I mentioned in a previous post that February is a celebratory month for our family because it includes a lot of events. Two weeks ago we celebrated my daughter's sixth birthday. And for her special day she requested that I invite her entire class plus the class next door as well as all the teachers and other school staff. My husband requested that we invite no one so that he could end up with more cake. Me trying to wrangle 52 kids is the equivalent of a horror show and having a birthday party devoid of friends seemed more like child abuse. Pleasing everyone is a goal not easily achieved. Needless to say, after much discussion (and multiple family meetings involving bribery and various political deliberations akin to the UN summit) we were able to shrink the number down to five kids and a really big massive chocolate heart cake.

It wasn't too hard to find heart shaped pans given that Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I had a small 8 inch heart shaped pan but I found a big pan in the bulk barn one day and so I decided to make a two tier heart shaped cake (ambitious, I know). It turned out pretty good. Kids and adults enjoyed it and there was not much left after the day was over.

This would also be perfect as a Valentine's Day cake. ENJOY!

Two Tier Heart Cake (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Serves 24

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/8 cup hot water
1 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee granules

Frosting
1 pack Vanilla instant pudding powder
1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 cups Nutriwhip (or any dairy free whipping cream)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
food colouring of choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the big and small heart shape cake pans with dairy free cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, applesauce, soy milk and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add instant coffee granules to the hot water and pour over mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium/high speed for 1 minute or until no more lumps are present. The batter should be runny. Pour batter into small pan until it is half full. Pour remainder of batter in the big pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Check the small cake frequently as it may be done sooner than the larger cake. Let cool in pan for ten minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

When the cake is cooled make the frosting. Combine instant vanilla pudding and soy milk. Whisk until thick. It will be very thick. Set aside then prepare the Nutriwhip. Beat on high speed while gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the pudding until thoroughly combined. Frosting should resemble whipped topping in consistency and be fairly stiff in order to pipe easily. Add desired food colouring accordingly.

Assembly:
Place the larger cake layer upside down and cover completely with a thin layer of frosting. Place the small heart layer on top of the big heart, in the centre and cover with a thin layer of frosting as well. Chill for ten minutes while you place the remainder of the frosting into piping bags and choose your desired tip. Set aside. Remove cake from fridge and cover with a thick layer of frosting on top and sides. Smooth out the edges so piping can be more uniform. Decorate cake using a combination of frosting and sprinkles or candy. Store remaining frosting in fridge or freezer.

Valentine's Day is this week but I like to celebrate all month. Any excuse for a party - that's me. February holds a lot of important dates for us. In addition to Valentine's Day, it's the month my sweet little girl was born and also the anniversary of my engagement to TJ. In honour of all those events, I decided to treat the family with baked goods full of love.

I give you these... they are spicy, chewy and yummy. And if you're an edge person, you'll love the edges. They are divine.

Spice Chewies (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 24 pieces

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch tray with foil or parchment paper and lightly grease with dairy free cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat margarine and sugar until smooth. Add applesauce and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Beat until mixture comes together and resembles cookie dough. It should be very thick and crumbly. Pour into prepared tray and spread with spatula. Press with your hands until the top is even and smooth. Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting.

Note: I usually cut them into squares but they can easily be cut into any shape using cookie cutters. I used a heart shaped cutter to make neat little bite size hearts.

This is what happens when sweet potatoes are on sale at the grocery store...

