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Thread: Babycakes

  1. #1
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Babycakes

    Babycakes is the new cookbook from the New York bakery of the same name. Filled with vegan, gluten free and (mostly) sugar free recipes!



    I pre-ordered mine with Amazon and it arrived today I am going to have a flip through it and might even bake something from it tonight! It's a gorgeous hardcover book with lots of lovely colour photos throughout.

    Anyone else ordered it/want it?
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Oooh, looks scrummy. Let us know how the recipes are - and don't forget to post some picks.

    (Is it weird that I feel quite disloyal to Isa C-M looking at other peoples' cupcake books? )

  3. #3
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Yes, I know how you feel, especially when posting about it on the PPK! But VCTOTW is and always will be the most awesomest cupcake cookbook, ever!

    After looking through it and reading other ppl's comments, I've realised that not all of the recipes are gluten free, a lot of them use spelt flour, so the name is a bit misleading. Also, a lot of the gluten free recipes call for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour, which we don't get here (but I could order it online).

    For the cupcakes I think I will be subbing in the gf flours from VCTOTW or another mix I make using brown rice, tapioca and potato flours.

    And I only use rice milk, but the icing asks for soy milk and soy milk powder, I am sure I will work around it.
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

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    Mrs. Beane fondducoeur's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Quote Ruby Rose View Post
    Oooh, looks scrummy. Let us know how the recipes are - and don't forget to post some picks.

    (Is it weird that I feel quite disloyal to Isa C-M looking at other peoples' cupcake books? )
    Haha, that probably is weird, but I find myself cooking mostly from her cookbooks as well. She is pretty much my role model.
    tabbouleh-bouleh

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    XxsarahxX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    i haven't herd of it but now i have i want it :P
    kitteh have you tried using Orgran all purpose flour?
    its the only flour i use its gluten free wheat free dairy free egg free yeast free GMO free soy free and its vegan
    Vegan blog- http://sarah-moo.blogspot.com
    Mummy blog- http://stayingsarah.wordpress.com/

  6. #6
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Hiya Sarah Yup, I've tried Orgran, I always have a few boxes of their different products in the cupboard. But the author of Babycakes says to follow her recipes exactly, so I wonder if Orgran would work, only one way to find out!

    I haven't had the best results so far. I tried the gluten free vanilla cupcakes on Friday. The recipe says makes 12 regular cupcakes but I had enough batter for 12 regular, 24 mini and there was still batter in the bowl left over.*

    They develop a hard outer crust and are quite dense and they smelt beany or horsey I couldn't decide which. By Saturday they were very dry. And I am really forgiving of gluten free products because I never expect them to be like wheat-based products.



    I tried the icing on Friday night, the ingredients didn't seem to mix together, so I put it in the fridge and it still didn't thicken. Later I heated the mix in a saucepan and it liquified and then I stuck it back in the fridge. The next morning it was like a thick, fluffy spread.



    So I topped one of the cupcakes with it



    I am going to try a few other recipes and will try the cupcakes again another day, they use a lot of ingredients (3.5 cups of flours, half a bottle of agave and coconut oil just to start with) so I won't be baking them all the time.

    *Edit: I re-read the recipe and it says 'makes 24' so it was probably the right quantity of mixture after all.
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

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    XxsarahxX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    did they end up tasting any good?
    sounds like alot of work to me haha i get lazy.
    i hope they turn out better after a few tries for you.
    Vegan blog- http://sarah-moo.blogspot.com
    Mummy blog- http://stayingsarah.wordpress.com/

  8. #8
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Hmm... they weren't very tasty, they were edible but not great. My bf didn't like them but the cats did!

    They weren't very sweet but then they were sweetened with agave not sugar and they tasted a bit plain.

