Day 276 Apple Cake

Apple Cake

1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 Cup Earth Balance, melted
Equivalent 2 Eggs *
1 Apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped

*2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed, 2 Teaspoon Potato Starch, 2 Tablespoons Oil, 6 Tablespoons Water, 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder - mixed

Mixed batter

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Stir 30 seconds to distribute.  Add the applesauce, Earth Balance and eggs.  Mix on speed 2 for 1 minutes.  Stop and scrape the bowl.  Mix on speed 4 until well combined.  Add the apple and walnuts.  Turn to stir speed and mix just until blended.

2.  Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking pan.  Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Soundtrack 20 #1's:00 - Various Artists.

Day 243 Healthy Chocolate Cake

Healthy Chocolate Cake

Cake
1 2/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3 Teaspoon Baking Soda
3 1/4 Cup Dates, pitted
1 Cup Pineapple, chunked
1 Banana
1 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Golden Beet, peeled and shredded
1 Carrot, shredded
1/2 Cup Zucchini, shredded
4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Raisins
1 Cup Walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 Cups Water
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Nut Icing
1 1/3 Cup Cashews, soaked
1 Cup Almond Milk
2/3 Cup Dates, pitted
3 1/2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Dry ingredients

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl.

Fruit puree

2.  In a food processor, puree 3 cups of the date, pineapple, banana and applesauce.  Slice remaining dates into small pieces and stir in.

Raw cake

3.  In a large bowl, mix the beets, carrots, zucchini, raisins, walnuts, water, cocoa, vanilla and flour mixture.  Add the fruit mixture and stir well.  Pour into a greased 9 X 13 pan.

4.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tooth pick in the center comes out clean,

Icing

5.  For icing, use a high powered blender and combine all the icing ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Spread on a cooled cake.

Goes well with strawberries.

Soundtrack The Slanted Sound - Between a Rock and a Funk Place

Day 31 Mardi Gras King Cake

Mardi Gras King Cake

1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/4 Safflower Oil
1/3 Cup Warm Water
2 Packages Dry Yeast (4 1/2 Teaspoons)
Equivalent of 3 Eggs
Rind of 1 Lemon, grated
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg. freshly grated
4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 King Cake Baby
Purple, Yellow and Green Sugars

Before rising

1. Combine milk, sugar, salt and oils.  Microwave until the coconut oil melts. After it cools, add the egg replacement. Dissolve the yeast in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer, and let stand for 10 minutes.  While mixer is running with a dough hook attachment, alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.  It should form a ball.

Risen dough

2.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn over, and cover with a damp cloth.  Let rise for 1 1/2 hours, until double in size.

Hiding the baby

3.  Punch dough down and knead a few minutes.  Divide the dough into thirds.  Roll each portion into a strip 24 to 28 inches long. Insert the baby into one of the strips.  Braid the strips and form a circle.  Secure the ends and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

Braided and ready to bake

4.  Bake at 375 for 20 - 30 minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely.

Freshly baked

Lemon Glaze

1 1/2 Cups Confectioners' Sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon
Water if needed
Pinch of Turmeric (for coloring)

Mix all ingredients until smooth

5.  Frost cake with lemon glaze. Sprinkle with alternating stripes of purple, yellow and green sugars.

Goes well with Vinho Verde or Zinfadel.

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