1. Go to grocery store; buy sweet potatoes, more than I'll ever need in a lifetime

2. Come home; wash all five pounds of sweet potatoes

3. Place on foil lined tray and bake for one hour

4. Let cool then peel; chop and puree until totally smooth

5. Divide into nifty little containers and stick in freezer

6. Some several centuries later, discover a rogue sweet potato container that's been using the top drawer of the freezer as it's base of operations and is holding a bag of frozen green beans hostage

7. Neutralize threat in the microwave and reintegrate with the general populace

Sweet Potato Cheesecake (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields a 10 inch round cake

Base
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (dairy, egg & nut free)
1/4 cup dairy free margarine, melted
2 Tbsp brown sugar firmly packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Filling
1 cup dairy free cream cheese (8 oz container)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
4 Tbsp dairy free custard powder (such as Bird's Custard Powder)
3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed
1/4 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Topping
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp quick cooking oats
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dairy free margarine

Start by making the base. Place graham cracker crumbs in a medium size bowl. Add melted margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. You could also use a ten inch springform pan. Place in fridge while you make the filling and topping.

To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until it resembles pea size crumbs. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, vanilla, sugars and custard powder until light and fluffy. Add sweet potato puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix on medium speed until filling is smooth. Remove crust from fridge. Gently pour filling into pan and even out the top with a spatula. Sprinkle with topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the edges look set and the centre is still jiggly. The top should be golden brown. Chill in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

When ready to serve, remove from pan and slice. Place a dollop of dairy free whipped cream or coconut cream and top with dairy free caramel sauce.

P.S. I do not count calories during Christmas; it's too stressful!

The name's Doodle. Snicker Doodle. (insert 007 music here)

This cookie has been eluding me for the longest time. Over the past 5 years, I've made several versions of my favourite snickerdoodle cookie and I could never get it to be as good as the egg and dairy version. Well folks, the wait is over. Tonight the creative juices were running high. Coupled with my unwavering determination and borderline insane obsession with anything cinnamon, my frequently fragmented thoughts came together in harmony to create the best snickerdoodle cookie I have ever tasted. I mean EVER.

You must try them. NOW.

Snickerdoodle Cookies (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
Cinnamon Sugar for rolling (2 Tbsp sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine margarine and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and applesauce. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix until dough comes together and no flour is visible.

In a small bowl, prepare cinnamon sugar. Using a small cookie scooper, drop dough into cinnamon sugar two at a time and roll until well covered. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the centre looks like it's barely done.

If you like them crunchy, leave them in the oven for an extra minute.

I prefer mine crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. 

Can't. Stop. Eating.

See what I mean...?

I've had several people ask me for my famous rainbow cupcakes recipe. I always boasted that it was on line. Well, today one of the teachers in Maya's school said she couldn't find the recipe on my web site. To my surprise, I couldn't find it either. It turns out that I never posted it on the web site. I wrote it down in my cookbook, but the recipe never made its way to allergymom.ca. To say that I am totally clueless would be a severe understatement. Anyway, the recipe is now on line; please feel free to enjoy and pass around. Sorry for not posting it earlier. Better late than never, I guess.

When I make this recipe into rainbow cupcakes, I usually just add a tablespoon of rainbow sprinkles to the batter right before pouring it into the pan. It's very adaptable, quick and easy. I'm the queen of the three E's - easy, efficient, and economical. This is the recipe I use for last minute requests or a large group of people (like a classroom of 24 adorable kids). This recipe comes out perfect every time and tastes delicious. It's both kid and adult approved. I often use my favourite white cake recipe that I make from scratch. However, when pressed for time, I often use my adapted box cake mix that is dairy and egg free. Please don't be hatin' the box mix - they do come in handy sometimes. Last month I was pressed for time (if you know me then you're aware that I'm constantly overworked and my schedule self implodes on a regular basis), but I still managed to make Halloween cupcakes for Maya's classroom. I think the children deserve a treat every once in a while and I know for a fact that her teacher works so hard to keep things running smooth, efficient and safe, so I felt like the least I could do was make cupcakes and decorate them with the kids, when the teacher asked me to. Just in case you're wondering, the cupcakes got the thumbs up from everyone. ENJOY!

