi...) said,
February 20, 2011 @ 10:15 pm
Lovely cake… and beautiful photos… I need a slice!
Moya said,
February 20, 2011 @ 10:23 pm
And the recipe’s good for people with dairy and egg allergies too!
shaz said,
February 20, 2011 @ 10:38 pm
I went through that “once upon another lifetime ago” stage as well. Only lasted a year though, lost it because of chilli crab. I try and do the free range / meat free days as much as possible now to assuage the guilt 🙂 The cake does look very desirable (love the styling), I’d probably not notice it was vegan. Actually I’m still trying to gather up the courage to try that cake you made which had tofu in it.
Hannah said,
February 20, 2011 @ 10:53 pm
I am *definitely* going to make this soon, for while I’m not technically vegan, my cooking/baking tends that way. Although my raw vegan dessert exploits lately could never be called low fat 😉 (Nuts, nuts, glorious nuts!) I’m sad that I’ve never been to Babycakes, but that’s probably because I spent most of my time in New York exploring Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods (vegan pumpkin pie donut… mmm)
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said,
February 21, 2011 @ 12:37 am
Sorry Babycakes hasn’t worked out for you. I’ve read many similar reviews, unfortunately, but it’s good to know that their in-store goods at least live up to the reputation. This cake looks easy, tasty, and the low-fat aspect doesn’t hurt 8). If you’re looking for a good vegan cake, I really like the chocolate cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. I find 1/2 tsp or so of instant espresso in the batter always helps to deepen the chocolate flavor, and I’ve read the recipe adapts quite well to larger cakes rather than just cupcakes.
ichigo said,
February 21, 2011 @ 1:27 am
looks delicious!
the caked crusader said,
February 21, 2011 @ 3:46 am
That looks great – I think a good vegan cake shouldn’t look any different to a dairy/egg cake, and yours doesn’t (except maybe a bit better than most!!!)
Anna said,
February 21, 2011 @ 3:54 am
That looks absolutely delicious. And guilty free…that’s awesome.
Julia @ Mélanger said,
February 21, 2011 @ 9:31 am
I’ve only dabbled with dairy, egg and gluten free baking. Based on your description, sounds like this cake may taste similarily to some allergy free brownies I made last year. They were okay, but not as good as ‘real’ brownies. But if you couldn’t eat dairy, egg etc. probably a good substitute.
Why do you think the recipes in the Babycakes book aren’t that successful? Do you think they’ve intentionally tweaked the book recipes so they’re not the exact same as the products in store?
Reemski said,
February 21, 2011 @ 11:21 am
Doesn’t it suck when a cookbook fails? I’ve had a couple of incidents where I’ve tried a recipe only for it to fail, then found out it’s failed for many others. That’s when you realise that the recipes haven’t been tested thoroughly before publishing.
I’ve never attempted vegetarianism or veganism of any kind. I am an unabashed meat lover. However I do try to be as sustainable and as cruelty free as I consciously can. But you can never be sure.
I did once try that egg replacer powder stuff. Worked ok. But I ended up chucking it out.
penny aka jeroxie said,
February 21, 2011 @ 11:43 am
Vegan or not, this chocolate cake looks gorgeous.
Maria @ Scandifoodie said,
February 21, 2011 @ 4:02 pm
This looks absolutely mouth-watering and I’d love to try a piece! I’m very intrigued by vegan cooking, especially when it comes to the sweets and baking!
Jun said,
February 21, 2011 @ 7:05 pm
I’m not a vegan, but I’m tempted to try this!
Carine said,
February 21, 2011 @ 7:47 pm
I’m so amazed when you say this cake is low fat and also VEGAN! Vegan foods are starting to impress me…I’m thinking should I be one too…
InTolerantChef said,
February 21, 2011 @ 9:08 pm
I found some of the flavours in the Babycakes recipes a bit too strong- probably the bean flour. I just have to play with them a bit to get a flavour I like. I hate it when people are ‘faddy’ like picking and choosing when to stick to their convictions. I’m a chef, and agree that a lot of us can’t be bothered with vegos. That yummy risotto? Probably made with delicious chicken stock. Those super crunchy roast potatoes? The secret ingredient is duck fat. I don’t agree with these tricks, but trust me, they happen.
Emma said,
February 22, 2011 @ 9:07 am
Now this just looks like a good old fashioned cake to me – the best kind (sans eggs obv). There’s no reason for vegan or vegie food to be fancy or have difficult to find ingredients, the whole point of it is adopting a nice, simple lifestyle (I’m not vegetarian or vegan but eat food that is quite often).
Pity about that cookbook – I’ve heard of the bakery and always thought it sounded great.
grace said,
February 22, 2011 @ 8:58 pm
i’ll never claim that vegans lead an unfortunate lifestyle again–this cake alone makes up for everything they’re missing! 🙂
Lucie said,
February 23, 2011 @ 12:28 am
I love butter and eggs so being vegan would be a little difficult for me–but with cakes like this one, I’m sure I could at least try!
Keen@TheGourmetTraveller said,
February 23, 2011 @ 1:16 am
That icing glaze absolute devine!!! What’s the texture like without the sponginess the egg give???
Y said,
February 23, 2011 @ 1:25 am
shaz : Chilli crab is a very noble means to rediscover your inner omnivore 🙂
Julia @ Mélanger : I’ve concluded that the flour used in the book might be too specific, so using any other brand would yield different results. Can’t think why else the recipes wouldn’t work as they seem pretty straight forward to me.
Keen@TheGourmetTraveller : Hard to describe. I’d say it reminds me of a gingerbread pudding.
