Let the baking begin

I do not bake. But when asked to cook a birthday dinner for my cousin who wants to taste a vegan meal, cake needs to be on the menu. Thus, this past week, I dusted off the baking pan and dusted the counters with flour as my first attempt at vegan baking began.

Originally the plan was to go out to celebrate at Herbivore, but with last minute changes and my cousin's need to stay home with the kid while his wife traveled, eating in made the most sense. He also wanted to learn how I cook vegan, and since I enjoy cooking, and sharing what I'm learning about a healthy animal-free diet, I would head to his place and cook his birthday dinner with him.

My cousin does not like a lot of kick in his spices, so I decided my mom's easy rice and bean recipe (featured last week on my blog) would be a perfect place to show him how simple and delicious a vegan meal could be. Along with tortillas, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and a simple Mexican veggie side dish of zucchini, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions, I had a quick and easy menu plan.

It would be the dessert that would be a tricky. The question: Would I be able to bake a vegan chocolate cake?

For my cousin, I thought I'd give it a try. Through an online search I found an easy vegan chocolate cake recipe that would work for me. The recipe reviews called it dense, moist, and dark (my kind of cake), and with no oil in the recipe, using applesauce for moisture instead, the cake was fat-free (definitely my kind of cake). But most important, I had all the ingredients at home!

The original recipe however called for a bundt pan (which I didn't have), but one suggestion in the online review was to turn the cake into a lava cake by baking it in a 8x11 pan (which I do have). After the cake is baked, holes are inserted and filled with vegan chocolate pudding, which also doubles as frosting. Sounded pretty yummy, and so the baking began.

Everything was going well as I followed the recipe until I measured out the applesauce, which I had in my fridge. The recipe called for 1½ cups, and I had exactly 1 cup left. One of the other online reviews suggested adding chocolate soy milk to lighten the dense quality of the cake. Having no other jars of applesauce, I had no other options, thus, vegan-me (who does not bake) took a risk, added ½ cup of soy milk, and changed the recipe. Would the cake come out OK? I'd have to wait and see.

As the cake baked in the oven, I prepared the homemade vegan chocolate pudding. Smells of chocolate were filling the kitchen as I tasted the pudding as it cooled. Very very nice! When the timer went off and I opened the oven, the cake looked good and after a toothpick insert, I knew it was done. I poked holes for the chocolate lava flow, and in so doing, pulled out small chunks of cake.

As I put a piece in my mouth, my eyes widened. A smile crossed my face. My first vegan chocolate cake tasted pretty good. It was a proud moment. I finished pouring the pudding, and after letting it cool, I frosted the top, decorated it with sprinkles, and covered the top of the pan with saran wrap. The cake would wait in the fridge overnight, for the real taste test after dinner the next day.

The meal went well. And after happy birthday was sung, the candles blown out, and the cake cut, the reviews began. For my cousin's 3 year-old, there were no complaints as she gobbled up her piece, asking for more with chocolate encircling her mouth. For my cousin, he too enjoyed it.

For me, I was impressed with how dark and most the cake was. Though I added soy milk, the cake still maintained a dense texture which complemented the smooth pudding surprise inside. The pudding also added depth to the chocolate flavor, as the cake lacked the rich bittersweet taste I personally enjoy. Probably too much sugar. A bit of coffee might add that missing kick. My cousin's sister-in-law who also joined us for dinner agreed. Overall, I was really impressed by my first attempt at a vegan chocolate cake, and thus, for effort -- My grade: B+

I say I don't bake, but chances are good I will pull out the cake pan and attempt this again. And when I do, I will cut down the sugar, add a bit of coffee, and more cocoa. For those who really do bake, please send me your suggestions on how you would adapt the recipe. (see below)

My journey to create the "perfect" vegan chocolate cake has begun. Let the baking continue.