White Cupcakes (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 24 cupcakes

1 box white cake mix, WITHOUT PUDDING (dairy & egg free variety)
1/2 cup any juice (have none? don't fret, just replace with water; I'm easy to get along with)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soy yoghurt, or applesauce (both work well)
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tablespoon cake sprinkles (optional)

Frosting
1 cup Nutriwhip (or any dairy free whipping cream)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix (3.5 oz size)
1 cup soy milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12 cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cake mix, juice, water, oil, yoghurt and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened. Increased speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Gently fold in cake sprinkles if using, and divide batter evenly among cupcake pans.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat Nutriwhip on high while gradually pouring sugar. Beat for two minutes or until very stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, combine pudding mix and soy milk. Whisk until it thickens. Add to Nutriwhip and beat until thoroughly combined. Use food colouring as desired and other cake decorations. Have fun and go wild!

Last night I was over at my neighbour's house. The girls had gotten together and I was asked to go over there and do a demonstration about some hair product I've been raving about because I have uncooperative and unruly hair and this product has changed my life and I wanted to share the wealth. Because I'm just that nice. Okay, maybe not, but if you recall at an earlier post, I mentioned that I'm trying to be more Canadian and that means being more nice. I figure if I'm nice at least once a month, maybe Karma wouldn't have its panties in a bunch all the time and maybe, just maybe it would give me a break. Right about now you're probably asking yourself what does hair product have to do with food allergies and enough with the jibber jabber. What I meant to say is that I made the perfect Fall cake to take to the girls' night and it was delicious. Or at least that's what everyone said.

I'm just going to go ahead and admit that I'm totally lame right now. I did not take pictures of every step because.. well.. I forgot or was brain dead, take your pick. Instead I took a picture after the cake was done. The fact that I remembered to grab a photo of the cake before I took off is a miracle. I've had a lot on my plate lately (oh yeah, pun is totally intended) and sometimes I've had to remind myself of my own name. Also, I often forget how old I am but that's a story for another time. Moving on to the cake, because this conversation is going nowhere fast...

Pumpkin Swirl Cake (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields Single Bundt Cake

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup soy yoghurt, plain or vanilla flavour
2 cups pumpkin puree (about half of a 540ml can)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup soy milk or rice milk

Filling
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy milk or rice milk
1/2 tsp dairy free margarine, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup Bundt pan with dairy free cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream margarine and sugars together. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Add yoghurt, pumpkin puree and vanilla. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Beat on low speed while slowly adding soy milk. Increase speed to high for just a few seconds until no more flour is visible.

Remove 1 1/2 cups of cake batter into a separate bowl. Add filling ingredients to that small portion and stir with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth again. Set aside.

Pour half of the pumpkin cake batter into prepared pan. Add all the reserved cinnamon batter. Pour the remainder of the pumpkin batter on top. Using a knife or spoon to swirl gently. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. When cake is completely cooled, decorate with icing.

To make the icing, combine all ingredients and stir until smooth and shiny. The icing should be quite thick but still pourable. If it's too thick you can add more liquid. If it's too thin you can add more icing sugar. The consistency should resemble frozen honey. When it's mixed and smooth, pour immediately over cake and spread with a cake spatula. You can also take a small portion of the icing and add a teaspoon of pumpkin puree to colour it brown. Then you can decorate the cake like the above picture.

Nutritional Info per slice (1/16th)
Calories 317.57, Total Fat 6.53g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 398.21mg, Potassium 130.35mg, Total Carbohydrates 62.41g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 40.68g, Protein 3.42g 

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.  

Ten days ago was my husband's birthday. Now, he's a big cinnamon fan but when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday treat this year he requested an ultra moist, death by chocolate type cake with sprinkles. He wanted chocolate on the inside, chocolate on the outside and chocolate in between. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Who can argue with chocolate... it's good for the soul. So I obliged.

