Little Goldie Girlie Cake

My Twiggy cat (aka Goldie) is sooooo happy to see Len today! And we are all happy to eat cake!

Easy. One bowl. No mixer.

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1-1/2 cup GF baking mix
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash of salt
3/4 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk, room temperature or slightly warmed in microwave

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease and flour 9" square cake pan.

In large bowl, put the margarine.  Cut it up a bit.  Put the sugar, baking mix, baking powder and salt on top of it.  Mix with wooden spoon until combined.  It will be thick batter, sort of like biscuit dough.  Whisk in the Soymilk.

Today, I put the margarine, sugar, baking mix, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. I poured the Soymilk in measuring cup. I covered both items with Saran and left to pick up Len. When I came back, the margarine was soft and the Soymilk was room temperature. I even greased and floured the pan and covered it before I left. I just mixed it all when I got home and baked it.

Super easy!

Pour into prepared pan. Jiggle it around a bit to evenly distribute.  Bake for 25 minutes.  

Cool in pan 5 minutes.  Loosen edges with a knife and jiggle it around again to loosen.  Turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely.

If you're smart, you'll frost with Chocolate Cloud Frosting!

Frosting confusion

Sorry about the wrong title being on the Chocolate Cloud Frosting.  It published the right recipe but it was not, obviously, Classic Red Velvet Cake Frosting.

It is the best frosting I have had since I was a kid though.

Chocolate Cloud Frosting

I am missing frosting so freakin bad! Powdered sugar, even the corn free versions, give me hives.  I have no idea why. This is a flour frosting that turned out to be a delicious surprise!

I have made flour frosting before and it was NOT good eats.  I am trying a different one today.  Right from the beginning, I could tell it was different, better, and I got hopeful!

I would not make cake unless I knew the frosting was successful.  Hooray! There will be cake today!

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 GF baking mix
1 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
Dash of salt
Cocoa powder (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup cold but firm margarine, cut into pieces

I used half Smart Balance Light tub margarine and half Earth Balance stick margarine. Earth Balance will make better texture but can taste a little olive oily while Smart Balance has a milder flavor, the water content is greater. Earth or Smart, together, they Balance each other!

Whisk sugar, baking mix and salt in medium saucepan.  Add the Soymilk.  Whisk constantly over medium- high heat until thick and bubbly.

Remove from heat and pour into bowl of your mixer.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.  Using the paddle attachment on the mixer, beat the cooled mixture. Slowly add the margarine one bit at a time on low speed until all is incorporated.

Switch to whisk attachment and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Still using the whisk attachment, add by tablespoons the cocoa powder until you achieve fluffy frosting that clings to the whisk in peaks. SO GOOD!  I feel like I am 10 and it is my birthday and my mom made me cake!

Chocolate Cloud Frosting

I am missing frosting so freakin bad! Powdered sugar, even the corn free versions, give me hives.  I have no idea why. This is a flour frosting that turned out to be a delicious surprise!

I have made flour frosting before and it was NOT good eats.  I am trying a different one today.  Right from the beginning, I could tell it was different, better, and I got hopeful!

I would not make cake unless I knew the frosting was successful.  Hooray! There will be cake today!

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 GF baking mix
1 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
Dash of salt
Cocoa powder (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup cold but firm margarine, cut into pieces

I used half Smart Balance Light tub margarine and half Earth Balance stick margarine. Earth Balance will make better texture but can taste a little olive oily while Smart Balance has a milder flavor, the water content is greater. Earth or Smart, together, they Balance each other!

Whisk sugar, baking mix and salt in medium saucepan.  Add the Soymilk.  Whisk constantly over medium- high heat until thick and bubbly.

Remove from heat and pour into bowl of your mixer.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.  Using the paddle attachment on the mixer, beat the cooled mixture. Slowly add the margarine one bit at a time on low speed until all is incorporated.

Switch to whisk attachment and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Still using the whisk attachment, add by tablespoons the cocoa powder until you achieve fluffy frosting that clings to the whisk in peaks. SO GOOD!

Chocolate and Coke Holding Hands

What a perfect pair!  Since I got the frosting right, had to make cupcakes don't you think?

1 can original, regular, full sugared, Coca Cola
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup cocoa powder
1 egg replacer egg
2 cups GF baking mix
1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 salt

In medium saucepan combine the Coke, cocoa powder and margarine.  Heat on medium heat, stirring constantly until margarine melted.  Set aside to cool.

Generously grease muffin tins. Preheat oven to 325.

