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Marie
Jan 7th, 2005, 04:25 PM
Do you have any suggestions for what to serve? My neighbour told me she was trying to make birthday cakes without dairy products and gluten (she just learned that her friend's daughter is allergic). Do you have any nice recipes? I also wondered if you have recipes on "muffins" which are not made with self raising flour (we don't have this in our country).

harpy
Jan 7th, 2005, 06:16 PM
A friend gave me this muffin recipe - I have only made it once and I used dried cranberries instead of poppy seeds but the results were excellent. Even my mother-in-law liked them :rolleyes:

Banana and Poppy Seed Muffins

Heat oven to 180-200C. Oil muffin tray and line it with paper cases [I didn't bother with the paper cases though]

Dry ingredients:
7 oz soft wholemeal flour
1 oz fresh black poppy seeds.
2oz demerara sugar
2 flat teaspoons baking powder
1 flat teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (and no, these are not two names for
the same ingredient).

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Wet ingredients:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange (or all lemon or all orange)
Two over ripe and very soft bananas mashed smooth in the juices.
Enough soya yoghurt (or soy milk or water) to bring the volume to 1/2 pt (about 2 tablespoons)
About 90 g of oil (e.g. corn or groundnut)

Beat wet ingredients together.

Now, after checking the oven is hot, mix the wet with the dry quickly. The
bicarb will start to fizz immediately so don't waste any time. Divide the
mixture between your paper cases - this amount will make 12 deep muffins
or probably 18+ fairy cake sized ones.

Bake immediately for about 20 minutes for the big ones, a little less if
they're smaller, until browned. Cool on a rack.

Marie
Jan 7th, 2005, 08:42 PM
Hi harpy!
Thanks for the recipe. I have to figure out what poppy seeds are and bicarbonate of soda. And I let you know what the result is when I've tried this recipe.

Mystic
Jan 7th, 2005, 08:58 PM
WHat about:
- vegan ice cream
- "fairy bread" - with vegan margarine and hundreds and thousands
- vegan chocolates/candy

Marie
Jan 7th, 2005, 10:32 PM
I told my neighbour about the nice vegan ice cream which I have served to many of my non- vegan friends. But what is "fairy bread"? By the way you have any suggestions for birthday chocolate cake?

Mystic
Jan 8th, 2005, 05:50 AM
From Leah Leneman, Easy Vegan Cooking:

Chocolate Cake
115g/4oz/2/3 cup raw cane sugar
4 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
170g/1.5 cups wholewheat flour
3/4 tsp bicarb of soda
90ml/1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp cider vinegar or wine vinegar
200ml/3/4 cup cold water

1. Mix thoroughly the sugar, cocoa, salt, flour and soda in a bowl
2. Add the oil, vanilla essence and vinegar and pour cold water over the mixture
3. Combine well with a fork, but do not beat.
4. Pour into two greased sandwich tins (lined if desired) and bake in a moderate oven at 350f/180c for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool thoroughly.

Caramel Icing
140g raw cane sugar
4 tbsp soy milk
1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1. Mix the sugar, milk and margarine in a saucepan
2. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2-3 minutes
3. Remove from the heat and beat until luke warm
4. Add the vanilla essence and beat to a spreading consistency


Btw, I have not tried this myself :D

Oh - and this is what fairy bread (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=39337) is. Just use vegan bread and vegan margarine :D

PinkFluffyCloud
Jan 8th, 2005, 08:56 AM
Ahh, I love the idea of Fairy Bread, how cute, and how simple!

Marie
Jan 8th, 2005, 09:41 AM
The chocolate cake seemed also easy to make Banana, so I'll try this. It's going to be a lot off baking from now on it seems(cakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner :) ).
***
Do you all celebrate birthdays, your own and for your kids?

PinkFluffyCloud
Jan 8th, 2005, 09:58 AM
I only celebrate my son's birthday, we have a party ('sausage' rolls, crisps, cake, usual junk!), and/or a day out. Me and my husband don't bother with ours.
Have fun with your baking! :)

Mystic
Jan 8th, 2005, 10:38 AM
Ahh, I love the idea of Fairy Bread, how cute, and how simple!

I think it is an Aussie thing - I loved it as a kid :p

foxytina_69
Jan 8th, 2005, 12:02 PM
for chocolate cake:

http://www.dodgeglobe.com/stories/112603/coo_1126030070.shtml

roxy's caramel crunch popcorn:

http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2408

my gluten free version of chocolate chip cookies:

http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2256

the chocolate cake recipe link i gave u is a DELICIOUS cake. but bananas sounds alot more simple, so if you want to make that gluten free, just use brown or white rice flour in place of wheat flour. i cant have gluten, so that is what i do, and it works out fine. its the same for the chocolate chip cookies. (for the recipe in the link i gave you, instead of using 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup oat flour, i just used 3 cups brown rice flour)

if you want to use banana's chocolate cake recipe, and want a chocolate icing, heres a vegan chocolate cake icing recipe from the chocolate cake link i gave you that is delicious. (it says to put it in the fridge, but i just put mine in the freezer for like 15-20 minutes and that worked good)

Two 10-ounce packages vegan or other semisweet chocolate chips (testers used Tropical Source)

1/2 cup hot brewed coffee

4 tablespoons boiling water

1/2 cup light coconut milk

4 ounces silken tofu (i just used soft tofu)

Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Pour hot coffee and boiling water over chips, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in coconut milk until incorporated.