I'm not going to say much about this cake. It's definitely NOT a non-fat cake. But it's oh so worth it. It also involves what I call a hurry up and wait mode, which essentially means that there are a lot of steps but a whole lot of time in between where you're just waiting for the cake to chill out (pun intended). So although it may seem like it's taking an entire day to make the cake, really the amount of time spent making the actual cake and decorating it is less than an hour. It's really important to have the cake cool and set before moving on to the next step as it will save you a lot of mess and heart ache, based on first hand experience (don't ask - it was traumatic - I still get nightmares about it).

In summary, the cake requires preparation, patience (sometimes very much lacking in this house) and a willingness to indulge because it is decadent. This is the kind of cake you eat once a year. Birthdays are not a time to fret over calories in my opinion. Eat and be merry. I certainly ate and was merry. The next day I scheduled a sit down with my bike and we devised a plan to help with damage control. If the plan works, I'll be sure to let you know.

In the meantime, go forth and conquer. For the army of darkness you will need...

All the wet ingredients together should look like this mess below...

Dry ingredients to follow. Oh and the cocoa powder absolutely, definitely, without a doubt, needs to be sifted, otherwise you will end up with little bitter cocoa pockets - not fun.

The batter should be very thin and runny, almost too liquidy to be cake batter. Do not worry, it will all turn out okay, like magic. The cake is not a lie...

Instead of using usual frosting, I decided to surprise the birthday boy and added his favourite chocolate pudding as filling. I'm genius, I know. Sometimes I scare myself.

Assembly... Yes, I forgot to take pictures of the in between steps because I'm totally brilliant and my brain is just overflowing with little tidbits of useless information that makes me walk into walls sometimes. That happens to brilliant people, you know.

Please refer to my statement above about forgetting to take pictures. I think I may need to permanently install the camera on my forehead. Anyway, after you frost the cake and let it cool, you can pour the shiny ganache on top. If you want little specks of chocolate in the frosting just like the image at the beginning of the post, you can add some chocolate sprinkles or crushed chocolate chips to the frosting. It gives a nice contrast in texture and flavour. Let the whole thing chill overnight and you will not be disappointed when you cut a slice the next day. Chocolate overload, check. Decadent, check. Moist beyond belief, check, check and check.

Okay, I'm going to stop talking now... ENJOY!

Chocolate Birthday Cake (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free) 
Makes triple layer 9 inch cake
Serves 16

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup soy milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules

Filling
1 pack Cook & Serve Chocolate Pudding
3 cups soy milk

Frosting
1 pack Chocolate instant pudding powder
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup Nutriwhip (or any dairy free whipping cream)

Ganache
1/4 cup dairy free margarine
3 Tbsp soy milk
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease three 9 inch round cake pans with dairy free cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, applesauce, soy milk and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add instant coffee granules to the hot water and pour over mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium/high speed for 1 minute or until no more lumps are present. The batter should be runny.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for ten minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

While the cake is cooling, make the filling. Combine the cook and serve pudding and soy milk in a heavy bottom medium size pot. Cook on medium heat until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using.

When the cake is cooled make the frosting. Combine instant chocolate pudding and soy milk. Whisk until thick. It will be very thick. Set aside then prepare the Nutriwhip. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the pudding until thoroughly combined. Frosting should resemble whipped topping in consistency.

To make the ganache, heat margarine and soy milk in microwave until very hot. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for a minute. Stir until mixture is smooth and shiny. Use right away.

Assembly:
Place one layer of cake upside down and top with one third of filling. Place the second layer on top and add another third of the filling. Top with remaining cake layer and place in fridge for two hours to set. Use remaining pudding for other fun projects, or just store in fridge.

When cake is set, cover with a thick layer of frosting on top and sides. Smooth out the edges so that the ganache can flow over easily. Pour ganache and quickly spread so that it flows over to the sides but do not disturb the chocolate as it drips down the sides. Decorate with sprinkles or fruit.

Nutritional Info per slice
Calories 408.76, Total Fat 14.43g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 490.76mg, Potassium 129.94mg, Total Carbohydrates 67.46g, Fiber 1.04g, Sugar 45.57g, Protein 3.98g 

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.  

