<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for A decadent chocolate cake for your sweetie, minus the animal products]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by JudyK http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:40:42 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/1 ...and the baking soda?

Hiya - no leavening agent appears in the cake recipe.  How much baking soda should we be using?

Otherwise, a very intriguing recipe!

Judy

]]> ...and the baking soda?

Hiya - no leavening agent appears in the cake recipe.  How much baking soda should we be using?

Otherwise, a very intriguing recipe!

Judy

]]> Comment #2 by farmersdaughter http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:23:38 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/2 DON'T FORGET THE BAKING SODA

Thanks so much,Judy, for pointing out my omission.

1 teaspoon of baking soda is missing from the ingredient lists.

My apologies,
April

]]> DON'T FORGET THE BAKING SODA

Thanks so much,Judy, for pointing out my omission.

1 teaspoon of baking soda is missing from the ingredient lists.

My apologies,
April

]]> Comment #3 by CyberBrook http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:12:26 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/3 yum!

yum!

]]> yum!

yum!

]]> Comment #4 by dzambetti http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:18:53 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/4 sugar subsitutes?

I appreciate the attempt to get away from refined sugar. Do you have any recommendations for sugar substiutes in this recipe that aren't sugar cane based? Would agave or stevia work as a sweetener here? -- thanks!

]]> sugar subsitutes?

I appreciate the attempt to get away from refined sugar. Do you have any recommendations for sugar substiutes in this recipe that aren't sugar cane based? Would agave or stevia work as a sweetener here? -- thanks!

]]> Comment #5 by farmersdaughter http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:55:07 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/5 other sugar substitutes

In the cake, I have before used sorghum molasses (in the millet family, I believe) with good results.  Both sorghum and agave are liquid sweeteners so you need to decrease the amount of liquid called for in the recipe by 1/3.  In the above recipe instead of 1 cup of coconut juice, use 2/3 cup.

But for agave, you need to make further adjustments because it is sweeter than sugar, thus you need less of it. The general rule for agave is to decrease the amount of sweetener called for by 1/4.  For example, in the above recipe you would substitute the 1 cup of Rapadura with 3/4 cups of agave.

The back of the bottle of agave nectar has sugar substitution recommendations as well.

I have not tried this cake with agave, but I am pretty sure the above substitutions would work.  

This frosting recipe, however, will not work if you use agave.  When you whip the chocolate mixture with the wooden spoon, you are pushing the sugar molecules into one another causing crystallization to occur. I do not think agave behaves this way (I've never seen it crystallize in its bottle).  

Last, I have not used stevia much, but I believe the sugar substitution guide on the box would work in the cake recipe.

If you try any of these, please let us know how it turns out.

Happy Baking!

April

]]> other sugar substitutes

In the cake, I have before used sorghum molasses (in the millet family, I believe) with good results.  Both sorghum and agave are liquid sweeteners so you need to decrease the amount of liquid called for in the recipe by 1/3.  In the above recipe instead of 1 cup of coconut juice, use 2/3 cup.

But for agave, you need to make further adjustments because it is sweeter than sugar, thus you need less of it. The general rule for agave is to decrease the amount of sweetener called for by 1/4.  For example, in the above recipe you would substitute the 1 cup of Rapadura with 3/4 cups of agave.

The back of the bottle of agave nectar has sugar substitution recommendations as well.

I have not tried this cake with agave, but I am pretty sure the above substitutions would work.  

This frosting recipe, however, will not work if you use agave.  When you whip the chocolate mixture with the wooden spoon, you are pushing the sugar molecules into one another causing crystallization to occur. I do not think agave behaves this way (I've never seen it crystallize in its bottle).  

Last, I have not used stevia much, but I believe the sugar substitution guide on the box would work in the cake recipe.

If you try any of these, please let us know how it turns out.

Happy Baking!

April

]]> Comment #6 by natureguru http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:26:20 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/6 The purest of intentions

Thank you so much, April! Although I do use soy margarine and silken tofu for things like cookies and puddings, I am dying to try your recipe. Do you have others? Keep on writing!

]]> The purest of intentions

Thank you so much, April! Although I do use soy margarine and silken tofu for things like cookies and puddings, I am dying to try your recipe. Do you have others? Keep on writing!

]]> Comment #7 by SaraJane http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:47:36 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/7 yum!

That sounds delicious, I am going to have to hunt up some virgin coconut oil! :)

]]> yum!

That sounds delicious, I am going to have to hunt up some virgin coconut oil! :)

]]> Comment #8 by dzambetti http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:37:09 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/8 thanks!

april,
thanks so much for the sugar sub info. can't wait to try the recipe.

]]> thanks!

april,
thanks so much for the sugar sub info. can't wait to try the recipe.

]]> Comment #9 by John former Marine http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:32:50 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/9 Excellent cake

I took out half of the sugar, substituted with a much smaller sweetening-equivalent amount of stevia, and increased the cocoa to a full cup.  It worked out great.

Both the cake and frosting were delicious with a subtle flavor of coconut milk.

]]> Excellent cake

I took out half of the sugar, substituted with a much smaller sweetening-equivalent amount of stevia, and increased the cocoa to a full cup.  It worked out great.

Both the cake and frosting were delicious with a subtle flavor of coconut milk.

]]> Comment #10 by Kong http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/ Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:52:38 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/My-Vegan-Valentine/10 Really sweet. Thanks a lot for the recipes. I bet that without animal products, my cake can still be delicious.

Kong from social bookmark

]]> Really sweet. Thanks a lot for the recipes. I bet that without animal products, my cake can still be delicious.

Kong from social bookmark

]]>