"How It All Vegan"

With this elimination diet that I have been on, I've been trying tons of new recipes! I have to avoid all dairy and all meats except chicken...so I've been looking to vegan recipes for inspiration! Then I can add the meat or the eggs if I want...or not! My wonderful sister-in-law, Erin, gave me this fabulous vegan cookbook for Christmas called, How It All Vegan! (click on the "books" link) by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. I love it and here is my new favorite recipe:

Jen's Chocolate Cake (pp. 146) with Maple Butteresque Icing (pp. 150)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour


• 2 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 3/4 cup margarine (I used Earth Balance)


• 3/4 cup cocoa powder


• 11/2 cups dry sweetener (sugar)


• 1/4 cup water


• 2 cups soy milk


• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. In a food processor (I used my mixer), blend together the margarine, sweetener, and water. Add this to the flour mixture along with the milk and vanilla and mix together until "just mixed". Pour into a lightly oiled cake pan (I used 2, 8" cake pans) and bake for 30 minutes (mine took longer, approx. 45). When cooled ice and serve.

Maple Butteresque Icing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine (Earth Balance)


• 3 cups powdered sugar


• 6 tbsp. maple syrup


• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

In a medium bowl (I used my food processor), thoroughly mix together the margarine and sugar. Stir in the maple syrup until consistency is light and spreadable. Stir in nuts.

I found it easier to ice after I refrigerated the icing for a little while, but no so long that icing was too stiff to spread. I also finely chopped in my food processor another 1/2 cup walnuts and sprinkled them on top of the cake once it was iced for looks (and taste!) Mmmmm!! The cake was a big hit with out dinner guests and my fam last night!!

ENJOY!!!