Tag Archives: Vegan

Lemon Meringue Sheet Cake

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Serves 16-20

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Lemon meringue pie is one of my favourite desserts and my recipe for this Lemon Meringue Sheet Cake takes the wonderfully fresh flavours of Spring, delivers them in a fun sheet cake, taking into consideration possible allergies so that everyone can have a slice of the fun!

I’ve partnered with Enjoy Life for this delicious gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, allergen-friendly dessert, as the brand offers a wide range of delicious baking chocolate, perfect for Spring entertaining, as well as school-friendly snacks. All of their products are free-from the top 14 common food allergens and are also certified gluten-free; School-Friendly; verified Non-GMO; and made in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility. 

The standout feature of this cake is a decadent lemon white chocolate ganache layer made using Enjoy Life White Baking Mini Chips. Smooth, zesty and utterly delicious, it can be enjoyed by anyone around the table!

Ingredients

Lemon Ganache layer

  • 680g Enjoy Life white baking mini chips
  • 1 cup whipping cream alternative
  •  2 tablespoons lemon zest (2 large lemons)
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)
  • 1-2 drops yellow food colouring gel

Vanilla Cake layer

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour*
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Meringue layer**

  • 1/2 cup aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Lemon Ganache layer

  1. Place the Enjoy Life white baking mini chips into a large bowl
  2. Microwave for 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until the chips are starting to melt. Set aside until needed
  3. In a small pan, heat your whipping cream alternative until just boiling – you’ll see small bubbles forming at the edge of the liquid. DO NOT allow the liquid to fully boil
  4. Remove from the heat and pour over the semi-melted white baking mini chips, ensuring all the chips are submerged. Allow to rest for 5 minutes
  5. After this time add in the lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to incorporate. Continue stirring until the mixture is completely emulsified, smooth and uniform in color. Don’t worry if along the way the mixture looks like it has separated- just continue stirring and it will come back together. Using an immersion (stick) blender here really helps with the process, speeding it up
  6. Once your ganache mixture has fully emulsified, add in 1-2 drops yellow food colouring gel and stir until uniform in colour. Cover the surface of the ganache with cling wrap, and set aside for minimum 4 hours to thicken at room temperature

Vanilla Cake layer

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
  2. Prepare a 9” x 12” baking pan by greasing and lining with baking parchment
  3. In a large bowl combine all the cake ingredients- the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, water, canola oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar
  4. Whisk until fully combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to avoid any dry ingredient residue. Continue mixing until fully blended and smooth
  5. Pour into your prepared pan. If needed gently tilt the pan to allow the cake batter to flow into the corners
  6. Bake in your preheated oven for between 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester, or skewer, comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes in a rack
  7. After allowing to cool for 5 minutes, invert the cake onto a cooling rack lined with baking parchment
  8. Remove the tin and lining baking parchment paper and allow the cake to cool fully before covering with the ganache layer

Meringue layer**

  1. In a large bowl combine the chilled chickpea liquid and cream of tartar, whisk until soft peaks form using an electric whisk
  2. With the whisk still running, gradually add in the powdered sugar in stages, being sure to fully whisk in the current amount before adding more (the mixture should not feel grainy at all). Once all your sugar has been added increase the whisk speed and continue to beat until stiff peaks have formed. (If using a handheld electric whisk this part of the process will take longer than making typical egg-based meringue)
  3. Once stiff peaks have been achieved, add in the vanilla extract and whisk to incorporate

To Finish

  1. With your vanilla cake layer fully cooled, spread or pipe the ganache onto the surface. Use a spatula or palette knife to smooth it out
  2. Spoon the aquafaba meringue over the ganache layer and spread to cover the surface. Use a fork or the back of a spoon to create ruffles/ peaks
  3. Gently torch the surface of the aquafaba meringue with a hand-torch or place until the broiler for a few minutes until browned
  4. Slice, serve and enjoy! This sheet cake is best enjoyed straight away

*I use gluten-free flour that incorporates xanthan gum. If yours doesn’t add in 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum with your dry ingredients. Regular all-purpose flour can also be substituted 1:1, without the addition of xanthan gum.

**If chickpea aquafaba in the meringue topping isn’t an option, the cake can be enjoyed with your favourite allergen-friendly whipped topping as an alternative

Kohakutou (Japanese Amber Candy)

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Makes A lot! (dependent on cutting size)

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons agar agar
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 3 cups sugar, white
  • 1/2 teaspoon candy flavouring oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
  • Gel food coloring, to personal preference