Process chocolate mixture and tofu in food processor until smooth and combined, 10 to 15 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool and texture resembles firm cream cheese, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (If mixture has chilled for longer and is very stiff, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.)

Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to the bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whip mixture at high speed until fluffy, mousse-like, and the mixture forms medium stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Marie
Jan 8th, 2005, 03:55 PM
Hundreds and thousands is that something you decorate cakes with Banana? We do not celebrate birthdays in our family. Our 4 year old has never been to a birthday party. But lately his been asking me if we can make cakes. And I guess it is ok to be prepared for the time he meet other kids who do celebrate parties and also give him some more healthier habits. We do not use sugar in our cooking, so all my desserts and cakes are made with maple syrup.

Marie
Jan 8th, 2005, 04:03 PM
Hi Foxytina, the chocolate icing sounds delicious.
It seems like we could make a whole recipe book with only chocolate cakes :)

Mystic
Jan 8th, 2005, 09:46 PM
Hundreds and thousands is that something you decorate cakes with Banana? We do not celebrate birthdays in our family. Our 4 year old has never been to a birthday party. But lately his been asking me if we can make cakes. And I guess it is ok to be prepared for the time he meet other kids who do celebrate parties and also give him some more healthier habits. We do not use sugar in our cooking, so all my desserts and cakes are made with maple syrup.

Yes - they are those coloourful sprinkly things that you see on doughnuts and cakes. I have a recipe for a sugar free date and pecan cake if you like

Marie
Jan 8th, 2005, 11:56 PM
Why not. I'm found of both pecan and dates

Marie
Jan 8th, 2005, 11:58 PM
Do you have any experience if the children like this date and pecan cake?

Mystic
Jan 9th, 2005, 12:49 AM
again, I have not tried it before (I cannot bake :D ) Do you mind if I post it tomorrow - I am a little busy at the moment????

Mystic
Jan 9th, 2005, 09:12 PM
Date and Pecan Cake - from Leah Leneman's Easy Vegan Cooking:


1 1/3 cups dates
1/3 cups pecans
1 1/3 cups vegan margarine
1/3 cups water
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch sea salt
2 cups wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb of soda

1. Chop the dates and the pecans
2. Put the dates, margarine, water and raisins in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and let it boil for a couple of minutes
3. Remove it from the cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
4. Turn the mixture into a cake pan, and bake at 375 f/190c for about 45 minutes

Sounds yummy - I might make this one myself :) Yeah right - I don't bake :D

Mystic
Jan 9th, 2005, 09:49 PM
Oh and just a quick question; how come you don't celebrate birthdays? I think that is cool. I see birthdays as a lot of commercial crap. People should always be made to feel special :)

foxytina_69
Jan 9th, 2005, 10:22 PM
marie, bicarbonate of soda is just baking soda.

Marie
Jan 10th, 2005, 05:15 PM
Banana, I used to make birthday party's for my kids before I became a vegan but now they are grown up. My four year old son has never been to a birthday party and do not really miss it I think. He gets presents but not particularly for his birthday or xmas. I once read a book about the Aborigines (not sure about the spelling). They did not celebrate birthdays, they asked: why celebrate that you get a year older, that happens anyway. This made sense to me.

Marie
Jan 10th, 2005, 05:25 PM
Foxytina, this made it a little clearer, but her is the next quest. you see here in Norway we have baking powder but I'm not sure about this baking soda. Is it possible to use only baking powder in those recipies?

harpy
Jan 10th, 2005, 05:51 PM
As I understand it, baking soda is the same as sodium bicarbonate (also known as "bicarbonate of soda") but both of these are different from baking powder. There is a bit of an explanation here http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/BakingSoda.htm and here http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm.

The second link suggests you may be able to substitute extra baking powder for the soda/sodium bicarbonate (though not vice versa). However, I would have thought you must have sodium bicarbonate in Norway - it's useful stuff (can be used for household cleaning as well :D)

Marie
Jan 16th, 2005, 10:22 AM
Banana
I tried the date and pecan cake. I didn't have enough raisins and dates so I grated two carrots and added a little lemon juice to the recipe. It came out really nice or yuuuummmy as I've learned is the word for something really good in this forum.
Harpy, I found out that the Norwegian "Baking powder" contains both baking soda and baking powder. In additional you can by baking soda "Natron", but not only baking powder.

my3labs
Jul 2nd, 2005, 03:59 AM
We're having our annual 4th of July block party and I need some awesome ideas. It's not a full meal, I just need some appetizers and/or desert ideas.
I'm thinking hummus and pita chips as a staple, but I really want to wow my neighbors with my new food!
Anybody have anything that I can impress my omni friends with?