Food Allergy Friendly Vegan Creamy Chocolate Frosting

       So, what is the most important part of the cake?  For most people especially my kids, it's the icing or frosting! In fact, given a choice, they will just eat the frosting and leave the cake naked! 

       On my part though, I am not a big icing eater.  I like the cake part more.  That is why taste is really important.  If I ever eat some frosting, I am quite the picky type too.  It should be not too sweet, creamy and loaded with flavor too.  Come on, if I'm going to indulge, it should be worth all the calories right?

        Here's my take on a creamy chocolate frosting.  You'll notice that I did add a pinch of salt in it.  It's a trick I learned from my teacher in one of those cake decorating classes. Since butter is out of our diet, I used oil. Since I added some fresh apple sauce, I am happy to give this treat to the kiddos.  Hey, it's still fruit!

       Without much more intro, here's the recipe for the yummy food allergy friendly chocolate frosting.  Give it a try and please let me know if you love it too.

        Enjoy!

- Roz    

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (you can also use grape seed or canola oil)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 tsp. sea salt (finely ground)
3-6 Tbs. coconut milk (you can also use almond, rice or flax milk)

1. In a big bowl, combine cocoa powder, powdered sugar, apple sauce and sea salt. 
2. Slowly whisk in vanilla and coconut oil.
3. Add 3 Tbs. milk and beat until creamy (about 3 minutes). To incorporate more air and make a lighter frosting, I suggest you use an electric mixer.
4. If the frosting is a bit stiff, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your preferred consistency. 
5. Use immediately. 

* Refrigerate frosted cupcakes.  High heat will make it loose its consistency.  You can make it fluffier by putting the prepared frosting in the refrigerator for 30 - 40 minutes and whipping it before using.
 

Gluten and Nut Free, Vegan Fudge Chocolate Cake

       My family is not vegetarian much so vegan.  We are just normal foodies trying to eat healthier.  When my children were diagnosed with multiple food allergies, we have to eliminate eggs, dairy, soy, nuts, peanuts and yes, wheat.  Baking has been a real challenge since I have to come up with recipes that are not only vegan but also gluten, soy and nut free.  Oh I have to specify too that the taste must be close to the "real thing" since the kiddos used to eat the regular kind before and it will be hard to fool them.

         Chocolate Cake is always big in our house.  Pre food allergies, our favorite is Ina Garten's version.  The coffee in her recipe really brings out that deep indulgent chocolate flavor. For a while, we haven't had any of this treat because I have to replace almost everything in the recipe and deep inside I'm scared to make one for it may not turn out as good.  I don't want to be the one to finish a whole cake that's not worth every calorie!

        Then last week I came across Chef Chloe's new Vegan Dessert Cookbook.  Her recipe was quite simple but is not completely gluten free. I tried her recommended gluten free version and the result was quite good.  I didn't stop there though. By now, you all know that delicious food isn't enough.  I have to lessen the fat and sugar content.  Plus I need to sneak in some healthier ingredients. 

       So after a much tinkering, I finally came up with my own chocolate cake.  Since I serve this to the kids, I used decaffeinated coffee granules.  For a grown up version, you can use brewed strong coffee instead of the instant coffee.  You can also add a Tablespoon or two of Kahlua Coffee Liquor to start the party.    

       Since I'm running late, I'll post the recipe for the Creamy Chocolate frosting tomorrow.  If you're super excited to try this though, don't worry, my kids love it as it is. Just drizzle some melted dairy free chocolate and it's a treat.

       Enjoy your weekend!