In a bowl combine the baking mix, baking soda and salt.

Mix your "egg" separately and add to cooled chocolate mixture.  Put the dry ingredients into the pan of wet.  Gently stir until just moistened. Small lumps are good.

Pour batter into prepared tins.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.  Frost with Chocolate Cloud Frosting just before eating.

Take That You Brownies!

GF and vegan brownies (and waffles) are always EPIC FAILURES...  until today!

I am not even supposed to be home right now but my FL (fearless leader) was so sweet and let me go home early today!   The office would have been dead.  There are no more closets to clean out.  I can't get farther ahead on work.

The cosmos were a little off this week and everyone seemed to be on edge.  I was over the edge on Tuesday!  Felt like I needed an ER yesterday.  This afternoon, at home, with no one sick, in my kitchen, with my cats, is a delightful little gift!

I have had to wave my white flag and surrender to the fact that brownies and waffles are just not meant to be enjoyed by people who are both gluten free and vegan.  One or the other yes. But both?  NOT.  I am feeling on top of the chocolate world right now having kicked brownie butt!  I may fight you again someday, waffles...  but you are safe today.

These brownies take a few extra steps but so worth it!

Set your oven rack to the lowest option.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overlay to use to remove brownies from pan later.

1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 tablespoon quinoa flour
2 tablespoons hot water

Mix the above in small bowl and set aside.

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 chocolate morsels (Trader Joe's)
1/3 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk, very hot

In a large bowl or bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cocoa and morsels.  Add the hot soymilk and stir into a paste.  To this add the following:

6 tablespoons melted stick margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1-1/4 cups sugar
Your tapioca/quinoa flour mixture prepared above      

Mix with electric mixer until smooth.  By hand with a spatula, stir in:

1-3/4 cup GF baking mix
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

The batter will be thick.  Spread into your prepared pan with spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack and cool for an hour.  Remove from pan by using the parchment paper and cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

Cut carefully with serrated knife.

Break Up Banana Cake With Peanut Butter & Bacon Frosting

I am hoping this is a remedy for a broken heart.  I would be glad if it is just a temporary distraction. Comfort in the form of food can't be wrong!

I think this is the sort of dessert Bub will really enjoy too.  I mean, come on? Bacon... and peanuts, and bananas!

Banana Cake

3/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup softened margarine

3/4 cup (2 medium) over riped smashed bananas

3 tablespoons Very Vanilla Soymilk

1 tablespoon Coke

1-3/4 cup GF baking mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Grease and flour 8" square pan and preheat oven to 350. 

I was able to mix the cake with a spatula in a medium bowl,  leaving my mixer clean for the frosting!

Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the smashed bananas, Soymilk and Coke and mix well.  Add the baking mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix well to combine.  Stir in the chopped peanuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until knife in center comes out clean.

Cool completely while you make the frosting!

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 to 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar (Trader Joes is corn free)

Very Vanilla Soymilk
5 strips of crispy bacon, cooled and chopped and divided

In your mixer, with whisk attachment, cream margarine and peanut butter.  Add one cup of the powdered sugar. Mix well to combine.  Add more powdered sugar until frosting is firm.  Drizzle in a tiny amount of Soymilk until the frosting is of spreading consistency.  Stir in half the cooked bacon and reserve the rest for garnish.

Eat away the hurt and lick your fingers when you are done!

Quick to Take Cupcakes

Sometimes my freezer is so full of baked goods that I really have no business making something more.  Then again, when the tummy wants chocolate cake, cinnamon bread, muffins, or cookies will not do!  There are also those times when you just need a few goodies to take to a party or event so you know there will be at least a dessert you can have when you get there.

This recipe uses one bowl, your arm power, and makes 6 cupcakes.

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup mashed potato flakes (Whole Foods brand is nothing but potatoes)
1/2 cup boiling Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
3/4 cup GF baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash of salt
1/4 cup softened margarine
1/4 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk (maybe a little more)
1 egg replacer egg

Generously grease muffin tin (just six) or line with paper liners.  Preheat oven to 350.

Put the chocolate chips and mashed potato flakes in a medium bowl.  Add the boiling Soymilk and let sit for a few minutes.  Stir until combined and the chocolate is melted.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir vigorously scraping the bottom of the bowl often. I used a spoonula to mix.  If the batter has dry spots remember to just drizzle in a little more Soymilk and mix it in.  Once the entire contents of the bowl are wet, keep stirring until uniform in color.

