BLACK FOREST BIRTHDAY CAKE

I know it's probably pretty obvious, but I love to bake. I especially love to bake birthday cakes. People really love it when you bake them a birthday cake too. It's a win-win situation. It's also pretty obvious that I am no vegan, but when I make chocolate cake I always use this recipe, which just so happens to be vegan - and seriously moist and delicious. It adapts really well to a black forest theme too when you slather it with coconut whipped cream and cherries. Yum.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

(makes one 6” layer cake)

¾ cup organic whole wheat flour

1 cup organic unbleached white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup organic cocoa powder, sifted

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup organic unsweetened coconut beverage

½ cup avocado oil

1 ½ cups local maple syrup

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp pure organic vanilla

Method: Preheat oven to 350*.  Prepare two 6” round cake pans by greasing them with some oil and then lining with parchment paper cut into rounds.  Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl.  Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, and then stir in the cocoa powder until dissolved.  Whisk the oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla into the cocoa mixture.  Stir the wet ingredients into to the dry.  Pour into prepared cake pans and bake in 350* oven for 45-60 minutes in cake pans and for 22 minutes in the cupcake pan.  Allow to cool on a  baking rack for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans.  Cool completely before icing.

CHERRY FILLING

 5 cups frozen organic cherries

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup

2-3 Tbsp organic corn starch

Method: Place the cherries and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water and then stir into the hot cherries. Stir until it thickens to desired consistency. Cool and refrigerate.

WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

1-2 14 oz cans full fat coconut milk

1/4-1/2 cup organic icing sugar or a bit of maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

Method: Chill cans of coconut overnight in the fridge. Chill a large mixing bowl in freezer. Remove just the solid coconut cream on the top and leave the liquid behind for use in a smoothie or something. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer then add sifted icing sugar and vanilla. Use immediately or refrigerate.

To assemble the cake: Use a serrated knife to trip the domed top off of each cake. Pour 3/4 of the cherry mixture on the bottom half and then top with some whipped cream. Place the second layer on top. Use the rest of the whipped cream to ice the cake, then pour the rest of the cherry mixture in the centre of the top of the cake. Sprinkle with shaved dark chocolate and gently press some on the sides of the cake too. Refrigerate to harden the icing a bit. 

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ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

Carrot cake is definitely one of my all time favorite cakes.  I like it so much I even made it for my wedding.  So, as you can imagine, I was pretty glad my son chose it as the cake he wanted for his fourth birthday this year.  Scott was disappointed when the chocolate cake initially chosen was suddenly changed to carrot.  No, I did not coerce or bribe him to pick it (although Scott thinks I did.)  Don't worry Scott, I promise to make you chocolate cake for your birthday!  

I thought I would do things a little differently to my awesome carrot cake recipe in an attempt to make it even more awesome.  The night before baking day, I mixed the buttermilk and spelt flour so the enzymes in the milk could begin to predigest the grain, making it healthier and easier for us to digest.  Now I have to admit, I was apprehensive because I wasn't sure how it would turn out and I didn't want to have to make it twice.  Now I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats, wondering how it went.  Well, it was fantastic!  I mean, really good.  Like, I ate 4 pieces good.

ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

1 cup organic light spelt flour

1 1/2 cups organic whole spelt flour

1 cup organic buttermilk

1/2 Tbsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 organic eggs

1/2 cup organic sunflower oil

1/2 cup local maple syrup

2 tsp organic pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup organic crushed pineapple, drained really well

2 cups shredded organic carrot

3/4 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup chopped organic walnuts (optional)

Method:  Combine the flour and buttermilk in a bowl and stir to combine well.  Cover with a lid and let sit at room temperature overnight or for at least 12 hours.

     The next day, preheat oven to 350* and butter 2 round baking pans or one rectangular one and then line with parchment paper.  In a bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt.  Pour into the bowl of the soaked flour and using the paddle attachment on your mixer, stir until well incorporated.  Then by hand, stir in the carrot, coconut, pineapple and walnuts.  Pour the batter into the pans and bake for about an hour or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.  Frost and serve.

MAPLE CREAM CHEESE ICING

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

250 g organic cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 tsp pure organic vanilla extract

Method:  Cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Then add the maple syrup and vanilla, beat until creamy.  Ice on a cooled cake.

MY BIRTHDAY CAKE

Awwww, I love my boys. We just had a wonderful birthday celebration, drinking wine, and eating fondue. They made me a Tiramisu birthday cake, and I just finished eating two pieces. It was an interesting combination of me having to purchase ingredients when I was in town today, and Scott and Faegan baking the first part of the cake while I was out. You see, having kids, you have to share the duties, even when it comes to your own birthday cake. It was up to me to come home with cream cheese and whipping cream. But, it being Easter weekend, I couldn't find organic whipping cream for the life of me. I am embarrassed to admit, I went to 5 Superstores looking for some. I am so stubborn, I just couldn't break down and buy the conventional stuff that is full of God only knows what, and polysorbate. After the last stop, I thought I'd try out sour cream and see how that does as a substitute. From the taste of things, it did a good job!

TIRAMISU CAKE

2 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder - GMO free and aluminum free

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

10 Tbps organic unsalted butter

1 cup organic coconut sugar

3 organic eggs

1 organic egg yolk

1 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp instant espresso powder

2 Tbsp boiling water

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 Tbsp Kahlua 

8 oz organic cream cheese

1/2 cup organic icing sugar

1 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 Tbsp Kahlua

1 cup cold organic whipping cream (or in our case, sour cream)

2 21/2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Method: Preheat the oven to 350* F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

Stir the water and maple syrup together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.

Put the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the cream cheese. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:

If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.

For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining cream cheese filling. 

With an icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. 

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.