rants & recipes

I semi-recently purchased these cute little 4-inch cake pans but I'm just now getting around to using them. They make exactly one-quarter of a two 8-inch layer cake. For a 9-inch layer cake, they make a fifth. For 8-inch and 9 inch layer cake icing recipes, you'll need 1/2 or 1/3 recipe, respectively

So, I have a mental list of cakes I wanted to try - yellow with chocolate frosting, carrot with vegan cream cheese frosting ... but I settled on this Chai cake recipe since I've made it before and it always turns out well.

• 75 grams all purpose flour
• 5 tsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• scant 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 6 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
• scant 1/4 tsp baking soda
• scant 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp + 1 tsp soymilk
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp applesauce
• 1 scant tsp vanilla
• scant 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp vegan mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease 2 4" round cake pans.
3. In a bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, spices, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
4. Combine soymilk, applesauce, oil and vanilla.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir until all flour is absorbed.
6. Next add vinegar and stir until evenly distributed throughout batter.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.
8. Cool and frost.

• 3 ounces powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegan margarine
• 3 tbsp vegan shortening
• 2 1/2 tsp soymilk
• generous 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• generous 1/4 tsp cardamom
• pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients until smooth.
2. Add more shortening, if needed, to achieve spreable texture.
3. Refrigerate for a few minutes, to firm up, before frosting cooled cake.