It's Canada Day and I just got around to making batch two of these cookies. At first I made Canada Flag Sugar Cookies and I made the mistake of baking them last Friday. By last night they were all gone. So come Canada Day and I have nothing to show for it. Enter Sugar Cookie Bars to the rescue. They're just a variation on the original sugar cookie dough, only in bar form - way easier to make since there is no rolling or shaping involved and no piping either. Just flatten it out in a 9x13 inch tray, whip up a super duper extra fast glossy icing, pour it on, drop some sprinkles and you're on your way! I made those squares strawberry flavour hence the dark pink/light red you see in the picture. But you can make those for any occasion and you can make the icing in whatever colour strikes your fancy. Enjoy!

Oh and here's a picture of the flags that never made it past day two.

Canada Day Sugar Cookie Bars (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 24 squares

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup soy yoghurt (or applesauce if you don't have yoghurt on hand)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Pourable Glossy Icing
2 cups icing sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
2 Tbsp soy milk (more as needed to make it a thick honey consistency)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch tray with foil or parchment paper. Grease with dairy free cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in yoghurt and vanilla until well incorporated. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until dough comes together. It will be very thick like cookie dough.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes in a preheated oven until the edges are golden. Cool completely before decorating and cutting.

To make the glossy icing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well incorporated and smooth. It should have the consistency of cold thick honey and will be pourable but needs a spoon to spread. If it is too thick add more soy milk in 1/2 tsp increments. If it becomes too runny, add more icing sugar.

Canada Flag Sugar Cookies (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free) 
Makes 2 dozen large cookies (or 4 dozen small ones)

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl cream together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt just until dough comes together. Cover and chill for a few hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out dough, 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thickness, on floured surface. Cut using cookie cutter shapes and transfer to cookie sheets. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden. Let cool on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely before decorating. Put glossy icing in piping bag and decorate cookies.

Nutritional Info for Sugar Cookie Bars (per square)
Calories 183.86, Total Fat 3.94g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 114.67mg, Potassium 20.15mg, Total Carbohydrates 36.03g, Fiber 0.38g, Sugar 24.92g, Protein 1.29g

Nutritional Info for Flag Sugar Cookies (per large cookie) Calories 171.78, Total Fat 3.91g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 92.46mg, Potassium 15.01mg, Total Carbohydrates 33.46g, Fiber 0.27g, Sugar 24.91g, Protein 0.97g 

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. 

This cake doesn't need any introduction. It's coconut, decadent and divine. It's the "bless me father for I have sinned" kind of cake. It's also the kind of cake that tastes even better the next day and the day after that. I prefer to make it a day ahead and let the flavour intensify for 24 hours before I dig in and stuff my face. I know... I'm a heathen and an embarrassment to the human race.

I love coconut. If you're the only person in your house that likes coconut, DO NOT make this cake, otherwise you will end up eating the whole thing by yourself. Side effects of this cake include thunder thigh syndrome. Sharing may help alleviate that. Since I don't want to be the only person in the neighbourhood who jiggles when she walks, I share my baked goods, especially when it comes to coconut. I love anything coconut and I'm addicted to it. There have been times when I had to beg my brother to come over and take the cake away. My brother doesn't get fat. He also doesn't get sick.

I think he's an alien...

Let me show you how this decadent cake was born. 

Coming to the party...

Now, I know what you're thinking. This cake is pretty much made of store bought ingredients. But wait... it's how you combine them that matters. Okay, if you must know, I normally make this cake with my traditional home made white cake and home made coconut pudding. However, the few days before mother's day (which was the whole reason for this cake) I was incredibly busy (as in no time to even breathe) so I had to make do with what was in the pantry. And now that we've got the lame excuses out of the way...