    I am sure I followed the recipe exactly, but maybe I will try again another day and in the meantime I will give some of the other recipes a go instead! Fingers crossed
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

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    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    They may be turning out exactly as they should Kitteh - I've tried the cupcakes at Babycakes in NYC and wasn't impressed at all. (Nor was bryzee86 when he went.) Very dense and dry. I usually love frosting, could eat it by itself, but at Babycakes even that wasn't very enjoyable.
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Did the cookbook really say that a batter made with 3 1/2 cups of flour makes 12 cupcakes? Most recipes call for about 1 1/2-2 cups flour for 12 cupcakes/muffins. No wonder you had so many!

    It's a shame they didn't taste nicer.
    To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana. -Buddha

  11. #11
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Quote Marrers View Post
    They may be turning out exactly as they should Kitteh - I've tried the cupcakes at Babycakes in NYC and wasn't impressed at all. (Nor was bryzee86 when he went.) Very dense and dry. I usually love frosting, could eat it by itself, but at Babycakes even that wasn't very enjoyable.
    Thanks Marrers, I thought about that because I have heard mixed reviews of the cakes from the bakery, but I don't know what they are meant to taste like as I have never been there.

    I'm waiting to read more reviews, hopefully from ppl who have been there. I'm going to make them again and give them to family/friends to try and get their opinion too.

    Quote vgnwitch View Post
    Did the cookbook really say that a batter made with 3 1/2 cups of flour makes 12 cupcakes? Most recipes call for about 1 1/2-2 cups flour for 12 cupcakes/muffins. No wonder you had so many!

    It's a shame they didn't taste nicer.
    That's what I thought, I just re-read the recipe after reading your post and it says 'makes 24' so I guess 3.5 cups of flour is about right!
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

  12. #12
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    I just made the Strawberry Shortcakes (one of the spelt recipes) and they are awesome! The dough came together really well and they are delicious with the sugar-free icing and fresh strawberries

    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

  13. #13
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Those look nice! The things I did like from Babycakes were the cookies (very nice sandwiched with the frosting), crumb cake and scones (which they call something different).
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  14. #14
    Mew Mew Mew! Kitteh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    Thanks, Marrers! I think these taste a bit like what us Aussies and Brits call scones actually. I know American scones are more triangular in shape, I don't know if they taste/feel the same.

    And someone on the PPK posted about their choc chip biccies turning out really well and I have heard good things about the brownies, so I think they are next on my list.
    cupcakekitteh.blogspot.com

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    Default Re: Babycakes

    I actually really love the Babycakes NYC cookbook.

    As most of us know, gluten-free baking can be very tricky. I find that with this book you have to follow the recipes 'to a T'.

    The author, Erin stresses that very well in her book and online. I completely agree with her, as I tried to just 'wing' one of her recipes, and it didn't turn out at all.

    I am one of those bakers that will use appoximate measurements, but I will not that do at all with this book. I break out my measuring spoons and cups and use them religiously for these recipes. It's essential!

    So far I've made:
    Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Bread
    Apple-Cinnamon Toastie
    Gingersnaps
    Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Macaroons
    Brownies
    Blondies
    Agave-sweetened Brownie Gems
    Vanilla Cupcakes
    Vanilla Crumb Base

    So 10 of about 40 recipes and I plan to go through the entire book!

    It's a great one!

  16. #16
    Mrs. Beane fondducoeur's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    I like this book so far as well. I have only made the apple cinnamon toastie and the agave-sweetened brownie gems, but they were both very good, especially the toastie. I really want to make the strawberry shortcakes when strawberries are in season.

    I got the book while at the bakery in NYC...and I enjoyed their baked goods, although I think I have had better. The cookies were especially delicious, but I agree that the cupcakes were a bit dry. I think this may be because they have to refrigerate them due to the melty icing.

    Terra, how was the jalapeno cheddar corn bread?
    tabbouleh-bouleh

  17. #17
    Why hello! xwitchymagicx's Avatar
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    Default Re: Babycakes

    It does actually say "mostly" gluten free on the bookcover...but if it is mostly why do most of them use spelt?

    I wish there was a good gluten free cake recipe...it fails for me!
    "It's not that people suddenly start breeding like rabbits; it's just that people stopped dropping like flies" - population explosion

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