Vegan Baking

BabyCakes LA: In a city dominated by cupcakes overflowing with sugar, flour and butter cream, it’s easy for those with persnickety diets to feel left out. BabyCakes offers all-natural, organic and delicious alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Rest assured, all sweeteners have been chosen responsibly and used sparingly. White sugar will never be found in our bakery, nor will we ever use toxic chemical sweeteners. Instead, most products are sweetened with agave nectar—a natural syrup from a cactus which is low on the glycemia index and often a safe alternative to most non-insulin dependant diabetics. Occasionally, unprocessed and unrefined sugar is used in certain goods, although sparingly.

This Sprouted Wild Yeasted Whole Wheat Bread recipe is a nod to how the first breads probably got their start. Wheat berries were probably softened with water, ground and left out in the elements where they were then populated by airborne yeasts and bacteria, causing the dough to rise slightly. Placing this dough on hot rocks in or near a fire probably resulted in a fine vegan treat like nothing else available at the time.

This smooth White Chocolate Ganache recipe uses cocoa butter without the cocoa solids making it a versatile white and creamy vegan topping for cakes, truffles or fillings. Unlike margarine or butter, cocoa butter and coconut oils melt rapidly when they reach their melting point instead of softening slowly. Due to this, extra care must be taken as it resolidifies from it's melting temperature of 93F (34C) to 100F (38C). You can adjust the firmness by adding or subtracting 1 Tablespoon of water. Also feel free to substitute 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of liqueur or other flavoring extract to further customize your ganache.

I have an obsession with sprouting grains and legumes. I think it's related to my obsession of inviting nature take it's sweet time to process your raw ingredients in it's own special way. Sprouting instead of cooking has many advantages if you have the roughly three days to spare. Supplanting puréed sprouted grains for some or all of your flour is also a great way to make hearty breads.

One of my favorite breakfasts is this Gingerbread Waffle recipe accompanied by a cup of strong coffee and veggie sausage on the side. Just when you''re thinking that you may be eating dessert you'll notice a savoriness that will assert that this is indeed breakfast. Slather these vegan waffles with a touch of almond butter, a splash of maple syrup and a sprinkling of Balsamic Candied Pecans to make this a truly memorable experience.

So now that you're making your own bread, or at least enjoying your favorite tasty bread to the fullest, how do you store it so it's as good as possible for as long as possible? I've seen it all in bread storage schemes. Bread stored in paper bags, in the freezer, in the refrigerator; I remember a friend who's Mom stored even it in the microwave oven, using it as a makeshift bread box. The question of how to best store bread is difficult to answer. This is because it depends on what your goal is: Are you planning on keeping high quality bread as fresh as possible for a few days so it can be used for the next chowdown with minimal staling? Are you just trying to squeeze maximum longevity of your sandwich bread to it can be used up before it starts to mold?

Is Mom into vegan baking, traditional baking or just benefiting from the aftermath of whoever bakes? No problem. Read on for what I recommend for Mom this Mother's Day.

This silky smooth vegan Peanut Butter Frosting packs a peanut buttery punch that can really dress up any vegan cake. This recipe takes advantage of caramelizing sugar to the thread stage of 230F (110C) where it contributes a smooth velvety texture. It also utilizes the power of soy milk powder (not to be confused with soy flour). Soy milk powder adds extraordinary creaminess while still allowing the frosting to remain firm.

Pop tarts are one of the easiest ways to pair fruit with flaky pastry goodness. This vegan Strawberry Pop Tart recipe can be customized with whatever fruit preserves you have on hand. You can also fill them with things like chocolate; maple sugar and cinnamon; bananas and coconut, the possibilities are endless! Heck, you can even fill them with savory stuff like caramelized onions, mushrooms and potatoes. I won't judge. Just be sure to keep the filling under 2 teaspoons so they don't push out the sides during baking. The pastry is based on Flaky Pie Crust and features just the right ratio of Vegan Butter or margarine to shortening for the flakiest, most flavorful crust around.

This Sourdough Pancake recipe is one more reason to keep a sourdough starter in your refrigerator at all times. They're wild yeasted which gives them a fascinatingly complex flavor not normally found in either vegan or traditional pancakes. They require advance preparation of a sourdough starter that is used as the foundation of the batter. If you already have this batter around, these pancakes will be even easier to make than Easy Pancakes. If you keep your starter in the refrigerator, it doesn't need to be removed several hours before using as it does in bread baking. Feel free to mix 1 cup of berries or ½ cup chopped nuts into the batter before pouring. Top them with maple syrup and/or a dollop of almond butter.

This Maple Roasted Peanut recipe makes an addictive snack. Once I was on a San Francisco Muni train and was in the process of getting busted for both sneaking on without paying and eating while on the train. As the Muni cops closed in, I clutched my container of vegan Maple Roasted Peanuts tightly.

Use this smooth, creamy Buttercream Frosting recipe for decadent vegan cakes where you want some buttery flavor to shine through. In my search for a truly decadent frosting that is also resistant to melting in warmer temperatures, I utilized the power of soy milk powder.  (not to be confused with soy flour). Soy milk powder adds extraordinary creaminess while still allowing the frosting to remain firm. This allowed me to use a simple syrup (sugar and water) for a sweetener so the frosting is silky smooth. This vegan frosting also takes advantage of caramelizing sugar to the thread stage of 230F (110C) where it contributes a smooth velvety texture. Finally, I used Vegan Butter or margarine as the main fat due to it's affordability and availability.

This Wild Yeasted Wheat Bread recipe, also known as sourdough bread uses a wild yeast sponge to leaven the dough, creating a multitude of complex flavor compounds in the process. Be sure to read and cultivate your wild yeast starter and sponge before starting this vegan bread. Sandwich breads baked in loaf pans are usually baked at lower temperatures around 350F (177C) to 375F (191C) and 'enriched' with things like sweeteners, oil and extra salt. Artisan breads formed and baked without loaf pans are baked at higher temperatures around 400F (204C) to 475F (246C) where the heat allows extra flavors to be developed. Taking this into account, your bread recipe and baking process will be slightly different depending on which method you choose. This recipe gives you options for both styles.

This Vanilla Cupcake recipe makes light and airy vegan cupcakes that have a soft, tender crumb due to the addition of arrowroot flour as well as apple cider vinegar. Vanilla extract and a touch of almond extract tie it all together. These cupcakes utilize the quick bread method which involves mixing your dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls, then mixing them both together at the end. This is a really easy way to make great cakes that have tender and spongy qualities. The drawback of this style is you have to be careful if you adjust the amount of sugar; more sugar will tenderize the batter, negatively affecting rise. These cupcakes are a little under sweet for my taste but if you're going for an elaborate frosting job no one will notice. If you increase the sugar in this quick bread method by even 1 Tablespoon, the cupcakes won't rise enough so it's not recommended. Use these cupcakes as a base for other flavor variations by switching out some of the flour and/or flavoring extracts. If you're looking for a cupcake that's a little bit more sweet and full flavored check out the Vanilla Cupcakes - Cream Method.

Having a wild yeast starter (also known as a sourdough starter) in your possession can lead to a whole new wold of fascinating flavors and food experiences. Everything from breads, pancakes, sweetbreads to pizza doughs can be made with wild yeasted dough, which has no need for commercial bread yeasts. Think of it as your magic little dough friend that's actually alive, waiting to morph into and enhance whatever you introduce it to. Read on as I talk about the history of wild yeast starters and how to put them to good use in your kitchen.