Let's talk about coconut milk. Coconut milk is not like your average "milky" beverage. It's extremely rich and creamy, but more importantly, very versatile. Coconut milk is sold in cans and is usually found in the organic/whole food section of the grocery store, as well as in the international food section. The brand of coconut milk varies and will yield different results depending on what it's used for. When baking, always use the full fat coconut milk; light versions do not work very well especially in dairy and egg free baking. Stick to popular brands like Thai Kitchen or Gold Label as they produce good results.

When using coconut milk, you typically need to shake it to make sure it's all combined. Usually the meaty part is separated from the liquid. In this case, however, you want to keep it separated. Do not shake it. Place it in the fridge to cool overnight. This will make it much easier to separate the solid from the liquid. Below is what coconut milk looks like after it's been chilled. The solid part stays on top and the liquid stays on the bottom. You simply scoop the solid into a bowl and you're left with a milky liquid.

So, at this point, you set the solid part of the coconut milk into a container and keep chilled for use another time. The liquid will go into the cake mix along with the applesauce, instant pudding mix and oil. 

Mix everything together on high for about 2 minutes. The batter should be relatively thick and look like this...

Pour into two 8 or 9 inch greased pans and bake. When the cake is done, let it cool to room temperature then place it in the freezer for an hour.

As usual, I'm a total (insert derogatory term here) and forgot to take a picture of the cake after it's cooled and sliced. Just cut each cake in half to make two layers, and place in the fridge. Don't fret if they are not level. The filling will take care of that.

I did manage to take pictures of the filling, which is essentially 3 cups of soy milk combined with the Coconut Cooked Pudding powder. I may have snuck a little bit more coconut in there because I'm a coconut addict. At some point I might need an intervention, but right now, I need my fix...

Cook pudding according to package instructions until it thickens, then remove it to a large bowl and let it come to room temperature. Just keep mixing every once in a while to prevent a skin from forming. Or you can do what I do because I'm lazy, and just put plastic wrap on the surface to keep it skin free.

Once everything is cooled and happy, start making the topping. Yes, I also forgot to take a picture of that because my brain has been absent the past few days. It might be on strike. It's been this kind of week, you know, the kind of week where you put the dish cloth in the fridge and put the soy milk under the sink. Don't ask...

Add the Nutriwhip into your chilled bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form. While it's beating add some sugar and coconut extract if you want, or vanilla. They both work. Make sure that the whipped topping has stiff peaks. Take about one cup of that and add it onto the filling. Set aside your topping and start assembling the cake making a layer of cake then a layer of filling in between until you have a four layer cake. 

Use the whipped topping to cover the cake. You can decorate it by piping different shapes on the edges and adding toasted coconut on top. You can use sprinkles or chocolate. Whatever you like will work. Dig in and keep leftovers (if there are any) chilled in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Coconut Cream Cake
Serves 16

1 box cake mix, white or golden (you can also make your own)
1 box vanilla instant pudding powder
1 cup coconut milk, chilled and unshaken (about half of a coconut milk can)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla or coconut extract (optional)

Filling
1 box Cook & Serve Coconut Pudding (egg & dairy free)
3 cups soy or rice milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

Topping
1 cup Nutriwhip (dairy free whipping cream)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 cup toasted coconut, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9 inch cake pans with dairy free cooking spray. Set aside.

Open the chilled coconut can and scoop out the solid part. Set aside for use another time. In a large bowl, place the cake mix, instant pudding powder, coconut liquid from can, oil, applesauce and vanilla if using. Beat on high speed for two minutes until well combine and batter is thick. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool to room temperature then chill in freezer for one hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a heavy bottom medium sauce pot, combine Cook & Serve pudding, soy milk and shredded coconut. Whisk to combine then place on medium heat and cook while stirring constantly to prevent burning. Once mixture thickens, remove to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Place plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

When filling is cooled, remove cake pans from freezer. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan and slice in half to create two layers. Repeat with the second pan. Set aside all four layers while you prepare the topping.

Place Nutriwhip in a chilled bowl and whisk at high speed. Gradually add sugar. Beat for two minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove one cup and add to filling. Set aside topping.

