Vegan bakery opening up...

M

moyn

Well-known member
around the corner from me...

I'm not so sure I want to try it?

Anyone have any experience with vegan pastries and cakes?

 
I've had great luck with vegan chocolate cakes,

haven't had much luck with other things.

I know you aren't looking for recipe, but this vegan chocolate cake from CI is outstanding as a cake on it's own, bonus that it is vegan.


Vegan Chocolate Cake
Cook’s Illustrated

Where the meticulous testers found specific brand-name products worked best in baking the "perfect" cake, those product names are given in parenthesis in the ingredient list.

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 and 2/3 cups natural large-crystal cane sugar (testers preferred Sugar in the Raw)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1/3 cup natural cocoa (testers preferred Scharffen Berger Natural Cocoa Powder)
• 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup vegan butter substitute (testers used Spectrum Spread)

• FOR THE FROSTING:
• Two 10-ounce packages vegan or other semisweet chocolate chips (testers used Tropical Source)
• 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee
• 4 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 4 ounces silken tofu

To make the cake:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Process sugar in a food processor to a fine powder, 30 to 40 seconds. Sift sugar, flours, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Combine cocoas and chocolate in a large bowl and cover with hot coffee; whisk until smooth.

Combine coconut milk, vinegar and vanilla in large measuring cup. Place vegan butter substitute in a medium bowl. Add coconut milk mixture in two additions, whisking until smooth after each. Add vegan butter-coconut milk mixture to the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine, then add this mixture to dry ingredients and fold gently with rubber spatula until just incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, switching position of and rotating pans after 12 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

To make the frosting:
Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Pour hot coffee and boiling water over chips, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in coconut milk until incorporated. Process chocolate mixture and tofu in food processor until smooth and combined, 10 to 15 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool and texture resembles firm cream cheese, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (If mixture has chilled for longer and is very stiff, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.)

Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to the bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whip mixture at high speed until fluffy, mousse-like, and the mixture forms medium stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

To assemble, invert cakes from their pans. Spread a dab of frosting in center of a cardboard round cut slightly larger than a cake. Place one cake, centered, on the cardboard round. The frosting helps hold it in place.

Using an icing spatula, spread about 1 cup frosting evenly onto the top of the first cake. Place the second cake on top of frosted bottom layer and spread about 1 cup frosting on top. Cover sides of cake with remaining frosting.


http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=150315

 
I've actually found some of the local vegan cakes and cupcakes to be exceptionally delicious,

I say, give them a try.

 
OK, will give it a try... with Erin, so we can try at least 2 things smileys/wink.gif

Interesting recipe Lisa, I'm always so weary of ingredients like butter substitute and chocolate substitute... but hey -

We will report back on taste testing -

The bakery opened yesterday and today it was empty most of the day - it's called Vegan Divas http://www.vegandivasnyc.com/ looks like this is her first shop and her stuff has been available in a lot of other stores until now...

I do hope she makes it, it's a nice addition to the block!

 
I had success making this coconut cake - although the cake was too tender to hold together!

See my notes at end. It was VERY yummy...

Marly’s Vegan Coconut Cake
(altered by me to remove vinegar for a friend's dietary issues)
http://www.namelymarly.com/2010/02/marlys-vegan-coconut-cake/

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) dairy free margarine, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 cups coconut milk (1 can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
3 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder

Vegan Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup dairy free margarine or coconut oil
¼ cup soymilk
Topping: ½ cup flaked, sweetened coconut

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two (or three) 9-inch cake pans (or 32 cupcakes).

Using an electric mixer, cream together margarine, sugar, coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut. Cream well for 6 to 8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder. Add flour to creamed mixture, beating until just mixed.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter.

Bake for 25 to 30 (20 for cupcakes) minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.
Cool completely.

In the meantime prepare frosting. Fill and spread cake layers with frosting and garnish with coconut flakes.

NOTE: This was a VERY tender cake so I used it (crumbled) to make trifles – layered the coconut cream from the Vegan Coconut Cream Tarts, blueberries, cake, sprinkled with coconut milk, topped with frosting and sprinkle of toasted coconut.
…did not try the frosting yet. Jane

 
REC: Coconut Tartlets - used this filling for the coconut cake trifle

Coconut Tartlets (vegan and sugar-free)
Altered by Jane

Coconut Cream (this makes a little more than you need for 5 tart shells)

meat from two young thai coconuts (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (soak in coconut milk an hour)
4 TBS coconut oil
1/4 cup honey (or blue agave)
1/2 TBS vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend for a few minutes or until very smooth.
Cover and place into the fridge.

Tartlet Shells (makes 5 regular or 10 mini)

1 1/2 cups almond flour (I use Honeyville brand)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of melted butter
1 blue agave syrup or honey

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients and form a crumbly dough using a spatula.
Press equal amounts of dough into 5 greased tartlet pans or 10 mini tartlet pans. Place in oven for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove tarts from oven and onto a cooling rack and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (this helps with the removal of the tarts from the pans).

Remove tarts from fridge. Carefully invert a pan in your hand and using a spoon tap the back of pan until the tart pops out into your hand. **THESE TARTS ARE VERY FRAGILE SO BE CAREFUL WHILE WORKING WITH THEM. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Spoon the coconut filling into each tart shell and top with seasonal berries.

Note from Jane: I did not find the tartlet shells to be particularly fragile...just like normal shells.

 
cheezz, I FINALLY cut open my Thai coconuts...after a month. They were fine! And

you're right...they are somewhat Crisco-y icky.
They were so old I was afraid to use them, but the water was fine and the meat as well.

 
When you pur

If you taste it (ugh...yuck), there is nothing there that is going to add coconut flavor to anything so I guess it's all about adding the smooth texture

 
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