Spoon into muffin tin and bake for approximately 15 minutes.  Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes.  Remove and cool completely.

Chocolate glaze

1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Scant 1/4 cup boiling Very Vanilla Soymilk

Put chocolate chips in a small bowl.  Pour the hot Soymilk over them.  Let sit and then stir until smooth.

Top the cooled cupcakes.  Decorate with some Lay's Stax.  I think chocolate covered potato chips are really, really great.  Salty and sweet and crunchy and smooth.

The Real Chicago Winter Dessert

Chi Town doesn't care if you spent 2 hours flat ironing your hair. It doesn't care if your snow brush is still in the garage and not in the back seat. It doesn't care that no one predicted snow for the day. It doesn't care if you have to schlep a bass across the quad. Can you hear it laughing at you? But, come on, you know you love it! It builds character! And it really is pretty. I happen to think it is best to watch from the window with a warm treat.

Chocolate Rice Dessert

6 cups Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
1 cup long grain rice (NOT quick cooking)
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

In 5 qt pot, heat the milk over medium heat.  Add the salt and rice.  Stir over medium low heat until thick and the rice is tender (approx 1 hour).

Remove from heat and add the cocoa powder and chocolate chips.  Stir until chocolate is melted and combined.

Serve warm.  Cool completely before refrigeration.

Corn is Evil... And I Don't Care (Today)

I am well aware of the evils of Monsanto and their products and practices. I just need corn syrup sometimes.  I wish I had an alternate option. I also wish Monsanto was different.

We do not eat corn here.  My son and daughter are allergic and I am digestively intolerant.  I recognize the important role corn has in the diets of many wheat allergic or gluten intolerant people. Evil or not, sometimes we have to use it.

Cake

1/2 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/4 light or dark corn syrup
1 egg replacer egg
1-1/2 cup GF baking mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
1/2 sugar
1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup cold margarine cut into 8 pieces

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour an 8" square cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine the milk, corn syrup and egg replacer.  In your mixer bowl combine the baking mix, baking powder and salt.  Add the sugars and mix on low to combine.  Add the margarine one square at a time while mixing on low.  After all the pieces are incorporated, the mixture will be clumpy (like when making biscuits).

Slowly add the soymilk, corn syrup, egg replacer mixture mixing well after each addition.  Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and mix once more time.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and center is set.

While the cake is baking, prepare the topping.

1/3 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/3 cup GF baking mix
3 tablespoons light or dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons Very Vanilla Soymilk
2 tablespoons melted margarine.
Optional - 1/3 cup chopped nuts or flaked coconut

Combine the above.

After removing cake from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400.

Slowly pour the topping over the top of the hot cake adding a little bit at a time.  Return to oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the topping is all bubbling.

Cut in pan and serve warm.  I imagine this would taste excellent with vanilla ice cream.

Breakfast Carrot Cake

Yesterday, after successfully hunting down a 20's style dress for Len to wear to a murder mystery party tonight, crashing on the couch was necessary!

We were watching a classic Good Eats episodes and Alton Brown pointed out how a carrot cake is really a giant carrot muffin by the way it is assembled (add wet ingredients to dry) and, therefore, is a breakfast food.  While he was able to make the cream cheese frosting, I am not.  I think a classic cinnamon bun glaze would work too but I do not need all that extra sugar and carbs and calories!  Besides, this cake is so moist it doesn't need anything added to it!

Below is Alton's recipe, doctored for vegan and gluten free eaters.

Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

2-1/2 cups GF baking mix
1-1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
(I am not an adventurous eater and tend to stick with what I KNOW I can have.  You may add 1/4 teaspoon All Spice and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg here.)
1-1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon maple syrup
3/4 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
Mix together 3 ounces melted margarine and 3 ounces vegetable oil
1 egg replacer egg

Put the shredded carrots in a large bowl.  Add the baking mix, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and other spices mentioned above if you are using them.  Toss until all the carrots are coated with dry ingredients.  Make a little well in the middle too.

In your food processor or blender or a medium bowl and immersion hand blender, combine the sugars, soymilk, and egg replacer egg.  While blending, slowly add the melted margarine and oil combo until completely incorporated.

Pour the wet ingredients into the well you made in the carrot mixture.  Stir only enough to make all the dry ingredients wet.

Pour into your prepared pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Reduce heat and bake at 325 for 15 more minutes or until knife in center comes out clean and cake is pulling away from sides of pan slightly.