- Roz
      

 

      

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (you can also use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour -- 44 oz )
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar (or any raw sugar)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil (you can also use canola or sunflower)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup coconut milk (you can also use almond, rice or flax milk)
1 cup hot water
2 Tbs. instant decaf coffee granules (you can also use regular coffee granules)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 2 pans (9 inch) or if making cupcakes, line standard muffin pans with paper lines.  This recipe will produce about 24 cupcakes.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a small cup, combine coconut milk (other non dairy milk) and apple cider vinegar. Mix well.
4. In a separate cup, dilute coffee granules in hot water. 
5.With an electric mixer, cream the sugar, oil, vanilla and applesauce.
6.Alternately add the flour and coconut milk mixture.  Start and end with the flour.
7. Slowly pour the coffee mixture and mix just until combined. Make sure that you don't over mix.
8. Divide the batter to fill the two pans or when making cupcakes, fill each mold up 2/3 full.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean with a few crumbs.  For cupcakes, bake for 16-20 minutes and do the toothpick test. 
10. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Best Vegan Banana Snack Cake - Without Gluten and Soy Too

      When I first learned about my children's food allergies, I didn't worry much about regular meals.  Since our family are big rice and stew eaters, I know the changes will not be as drastic. My head started spinning however, on how will I replace their favorite baked goods. 

       I am not from the South but I always have some baked goods on hand.  Snack cakes in particular are a mainstay in our kitchen.  Sounds unhealthy?  Not really! In fact, I bake those little treats to make my kids especially Child #2 and Child #4 eat more veggies and fruits.  

       Before their food allergy diagnosis, I make snack bars loaded with zucchini, carrots, apples, or whatever vegetable or fruit purees I can get my hands on.  We even came up with weird names such as Z bar and Monkey bar just to hide what's inside that treat from my pickiest vegetable/fruit eater.  Call me crazy but I did that just to give the kids their recommended amount of the healthy stuff without much fight.

       When the doctor told me to remove Wheat, Egg, Dairy, Peanut, Nut and Soy in our diet,  I was like "Are you kidding me?  How can I possibly bake something without those ingredients?" After a few months of trial and error, I'm slowly learning to bake again. 

      So far, this recipe for a Banana Snack Cake is hands down the best we've had since our diet change.  Texture wise, it's soft and moist, you wouldn't even think it's free of eggs and gluten.  Just frost it and decorate, you'll have a yummy allergy friendly birthday cake in no time.  You can even make regular cupcakes using the same batter by adjusting the baking time to 16 - 18 minutes.

       Please take note that I specifically use a certain flour mix for this recipe.  Though there are so many ready made gluten free  flour mixes available out there, some great, not so great and some meltdown worthy, especially if you can't use eggs, I decided to take the guess work out for you.

       Food allergies or not, I hope you'll give this one a try.  If you do, just don't forget to let me know. 

      Have a great weekend!

- Roz
          

 

Ingredients:
3 Tbs flax meal
9 Tbs lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 3/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas
1 Tbs mayonnaise (I used Vegenaise Soy free)
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups Gluten free flour mix (See below)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup flax milk
1/4 tsp rice vinegar
extra oil to grease the pans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 9-inch pans with aluminum foil and lightly grease with oil.
2. Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl to make flax goo. Set aside.
3. In a separate container, mix vinegar and milk. Set aside.
4. Sift the gluten free flour mix, baking powder, salt and baking soda in another bowl.
5. Using an electric mixer, cream the oil and sugar for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the flax goo, mashed bananas, mayonnaise and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
7. With the mixer running on low, alternately add the flour mix and milk mix.  Start with 1/3 of the flour and 1/2 of the milk.  Make sure to end with the flour mix. 
8. Divide the batter to fill the two pans.
9. Bake in the oven for 25 - 28 minutes.  Use the toothpick test to check if it is done.  (Poke the middle of the cake with a toothpick.  When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready.)
10. Transfer to a rack and let it stand for 5 minutes before lifting it from the pans.
11. Let it cool completely before frosting or cutting into bars.

Gluten free Flour Mix c/o Connie Sarros
2 1/2 cups rice flour
1 cup potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup mung bean flour
2 Tbs. xanthan gum

Sift together, transfer in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.  Above measurements will give you 5 cups of GF Flour mix.

* Except for the xanthan gum, all these flours are individually available at your local Asian store.  They are very affordable ($1 -$3 a bag and watch out for sale too) and you'll have more than enough to use for other recipes.