Recently, Sam and I made the switch to a more plant based diet (vegan but without as many moral qualms – like we still eat honey). So one of my main challenges for the #bakeoffbakealong this year is to make as many of my bakes are vegan as possible.
But here it was. The Great British Bake Off was back. Without Mel, Sue, and beloved Mary. But still retaining that snake Paul Hollywood. Except that once Paul Hollywood really liked my sticky toffee puddings – not a euphemism – and tweeted me saying as much. It was my proudest moment.
The first episode still gave me all those excited feelings. Prue Leith is a knowledge powerhouse so I look forward to learning from her. I like Noel. I find him funny most times. He didn’t get into his groove in the first episode and seemed a bit awkward but I’m willing to bet that it was a bit of “first day” jitters and that he’ll find his own pace and voice within the Bake Off tent.
It’s only when I went back and rewatched some of the first season of the original Bake Off that I was reminded that it wasn’t as sleek and cuddly as we’ve known it to be over the past few years. It grew into it and I suppose we should give Channel 4 the benefit of the doubt for its teething pains as well.
And I don’t mind ad breaks. They give me a chance to get more cake.
But back to this week’s bakes: I made a vegan blueberry and lemon cake. And let me say, we are off to an auspicious start. The cake was light and moist and the frosting was creamy. I would have never guessed in a million years that there was no butter, cream or eggs in it. (I mean, I wouldn’t have guessed it had I not been the one to bake it.)
I’ve been experimenting with replacements in the sponge, and right now, I’m really liking the substitute of soy yogurt. Though I’ve also experimented with flax seed as well.
Vegan Blueberry and Lemon Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1/2 cup of soy yogurt
3/4 cup of oat milk
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoon of vegetable oil
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups of plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of blueberries tossed in 1 tablespoon of flour
For the frosting:
1 can of coconut milk
250 g of coconut yogurt
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 365 F (185 C). Line your cake tin.
In a small bowl, toss your blueberries in the reserved flour. Set aside. In medium sized bowl, sift together all your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder).
In your mixing bowl mix together all your wet ingredients (yogurt, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, oil, lemon zest). Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones. When your batter is thoroughly mixed, fold in your blueberries.
Bake for 55-60 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack and let your cake cool whilst you make your frosting.
Scoop the solid part of the coconut milk out of the tin and add it to your bowl. Then add yogurt and maple syrup and whip until smooth. (Refrigerate until you are ready to frost your cake.)
Notes:
If you’d like to add some colour to your frosting, muddle in a bit of blueberry.
Harold loved this cake. He gave it 5 licks (out of 5 licks).
Next week is biscuit week, and I’m already excited!
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