Cool in pan 5 minutes.  Gently jostle the pan to make sure cake is not sticking to bottom.  I usually have to run a knife along the inside circle of the Bundt pan.  Turn out onto serving dish.

Tastes great warm...  even without any frosting!

Don't Judge a Cake By Its Looks

A golden little banana cake with a tasty, sweet ribbon of chocolate in the middle.  It may look ordinary but there is a surprise inside!

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a Bundt pan.

2 cups GF baking mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 medium ripe banana
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 chocolate chips

Combine the baking mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixer bowl.  In a separate bowl, mash the banana and mix in the sugar, soymilk and oil.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Ladle in half the cake batter.  Place the chocolate chips in a row along the middle of the cake batter.  Spoon the remain batter over the chocolate chips and smooth the top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden.

Winter Break Banana Pumpkin Bread

Len and her roomie got to our house yesterday looking like corpses!  Not eating enough, not sleeping enough, finals week, packing and cleaning to get out by noon yesterday...they needed to crash and they did!  They actually went to Oak Brook to shop and had to come right back home.  They felt too sick to shop!  If you don't know these girls, you won't know how tired they must have been to not have enough drive to shop!

I will let them sleep right up until it is time to go to the airport later.

I figured some breakfast with healthy things inside may put a little color back in their faces.   I am feeling nearly 100% myself so far today too.  I am so getting a flu shot from now on. I have not been that sick for a very long time and don't want to be ever again!

This bread is perfect for this morning.  No noisy mixer needed!  I don't have to disturb the peace.  And the long baking time gives me plenty of time to get my shower out of the way before anyone else is awake.

1 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon maple syrup mixed together
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 egg replacer egg
1/2 can of pumpkin (8 ounces total)
1 large mashed banana
2 tablespoons Very Vanilla Soymilk
1-3/4 cup GF baking mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 and grease loaf pan.

In medium/large bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar and the maple syrup.  Add the other sugar and egg replacer. Add pumpkin, banana, and soymilk.  Mix with whisk until well blended.  Mix your dry ingredients in small bowl and add to wet ingredients.  Whisk well until well blended.

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until knife comes out clean in center of loaf.

Cool in pan 10 minutes then remove to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing with serrated knife.

Smells like Christmas in here!

Sweetness on a Stick

Watching Food Network and Cooking Channel is really dangerous.  There are so many things I want to make since I can't just go buy them.  Today I am taking a successful cake recipe and combining it with a new fudge-y icing recipe to make cake pops!  It will be messy, fun, and (hopefully) delicious.

Top these in a variety of ways for a colorful, smile inducing effect.

Speedy Yellow Cake

1/2  cup margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups GF baking mix
3/4  cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg replacer mix
3/4  cup Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk

Combine everything except the soymilk and "eggs" in a mixer. Then, add half the soymilk and the egg replacer.  Mix well. Add the rest of the soymilk and mix until smooth.

Bake at 375 in greased and floured 8" square pan or one round cake pan 25-30 minutes.     Allow to cool enough to be able to touch it.  Now get in there with your hands and wreck it!  Break it into little pieces.  

While your cake is baking, in a small saucepan combine the following:

Icing
1/2 granulated cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa 
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons Very Vanilla Soymilk

Gently melt the above ingredients over medium heating stirring it.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Cool slightly and beat with electric mixer for 3 minutes.    Add the cake pieces to this and mix until combined.

Prepare a place to rest your cake balls (foiled counter top, cookie sheet).  Form the dough into firm balls the size of a good lollipop...  like a Tootsie Pop size, not a Dum Dum size.  Line them up as you go.  

To make the glue that holds the stick in place and the shell of the pop that is also the vehicle for toppings, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips.

Dip the pop sticks in the melted chocolate and stick the lollipop sticks into the cake balls.

Refrigerate for an hour.

Reheat the melted chocolate until runny again and dip your cake pops into the shell, helping cover the cake with a spoon or small off-set spatula.  Sprinkle or roll in colored sugars, chopped nuts, cocoa nibs, sprinkles, non-perils, crushed candy bars, toasted coconut, or really whatever you like immediately after coating them!

When topping is firm eat and enjoy!

Crunchy Topped Pumpkin Muffins

I know there are a lot of muffin recipes on this blog but what can I say? I love muffins! They are easy to make. They are easily shared. They are easily frozen. They are easily packed to go. They are easy to eat too!

Preheat oven to 400. Grease muffin cups or line with paper liners.

