Spice Cake - with optional Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Frosting

-

For our acappella rehearsal, Harold's wife Chris served this delicious, easy spice cake. The recipe came from her kids elementary class, made vegan so more kids could eat it. Super easy and good! It doesn't need frosting, but you can make it a pumpkin cream cheese cake easily if you want something special.

Ingredients

Dry:
3 C flour
2 C brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

spices:
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves

Wet:
1/2 C oil
2 T vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
2 C warm water OR 1 can pumpkin and ~1 C water

Cream cheese frosting option: 
6 oz Miyoio's plant-based cream cheese
4 oz Miyoko's vegan butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 C powdered sugar (more or less, to desired thickness)

Chocolate version: Use white sugar instead of brown and 1/2 C cocoa in place of spices; everything else the same!

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix together wet ingredients, then pour over dry. Mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. 

If making pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, I bake in 2 rounds plus half a dozen or so cupcakes. (It makes a lot of batter!) 

Bake in a greased 9x13" pan for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove and cool.

If using frosting, make frosting while the cake is baking. The frosting above is enough to cover everything lightly, and lightly is enough. Sometimes I frost one cake round plus the cupcakes, and freeze the other round along with the rest (slightly less than half) of the frosting for later, or to have handy for the next fall party invite!

Popular posts from this blog

Mushroom White Bean Gratin

-
Image
Elsa made this dish for a dinner party a couple of times, served with a salad. It was so good; I loved the rich flavor from the white beans and veggies and crusty bread -- so much that I bought a 6-qt cast iron dutch oven largely so I could try this out. The recipe below I've adapted some to add more veggies and a mix of fresh herbs. Ingredients 1/4 C oil 1 leek (or onion), finely chopped 3 large carrots, cut in 3/4" pieces 3 large celery, chopped (optional) 1 large potato, chopped (optional) (or other root veggies) 10 oz mushrooms, sliced 4-5 cloves garlic, minced 2 T flour 1 C water 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 T tomato paste OR 1 can diced tomatoes 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 C dry sherry 30 oz white beans (cooked, or two 15 oz cans) 4-5 slices country bread, cut in 1/2" cubes 1/4 C oil (olive or canola) 1/4 C minced parsley OR mix of fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, sage) chopped Instructions Chop and dice the veggies. Whisk together the flour and water.  Saute onion (with...
Read more

Whole Wheat Bread

-
Image
When we visit Robert and Judy, we often get to sample Robert's latest delicious homemade bread.  Robert shared with me the NYTimes recipe he follows for no-knead bread . He uses this recipe (also below, with whole wheat) with all whole-wheat flour, but suggested that I use some white flour the first time. I bought a 6 qt enamel dutch this week for this purpose, using it for the first time yesterday to make a yummy mushroom white bean gratin . Today I gave the bread a go. It turned out great! Definitely doing this again. Ingredients 1 C white flour 2 C whole wheat flour (or 1 C rye, 1 C whole wheat) 1/4 tsp instant yeast 1 1/2 tsp salt  1 5/8 C water (note: maybe more with whole wheat) Wheat bran or corn bran for dusting Parchment paper for transfer to dutch oven optional additions to dough: 1 C chopped walnuts, OR 2 T finely chopped rosemary 1 C kalamata olives Time needed: 18 hours + 2 hours + 40 min Instructions In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups w...
Read more

Crispy Sheet Pan Tofu

-
Image
Purple Carrot's  Crispy Sheet Pan Tofu  was relatively easy, with a couple nice twists, including the lentil grain mix, dressing, and layering. I don't expect to order more from Purple Carrot (see below*), but was glad for this recipe. I tweaked it to use  mujadara  and tried different veggies for dinner with Judy and Robert when they visited. Thanks, Robert, for the nice photo! Ingredients 1/2 C dry grains (mix of lentils, rice, quinoa) OR make mujadara  (yum!) 6 oz green beans 6 oz broccoli florets Other veggies as desired (mushroom, peppers, etc.) 16 oz extra firm tofu, pressed & drained 1 tsp coriander 1 T canola oil pinch salt and pepper lemon zest (other spices, like garlic and red pepper flakes, as desired) miso dressing: 2 T lemon juice 1/4 C hemp seeds (optional) 1 T white miso paste 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 T olive oil 3 T water Instructions Cook the grains in instant pot or with 1 1/4 C water on the stove (bring to boil, simmer 25 minutes). Remove fro...
Read more