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.

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.  

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. 

Spring always reminds me of cold jello. When we were little kids my mother would always make her famous Strawberry Jello Cake in the spring. I've altered her original recipe to make it dairy and egg free, and since my family loves lemon desserts, I went for lemon instead of strawberry, but it can be done in virtually any other fruit flavour.

I think this is the perfect cake for a spring or summer dessert, especially when served cold on a warm day. It's light, airy, and the sweetness is not overpowering. Although it does not require a lot of effort, you really have to work fast with the whipped topping in order to get the best consistency. I call it the 'hurry up and wait' cake. Everything you do takes very little effort, but chilling is what takes the most time. My mother always says "Good things come to those who wait" and she's right, the result of this cake is well worth the wait. I am sure you and your family will love it too. Enjoy!

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free Lemon Delight Cake
Yields one double layer 9-inch cake (Serves 16)

2 baked 9 inch white wacky cake layers, cooled (recipe follows)
2 cups boiling water
2 packages dairy free Jell-O Lemon Jelly Powder (85 grams each)
1 package dairy free Jell-O Lemon Instant Pudding (the 4-serving size)
1 cup cold soy or rice milk
3 cups dairy free whipped topping (such as 1 cup Nutriwhip + 1/4 cup sugar)

Put the cake layers with top-sides up in 2 clean 9-inch round pans. Pierce cakes with a large fork all over. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, add boiling water to jelly powders and stir until completely dissolved. Slowly and evenly pour over cake layers. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Beat pudding mix and soy milk in a large bowl with a wire whisk for about 2 minutes. Let pudding sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Meanwhile, in a chilled mixer bowl, pour 1 cup of liquid Nutriwhip. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed as you gradually and steadily add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating for 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Remove from mixer and stir in pudding with a rubber spatula. Gently fold until pudding is fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing so as not to deflate the whipped topping. Set aside in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Dip 1 cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds, gently shake and unmold onto plate. Spread with about 1.5 cups of whipped topping mixture. Unmold second cake layer and carefully place on first layer. Frost the top and sides with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate and serve cold.

NOTE: Please make sure to read ALL ingredient labels. Although the Jell-O brand made by Kraft Foods is usually dairy free, there are some flavours that do contain dairy. Also, please avoid the fat free line as it almost always contains dairy or is made on dairy equipment. In addition, the Nutriwhip comes in liquid form like heavy cream. It is available at Sobey's in the fridge section that contains cool whip bottles, right above the lactose free milk. A liquid measurement of one cup Nutriwhip will yield approximately 3 cups whipped.

Wacky White Cake

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cold water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat two 9 inch round pans with dairy free cooking spray.

In a large bowl add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and then make three wells. In one put vinegar, in another add oil, and in last well add vanilla extract. Pour water over the whole thing and mix with a rubber spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out unto a wire rack and cool completely.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)
Calories 328.37, Total Fat 11.04g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 413.16mg, Potassium 45.89mg, Total Carbohydrates 46.95g, Fiber 0.61g, Sugar 24.04g, Protein 2.74g

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.