Category: Dessert

There are so many options in our pantry…

Marmalade, I think, and strawberry jam. Christmas should always have oranges, and strawberries make me think of the hill country in Sri Lanka…

Next step, cashews. I suppose you could use other nuts in your fruitcake, but why would you, when you can use cashews?

Some people have very precise recipes for what dried fruit they’re going to put in their rich cake. Me, it’s just 2 1/2 lbs. of whatever dried fruit I have around. This year, we have: papaya, fig, sultanas, cranberries, goji berries, pear. Fun.

When all the fruit is chopped (thanks, Kevin), it is very satisfying. Also, very happy with this photo, it came out so pretty.

Stir-Up Sunday isn’t ’til next weekend, but I’m out of town then, and I wanted to try to sneak a vegan fruitcake into the cookbook, so here we go…

Kavi, who’s been a little sick for a few days: Do we have any chocolate?
Me, dubiously: We have chocolate chips.
Kavi, pathetically: Anything more dessert-y?
Me, thinking: How does chocolate pudding sound?
Kavi, cheerfully: I haven’t had chocolate pudding in forever. That sounds great.
Me, a gleam in my eye: Give me a few minutes.

….ten minutes later, drumroll….

Presenting very dessert-y chocolate pudding!

(Instant vanilla pudding we happened to have on hand, cooked on the stovetop with chocolate chips melted in, chilled in our fanciest gold-flecked dessert bowl, with gold candies scattered over, graced with graham crackers…)

*****

I am happy to inform you that milady was pleased with the offering; there will be no chastisement in the kitchens tonight.

So it turns out that this vegan version of love cake takes a little longer to bake to brown up, but otherwise, it seems to work just fine! I’m happy with the texture, which is the important thing that was worrying me.

I want to try another variation (using egg replacer instead of bananas & aquafaba) before I settle on something final for the cookbook, but this is totally acceptable. It’s a little bit like a cross between banana bread and love cake. Interesting!

Honeycomb honey cake divides up very nicely for sending out to various people.

Honey-Lemon Pull-Apart Cake

This is just slightly modified from the recipe that comes with this charming pan (link in comments). It makes a light and fluffy cake; you can serve as is, sprinkle powdered sugar on top, or for extra flavor, top with a honey-lemon glaze.

3 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey

4 large eggs

2 T finely grated lemon rind

1 c. sour cream

Glaze:

3 T honey

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T lemon juice

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F. Grease and flour pan (or use baking spray); set aside.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In large bowl, cream softened butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy, scraping bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until well-blended. Add flour mixture and sour cream in portions, alternately and blend on low; stir in grated lemon rind.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean; cool ten minutes in pan, then turn out to finish cooling on wire rack.

Glaze:In small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients and heat until sugar dissolves. Brush warm glaze over cooling cake.