Tag: easy recipe

Adaptable Recipes, Dessert, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meal- Let There Be Cake!

ccanton84

 

Whether it’s a fancy wedding or birthday cake, or maybe an all-butter pound cake at a barbecue,  people can’t help but smile and get ready to dig in.  Cake makes the dessert world go around and round.

Nevertheless, there are times when you’re not in the mood to tackle making a cake from scratch. You want something fast and easy. So, before you pick up a box of cake mix, this recipe for vanilla cake comes together in a snap. Moreover, it doesn’t contain any butter or dairy.

King Arthur’s Vanilla Cake is reminiscent of a recipe that became popular first during the Great Depression and then again around World War II when items like butter and eggs were rationed. The result is a light and tender cake with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s also vegan and can be adapted for gluten sensitivities.

 

Vanilla Cake Pan Cake by King Arthur adapted by Still a Chick Lit

 

PREP 10 mins
BAKE 30 to 35 mins
TOTAL 1 hr

Cake

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour  (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, white rice, brown rice, or sorghum flour plus 2 tablespoons of xanthan gum)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (198g) water

1/2 cup (99g) vegetable oil

3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar. (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed finely)

4 1/2 teaspoons (21g) cider vinegar or white vinegar

1 tablespoon (14g) clear vanilla or vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting

4 tablespoons (57g) butter, regular or vegan, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups (283g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted if it’s lumpy.

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla or vanilla

about 2 tablespoons (28g) water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” square or 9” round pan that’s at least 2” deep.

To make the cake: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the water, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and almond extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. It’s OK for a few small lumps to remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top feels set, the edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and either serve the cake warm from the oven or allow it to cool completely in the pan before frosting.

To make the frosting: Beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until no large pieces of butter remain.

Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the water, beating to incorporate. Add enough additional water, a teaspoon at a time, to make a spreadable frosting.

Leaving the cake right in the pan, if desired, use a spatula or flat knife to apply the frosting.

Storage information: Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for more extended storage.

 

Living Your Best Life North of Forty and Fifty Plus

Spring is in the air again. Why not put blueberry muffins on the table?

ccanton84
https://stillachicklit.com/for-serious-foodies/

The first week after Daylight Savings Time is usually pretty hard for most people. However, the arrival of spring helps make the time change a little more bearable. The days are longer and we begin to see more spring vegetables and fruits in the market.

I love blueberries. They are rich in antioxidants, sweet, and a good source of fiber. I am always on the hunt for a good blueberry muffin recipe. Luckily, the majority of the recipes I’ve tried have turned out well.

I’m sharing this recipe from the Life Made Simple blog. I adapted it for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-sensitivities, low and no-sugar diets. It’s a tasty way to get more fiber in your family’s diets. I hope you try this recipe for one fine spring morning at your home.

Blueberry muffins by Life Made Simple adapted by me

 INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend, sorghum, or brown rice flour)

1/2 cup cake flour ( ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose less 3 tablespoons, then add 3 tablespoons gluten-free cornstarch, sift together)

1 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar, pulsed fine)

1/4 cup vegetable oil – or coconut oil

4 tbsp unsalted butter – melted (vegan unsalted butter)

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (3/4 cup of soy, rice, almond, oat, or light coconut milk with 1 ½ teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, combine and let stand for five minutes before using)

2 eggs ( ¼ cup Aquafaba, ½ cup silken tofu pureed with ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 2 flaxseed or chia seed eggs, or vegan egg replacer)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

11/2 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 2 lemons or the zest of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons of orange zest

1 1/4 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen

3 tbsp coarse sugar or raw cane sugar – optional topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 12 standard muffin cups with liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, lightly beat together oil, butter, vanilla, eggs, and milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.

With mixing speed on low, slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

Remove bowl from stand, gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way full. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place into oven and bake for 24-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Place muffins on wire rack to cool completely.

  • Notes
  • I used a combination of orange and lemon zest in this recipe. I also prefer adding the zest to the flour. I find that even when you mix the wet ingredients well, the zest has a habit of clumping together. If you add the zest to the flour mixture, it gets evenly distributed, and you don’t run the risk of clumps or over-stirring your batter.

Recipe adapted from Life Made Simple blog