Assembly
Place one cake layer on plate. Add one third of the filling and spread to within half inch of edge. Top with the second cake layer. Pour another third of the filling and top with the third layer of cake. Pour the remainder of the filling and top with fourth cake layer. Cover entire cake with whipped topping. Decorate using piping and toasted coconut. Chill before serving.

NOTE: Please make sure to read ALL ingredient labels. Although the Dr. Oetker Shirriff pudding brand is usually dairy free, there are some flavours that contain dairy. The same goes for the Jell-O brand made by Kraft Foods as well as the Added Touch cake mix. Read each and every label to make sure it does not contain dairy, eggs, or nuts. Stay safe and happy baking!

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)
Calories 343.94, Total Fat 13.89g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 416.69mg, Potassium 125.4mg, Total Carbohydrates 52.41g, Fiber 0.97g, Sugar 32.89g, Protein 2.44g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. 

I'm getting a head start on Spring. I'm seeing yellow and green everywhere. I bought a few lemons last week and yesterday when I looked into the fridge, somehow the lemons had reproduced or undergone some sort of mitosis and literally spread everywhere. It was time to use them. And use them I did.

I am not a big fan of lemon squares, especially traditional ones, but I really like these lemon crumb squares. My husband loves lemon squares (with a big L). He also loves lemon pie, lemon loaf, lemon cake, and lemon anything really. Give him a lemon pie, set him in a corner and he'll be in bliss for eternity. When I make lemon squares, usually they're gone before the sun sets. If they last till supper it would be a miracle. Typically, I have to steal a few squares and hide them in the freezer so I can have them the next day.

These lemon crumb squares will be a hit at your next bbq. Oh and they are absolutely divine when frozen - almost like lemon crumb ice cream. Yumm! 

Here's how you make them...

Okay, I know that you've probably noticed the tofu pack in the photo and right about now you're thinking that you will not touch this stuff with a ten foot pole and you will most likely never make those lemon bars at home. Let me assure you that THERE IS NO TOFU TASTE in these squares. In fact, most of my recipes that contain tofu, have no tofu flavour. My husband is one of the fussiest eaters on the planet, and he won't come near tofu. He'd rather eat a bullet. Yet, he does not taste tofu in these squares or in any of my other baked goods. 

I'll talk about tofu in a minute, but don't dismiss this recipe yet. Just keep reading... everything will turn out fine and the world will be a happy place.

Dump the entire contents of the tofu pack into the bowl. Add the honey. If you want to make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey, or even corn syrup. Use a hand blender to mix. Keep blending until it's smooth and airy. It should have the consistency of thin pudding and coat the back of a spoon. Set it aside for a bit while we chat.

Now, let's talk about tofu. For this recipe, you need silken tofu. Often people use the wrong type of tofu and blame the recipe when it flops. If I had to use a baking analogy, I'd say that using tofu is pretty much like using flour. There are many types of flour. Some are interchangeable; some are not. For example, you can generally switch all purpose flour for whole wheat without much trouble. However, if you use bread flour instead of pastry flour in a cake, you will greatly alter the recipe and the results will be disastrous. You will most likely end up with a very tough cake, that did not cook properly and has a chewy texture, because bread flour is specifically designed for breads and yeast doughs that require kneading. Pastry flour is specifically designed for pastry and cakes that require tender crumbs and a soft fluffy interior. Tofu is similar. Generally, there are two types: Silken Tofu and Dry Tofu.

Silken tofu, also known as Japanese tofu, has a consistency like that of pudding. Think creme caramel. It falls apart easily when touched with a fork or spoon. Silken tofu is great for salad dressings, sauces and replacing eggs in dense cakes and other baked goods. It's usually packaged in aseptic boxes and does not require refrigeration. It's generally found in the whole foods/organic section of the grocery store, on the shelf with other tetra pack containers. The firmness of silken tofu depends on the recipe it's going in. You can buy silken tofu in soft, medium, firm and extra firm consistencies. They are processed slightly differently, and are not interchangeable in a recipe. For the lemon squares, I prefer firm or extra firm silken tofu. For brownies or pound cakes I prefer soft silken tofu.

