The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking - Donna Diegel [98]
7. Cool 9×13-inch cake and cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round layers and cupcakes 10 minutes before loosening from the pans. Gently remove round layers and cupcakes from the pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Cool 9×13-inch cake in its pan.
8. Frost with your choice of frosting (try Chocolate Frosting or Peanut Butter Frosting, recipes in Chapter 21), or double-wrap in plastic and freeze.
VEGAN VOCAB
Natural cocoa powder has a stronger, more pronounced chocolate flavor—which is good when using in recipes where intensity is desired. Dutch process cocoa has been treated to neutralize the acidity, resulting in a milder chocolate flavor. Either cocoa is fine for this recipe, although some studies say natural cocoa contains more antioxidants.
Peanut Butter Cake
This rich, moist cake is made with smooth peanut butter, and decorated with vegan peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts.
Yield:
1 (9×13-inch) cake, 2 (9×2-inch)
round cakes, or 24 to 30 cup-
cakes
Prep time:
40 minutes
Bake time:
20 to 50 minutes
Serving size:
1 slice cake, or 1 cupcake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour or whole-wheat flour
1 TB. aluminum-free baking
powder
1 TB. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
½ cup nonhydrogenated vegan
margarine, softened
1½ cups Florida Crystals or
unbleached cane sugar
¼ cup all-natural smooth peanut
butter
½ cup soft silken tofu
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Egg substitute for 2 large eggs
(Ener-G Egg Replacer or Bob’s
Red Mill works best)
1 cup soy or rice milk
12 to 14 mini vegan peanut butter
cups
¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 1 (9×13-inch) baking pan or 2 (9×2-inch) round cake pans with nonhydrogenated shortening, tapping out excess flour. Or line 24 to 30 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together unbleached all-purpose flour, aluminum-free baking powder, cornstarch, and salt, or blend with a wire whisk.
3. In a large bowl, and using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat vegan margarine and Florida Crystals for 1 or 2 minutes or until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula. Add soft silken tofu, smooth peanut butter and vanilla extract, and beat again. Add egg substitute a little at a time, and beat for 1 or 2 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed using a rubber spatula.
4. Reduce speed to low, and add ½ of dry ingredients to batter, alternating with ½ of soy milk, until well blended. Add remaining dry ingredients and soy milk, and mix for 1 minute or only until cake batter is nice and smooth with no lumps. Be careful not to overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pans, or divide evenly among the cupcake tins, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake 9×13-inch cake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Bake round cake layers for 35 to 45 minutes. Bake cupcakes for 20 to 30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Do not overbake.
6. Cool 9×13-inch cake and cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round layers and cupcakes 10 minutes before loosening from the pans. Gently remove round layers and cupcakes from the pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Cool 9×13-inch cake in its pan.
7. Fill and frost cake with your choice of frosting (try Peanut Butter Frosting, recipe in Chapter 21; Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting, variation in Chapter 21; or Chocolate Ganache Icing, recipe in Chapter 22). Decorate with mini vegan peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts (if using). Or double-wrap in plastic and freeze.
BATTER UP!
Check your natural food store or the organic section in your local supermarket