birthday cake

[guajolote]

Is it possible to make a cake with no eggs and no dairy? My son is allergic to both (and peanuts) and his birthday is coming up.

[Fritz Brenner]

I am by no means a baking expert, so I know many others will answer this question better. However, there are definitely vegan desserts out there... applesauce is one way vegans make their desserts, also bananas, coconut-- to add depth and to make things stick I suppose...

Vegan desserts that simply imitate rich cakes, pies, or cookies, in my opinion, just don't cut it. If your son likes fruit (and you're going to the Evanston farmer's market soon...), I would roast some, or make sorbets.... concentrate on things that can stand alone and wouldn't require lots of non-dairy substitutions.

Fritz

[tsquare]

There is a very palatable chocolate cake that mixes in a single pan - uses oil, no butter or other dairy, no eggs. I think there was a recent thread that included it. If no one points it up sooner, I can find a recipe at home for you. For something fancier, there are plenty of sources such as The Millenium Restaurant Cookbook (from San Francisco) - I think that is the correct name - a fancy vegan place.

[nightscotsman]

Absolutely. Two words: Crazy Cake. Makes a rich tasting, moist, fudgy chocolate cake. The one I linked to is only one of the probably hundreds of recipes for the same cake out there on the net. Of course you can just as easily bake it in round pans for a layer cake.

[guajolote]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to make the crazy cake.

I'd make something else, but you need to have a picture of your 1 year old with a cake. I'll probably make him some ribs too, as that seems to be his favorite food.

[nerissa]

I am flipping through The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison for non dairy and non eggs dessert recipes...there are a couple. PM me if you are interested.

[torakris]

When I need a chocolate fix and don't want to go to the store I make the All in the pan chocolate cake from Regan Daley's In the Sweet Kitchen. No eggs, milk or butter.

Upon closer inspection I see that it is exactly the same recipe as the crazy cake.

Go for it, is a great cake, my kids love it!

[wannabake]

Here's a great site www.vegan-food.net for a bunch of cakes just in case...

[tsquare]

I thought Nightscotsman might come to the rescue.

That's the cake I was referring to as well - started eating it back in '74! I have a recipe for a 8"x8" size - same ingredients, slightly different proportions. Also, a carob (!!!) version with a coconut-walnut bake-on topping. Hey, it was Santa Cruz (California) style afterall!

[Rhea_S]

What would you use for frosting? I can't think of any at the moment that have no eggs and/or dairy.

[Marlene]

What would you use for frosting? I can't think of any at the moment that have no eggs and/or dairy.

melted chocolate and icing sugar with maybe a little vanilla?

[guajolote]

What would you use for frosting? I can't think of any at the moment that have no eggs and/or dairy.

That was my next question - any ideas about frosting?

Edit: There are a couple at the vegan-food.net website. They mostly seem to use corn starch as a thickener for simple syrup.

Edited May 15, 2003 by guajolote (log)

[Elizabeth_11]

hhmm I would imagine that a simple chocolate glaze would work---melted chocolate with corn syrup perhaps? Pour it on for the glaze and if you need a filling, maybe let it thicken up and whip it---but make sure it's not a chocolate with butterfat added! This is just me thinking out loud, however. I've never tried this but have seen the corn syrup/chocolate glaze on epicurious.com before.

*edited to add that you could use the dreaded (by some) vegetable shortening/margarine type frosting with powdered sugar and vanilla, and thin it up with water instead of milk, like the bakeries use. Add some cocoa or melted chocolae to make it chocolate frosting, and you could even melt the margarine first to make it "fudgier". Some people really love that kind of frosting, others hate it--not sure which category you'd fall into! *

Edited May 16, 2003 by Elizabeth_11 (log)

[nightscotsman]

When I made the Crazy Cake for one of my bosses (who was convinced for a few months that she was alergic to wheat, dairy and eggs), I made a simple "buttercream" using margarine. Since it was chocolate, the butter flavor wasn't as important:

1/2 cup softened margarine

4-6 oz melted and cooled semisweet chocolate

16 oz sifted powdered sugar

cream margarine and beat in about 1/4 cup of sugar. beat in chocolate, then continue to add sugar to reach spreading consistency.

If you want to do a glaze, you could do it with chocolate and water:

12 oz high quality semi or bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips)

6 Tbsps very got water

Melt chocolate and whisk in water all at once, do not add gradually. stir until chocolate is smooth. Pour over cake while still warm.

[guajolote]

My wife made the cake for the birthday birthday and it was quite good (for chocolate cake, anyway). My mother-in-law remembered this cake, she said that people started making it during WW2 when there were egg/dairy shortages. My son ate two pieces and got cake up his nose, on his eyelids, in his ears etc.

Thanks everyone.

[Schielke]

My son ate two pieces and got cake up his nose, on his eyelids, in his ears etc.

Success!