Dry tofu, also known as Chinese tofu, has a consistency that resembles cottage cheese or ricotta. It's firm and bounces back when pressed. It needs to stay refrigerated and will often be found in the produce or deli section of the grocery store. It's great in stir fries and other dishes that emulate chicken. It holds it's shape very well and can even be used as a substitute for scrambled eggs. It's not very good in baked goods because it does not have the same smooth texture of silken tofu. 

So remember, for baked goods, you almost always will need the silken tofu variety. Here's a picture of both types to give you an idea of what they look like.

Okay, class dismissed.

Now that you have all the knowledge about tofu and it's in the bowl along with the honey, start preparing the lemons. Take the zest of all the lemons along with the juice. One lemon usually yields about 1/4 cup of juice.

Add the sugar and custard to the lemon juice and the zest. Then dump them all into the tofu mixture and stir. Add the applesauce. Or if you're like me and have a single white female lemon pudding lurking in the fridge and threatening to self destruct unless eaten, use that instead. Applesauce, lemon pudding, vanilla pudding, whatever... it's all good.

This is what it looks like after...

Thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but still runny. Don't worry, it will firm up once cooked.

Next, melt the dairy free margarine in a large bowl and add all the dry ingredients to it. Mix them to create a crumble.

The crumble should look like this...

Take half that crumble and dump it in a prepared dish. I use a 9x13 inch baking dish and line it with foil, leaving enough of an overhang so I can lift up the squares later and cut easily. Gently press with your hand to create a base layer. Make sure it's even.

Pour the lemon tofu. Lick the spoon clean when you're done...

Spread it gently until it's all even and level. Don't fret if it's not level enough. Don't be like me. I've got some OCD going on and a highly dysfunctional brain - more like a labyrinth really. 

Anyway...  this is as level as I could make it without going insane and being institutionalized.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumble on top. Again, don't panic if it's not all uniform. This is not Martha Stewart's kitchen; this is Allergy Mom's kitchen, where things just happen and we roll with them. Then we fret about them later and lose lots of sleep over the tiny little piece of parsley stuck at the tip of the drain.

Bake it and wait for the smell to waft up to the top floor. Run down to the kitchen when the oven starts yelling at you to hurry up and take it out before it burns. Resist the temptation to dig into it while warm. It will crumble (pun intended) and ooze everywhere. 

If you want a clean slice, it's best to chill it for in the freezer for 30 minutes then take it out, remove from the tray using the foil overhang and slice into squares. If you're a freak like me, slice them so that they're all equal in size. That way the moon will not fall from the sky and the sun will not implode.

Don't ask...

And here they are... the little morsels of heaven.

Lemon Crumb Squares (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 24 squares

1 1/2 cup silken tofu, firm (or one 12 oz pack)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3 Tbsp dairy & egg free custard powder (such as Bird's Custard Powder)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 cup dairy free margarine melted
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang at the sides to be able to lift the squares after baking. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine silken tofu and honey. Beat with a hand blender until smooth and creamy. Stir in applesauce and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine custard powder and sugar. Add to tofu mixture along with lemon zest. Stir with a rubber spatula until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine melted margarine, flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour half the mixture into prepared tray. Press with hands to create an even layer. Pour tofu mixture on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle remainder of crumb mixture on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crumbs are light golden. Let cool completely before slicing. For a clean edge cut, chill in freezer for 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutritional Info (Per square)
Calories 162.7, Total Fat 4.47g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 100.75mg, Potassium 75.05mg, Total Carbohydrates 29.28g, Fiber 1g, Sugar 16.59g, Protein 2.37g 

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.