Method

  1. Prepare an 8-x 8-inch square pan with smooth sides by spraying lightly with cooking spray
  2. In a medium pan, stir to combine the agar agar and water. Let sit for 5 minutes
  3. Bring the agar agar mixture to a boil over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture thickens. This should take between 2 to 3 minutes
  4. Add the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes
  5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the candy flavoring, citric acid and stir to combine
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Add a few drops of food coloring to your personal preference and swirl throughout the mixture using a skewer or chopstick. Refrigerate for 1 hour
  7. After this time your agar agar mixture should be quite firm and set. If it isn’t refrigerate for another 15 minutes. Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Flip the pan over onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, or counter-top. then tap to dislodge the jelly. If the jelly is stubborn, cut it into chunks and remove those from the pan instead
  8. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the jelly into crystal shapes, trimming as desired. The jelly will be firm but sticky. You can also tear the jelly to form jagged edges
  9. Now here comes the hard part! Set the shaped jelly shapes on to clean parchment paper and leave in a cool area, free from or with low humidity. Leave the jellies for about 7 days, rotating morning and evening to ensure even drying. Over this time you’ll notice the candy pieces will form a hard out crust.
  10. After this time you can eat the candy crystals as is, or you can decorate them with edible glitter or paint, to enhance their “geode crystal” look.
  11. The candies can be kept in an air-tight container for up to a further two weeks to enjoy them at their best

Vegan Peppermint Festive Crinkle Cookies

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Makes 30

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¾ cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Coating

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

Method

  1. In a bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside until needed
  2. In a medium bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the sugar, applesauce, oil, and extracts, until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined
  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment, or silicone baking mats. Place the granulated and powdered sugars in two separate bowls close by
  5. Remove chilled dough and roll into balls about one tablespoon size each. Toss first in the granulated and then second in the powdered sugar, coating fully
  6. Bake for 12-13 minutes (cookies should be slightly underbaked). If you would prefer a more crinkled look to your cookies, you can gently bang the baking try on a counter-top at this point. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely
  7. Once cookies are completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days

Chocolate Vinegar Cake

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Now don’t raise your eyebrows like that! No, I it’s not a typo- there is indeed vinegar listed in this cake. Going by it’s other moniker “Depression Chocolate Cake”, this may well be one of those recipes that probably everyone’s baking inclined grandparent would probably have in their repertoire. Dating from a time of the Great Depression, when things like eggs, milk, butter and sugar were really expensive and scarce, this recipe keeps them to a minimum. So much that with it’s absence of eggs and dairy the sponge itself can be considered vegan. If you want to finish to completion with it’s delectable ganache topping and still remain vegan-friendly, I’ve included some recommendations at the end of the recipe.

Another bonus with this recipe? Minimal washing up! In fact if you choose to cake it the classic way as a sheet cake to be eaten from the pan, you can save on that singular, additional bowl for clean up. Just make sure to omit the baking parchment lining and use a non-stick pan. Dump everything in the pan, exert a bit more restraint when mixing together and away you go! No bowl, all-in-one sheet cake.

Finishing with chocolate ganache is entirely optional. Some people prefer just a simple dusting of powdered sugar, others prefer just to leave it completely naked and bask in the unadulterated chocolatiness of the sponge itself. Whatever way you decide to finish it, I’m pretty sure you wont be making it just the once!

Chocolate Vinegar Cake #recipe

Ingredients

Makes 1 no. 9” x 12” sheet cake

Chocolate Vinegar Cake

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar

Chocolate Ganache topping*

  • 1 cup heavy cream, or whipping cream*
  • 8oz semi-sweet chocolate, in small pieces

Method

  1. For the ganache topping, place the chocolate pieces in a medium heatproof bowl
  2. Heat the heavy cream/ whipping cream, in a small pan over a medium heat until just below boiling (look for small bubbles at the edge of the cream in the pan)
  3. Remove the cream from the heat and gently pour the warmed cream over the chocolate pieces in the bowl. Leave to rest for 5 minutes
  4. After 5 minutes, gently stir the chocolate/ cream mixture with a whisk to emulsify it. It will appear mottled and speckled at first but continue gently stirring until it thickens and is uniform in color
  5. Once fully smooth and uniform in color, set aside and leave to fully cool before spreading (usually takes about 2 hours at room temperature). The mixture will thicken to spreadable consistency after this time
  6. Preheat your oven to 350F
  7. Prepare a 9” x 12” baking pan by greasing and lining with baking parchment
  8. In a large bowl combine all the cake ingredients- the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, water, canola oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar
  9. Whisk until fully combined, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to avoid any dry ingredient residue. Continue mixing until fully blended and smooth
  10. Pour into your prepared pan. If needed gently tilt the pan to allow the cake batter to flow into the corners
  11. Bake in your preheated oven for between 20-25minutesm or until a cake tester, or skewer, comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes in a rack
  12. After allowing to cool for 5 minutes, invert the cake onto a cooling rack lined with baking parchment
  13. Remove the tin and lining baking parchment paper and allow the cake to cool fully below finishing with your chocolate ganache topping
  14. Once your cake has fully cooled, pour your chocolate ganache topping over the surface and spread with an offset spatula to cover the cake
  15. Slice however you like and enjoy!

*Whilst the cake sponge in this recipe is vegan, the chocolate ganache isn’t. If you want a complete vegan friendly cake substitute 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (Make sure to fully shake it before using). Also make sure that your chocolate that your using is vegan-friendly.