Muffins

1 egg replacer egg
1/2 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/2 can pumpkin
1/3 cup oil
1-3/4 cups GF baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the wet ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add the dry ingredients until just moistened. It will be lumpy. Remember the tip for adding just a dribble of Soymilk to the dry areas without over mixing the whole bowl. Fill muffin cups.

Topping

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon margarine
1/4 chopped nuts

Combine topping ingredients until crumbly. Top the muffins generously. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lazy Sunday Cinnamon Bread

The perfect Sunday for me is spent at home, all day. I'm the first one awake. I make some coffee and start baking. Most Sundays, I take a shower and put PJ's back on or some other loungewear type clothes. I ban regular pants on Sunday!

Bread

2 cups GF baking mix
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Coke mixed with enough Very Vanilla Soymilk to make 1 cup
1/3 cup melted margarine
2 egg replacer eggs

Grease and flour bottom only of 9x5 or 8x4 loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all the bread ingredients at low speed for 2 minutes in medium bowl.

Topping

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons margarine

Combine topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of bread loaf. Use a knife to swirl the topping into the bread a bit.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.

Gooey Cinnamon Cake

Who would think that baking at 9pm Thanksgiving night was a good idea? Jennie of course! While most people are looking for a turkey sandwich or a glass o' gravy, we are looking for MORE DESSERT!

This is a gooey, warm cinnamon cake good for breakfast... or a late night snack! As usual, Jen is taking back lots of treats including From Stone to Stony and Back Maple Fudge, left over vegetable soup, Angelic Cake, and the rest of the chocolate pudding she brought over, and most of this Gooey Cinnamon Cake.

Grease 8" square pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Cake

1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 cup GF baking mix
3/4 cup Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
1 tablespoon tapioca starch mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 cup melted margarine

Whisk together sugar, salt, baking mix, and baking powder. Add Soymilk and tapioca starch mixture and blend. Mix in melted margarine. Pour into greased pan.

Topping Mix

1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons GF baking mix
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine

Mix above until combined. Distribute evenly over cake batter with fingers. Swirl together with knife.

Bake for 20 minutes or until center is set and cake starts to pull away from sides of pan.

Serve warm!

From Stone to Stony and Back Maple Fudge

Diabetics BEWARE!  This is sweet on top of sweet with a little extra sweet!  Just like my Metra riding daughter!

This may be my last recipe posting for a week or so.   I will be away from my kitchen.  I am hoping the boys don't destroy the place while I am away...

1/2 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup mixed in
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Line 8"x 8" pan with parchment paper.

In a tall sided saucepan, mix the 1/2 cup with 2 tablespoons maple syrup.  Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups of sugar, margarine, soymilk and salt.  Attach candy thermometer to side of pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.  Continue to stir and cook until thermometer reaches 240 degrees. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Add the 1/4 cup maple syrup.  Put powdered sugar in mixer with whisk attachment and add sugar mixture.  Beat until powdered sugar is blended in (you can also do this directly in the pan with a hand mixer, which I do not have).  Using a spatula continue to stir until mixture is smooth and pale.

Press mixture in your lined pan and smooth top with spatula. Press slightly the chocolate chips into top of fudge. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LENNIE Buttercream

19 years ago you made me the happiest woman alive!

Buttercream Frosting

2/3 cup margarine
4 cups powdered sugar (Trader Joe!s is corn free)
2-3 tablespoons Very Vanilla Soymilk

Beat margarine until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar beating well. Add enough Soymilk to make desired spreading consistency.

Frost and enjoy!!

These little color sugars are from Treasure Island!

Welcome Back Caker

I used to make this cake every Sunday when the kids were small.  I am not 100% sure why I stopped but I suspect it had something to do with soccer and the fact that I worked on Sundays for a few years.

Jennie wanted it again so she made it!

This cake is normally made in a Bundt pan but Jennie doesn't have one at school.  A full recipe can be made in a 13x9 and a half recipe in an 8" square, which is what Jennie did.

If you make this is a 13x9 or an 8" square pan, check to see if it is done after about 15 minutes.  It will bake faster than a Bundt.

1/2 cup margarine
8 oz Tofutti vegan cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 egg replacer eggs
2 cups GF baking mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Very Vanilla Soymilk
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 and grease your pan (Bundt, 13x9 or 8" square).

Beat margarine and Tofutti and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg replacer.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in soymilk and chocolate chips.  Spread in greased pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes for a Bundt or until center is done.  Cool in pan 15 minutes then turn out onto serving dish.