Linda Kinsman-Saegert said,
February 23, 2011 @ 4:17 am
PLEASE convert to US measurements
Anthony said,
February 23, 2011 @ 7:01 am
Oh I love chocolate! I love the way it looks, especially the reflection on top of the cake. It looks like the chocolate is melting so it looks so attractive.
Just want to share with you another chocolate cake recipe.
http://www.fourgreensteps.com/community/recipes/desserts-a-goodies-/chocolate-avocado-cupcakes-with-avocado-buttercream-frosting
Check it out and you will like it.
Hannah said,
February 23, 2011 @ 11:42 am
You know I’m always happy to see vegan baking- Your post certainly put a smile on my face today!
And speaking of which, any chance you might be interested in reviewing my next cookbook? Drop me a line and I’ll see if I can get you an advance copy, or at least a sneak peek. 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said,
February 23, 2011 @ 7:25 pm
I’ve had mixed success with vegan recipes, some are quite good and some, like you’ve experienced just aren’t very good. Have you tried your hand at raw baking at all? 🙂
Jenny @ Musings and Morsels said,
February 24, 2011 @ 10:10 am
Far from a vegan myself, I can’t say I’ve had grand experiences of desserts without the egg, fat or cream. Indeed, altogether is how I often have it. But, as with anything in the way of culinary for me, I’m willing to give it a go. You had me at “moist”. Often though, I’ve found employing almond meal gives me the perfect result for these kind of chocolate cakes. And – I read this, haven’t yet tried – apparently, processing some vegetables (such as beetroot) provides the same effect. Gotta give it a go some time.
Gastronomy Gal said,
February 24, 2011 @ 2:08 pm
Couldn’t do it. Definitely couldn’t. But respect those who can, and make the choice to do so. I will pass this recipe on to one of my vegan friends who also happen to love fried and naughty foods!
anna said,
February 24, 2011 @ 4:54 pm
That looks terrific! I’m definitely going to try it. Vegans often drive me nuts so it’s good to know there’s hope. One of the places I’ve applied to is raw, I think there’s got to be some fascinating techniques involved.
Y said,
February 24, 2011 @ 11:44 pm
For Linda Kinsman-Saegert and anyone else who requires a conversion of the above recipe :
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsulfured light or dark molasses.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
Y said,
February 24, 2011 @ 11:45 pm
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella and anna : Fascinated by raw baking, but can’t say I’ve really tried anything memorable yet.
Shaheen {The Purple Foodie} said,
February 25, 2011 @ 6:51 am
Love your ceramics, Y!
foodie and the chef said,
February 26, 2011 @ 2:27 am
I love Babycakes… I went ahead and bought their book too ! As far as raw desserts go, my favourite hands-down is a recipe I learnt for cardamom cashew white chocolates (ground cashews + cardamom, agave, cocoa butter). I love the shine on your cake !
Paula said,
February 28, 2011 @ 5:49 am
Just stepped by to say hi and I absolutely love your divine-looking photos!
Marysol said,
March 5, 2011 @ 2:41 am
One word, awesome! And chocolaty rich.
Well, there was no way I could’ve described these in just one word.
Btw, I may not be vegan, still I’m intrigued by the vegan chocolate sauce—looks luscious.
shez said,
March 8, 2011 @ 10:29 am
That cake looks a wonder – moreso because it’s missing all the usual suspects. A pity about the banana concoction though. It’s so disappointing when food looks so good and tastes so… nothing?
ps: love the enamelware.
christelle is flabbergasting said,
March 8, 2011 @ 2:54 pm
I never use molasse in my cakes… but I should try! (this looks so good!)
Your photos are really beautiful: love the lighting and the enamelware!
Simon @ the heart of food said,
March 8, 2011 @ 9:52 pm
Hate hypocritical eaters who make life difficult for others with their choice of food restrictions to only disregard them when it’s convenient for them to do so. Gah!
As great as the cake looks (love its glossy sheen), isn’t the inclusion of sugar a point of contention for some vegans?
erin said,
March 19, 2011 @ 8:44 am
Yeah, I love that BabyCakes exists, but they have always been sort of hit or miss to me. I did really like the Blondies, though.
Zainab said,
April 8, 2011 @ 1:32 pm
It looks yummi,,
i have a question ,,,can i prepare this cake without molasses?
Thanx in advance:)
Y said,
April 12, 2011 @ 12:21 am
Hi Zainab! Yes, I’m sure you can. You could substitute with honey or glucose instead. The molasses is there for extra depth of flavour and also contributes to moisture content.
Mir said,
April 12, 2011 @ 11:08 pm
Goodness that looks incredibly moist!
Mir said,
April 12, 2011 @ 11:10 pm
wow so moist!
Manon @ camille&co. said,
April 20, 2011 @ 4:16 pm
That looks absolutely amazing! And it’s vegan! I can not believe it! And I am a strictly full fat, sugar crazed, choc-full freak when it comes to baking but I will definitely try that.
Jenn Brigole said,
April 28, 2011 @ 3:20 am
Looking that moist in a cake without eggs? My aunt deserve this! Since she’s one of my champions, and she’s being a little too picky lately, she ought to try and make this for me. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
betty said,
May 10, 2011 @ 2:48 pm
that icing is just glistening – the cake looks great!
hampers said,
May 15, 2011 @ 1:11 am
What is it about chocolate cakes? Yours looks absolutely amazing. The light on the frosting makes it look even more inviting.
Dalimas said,
June 4, 2011 @ 9:44 am
That cake looks a wonder – moreso because it’s missing all the usual suspects. A pity about the banana concoction though. It’s so disappointing when food looks so good and tastes so… nothing?