Saturday, March 10, 2012

Vegan Coconut Cake

Almost everyone who knows me are aware of my 'baking skills'. Unfortunately, that is how I get introduced around. But, there are a very few people who request me to make a cake for them. Most of the times, when I decorate a cake, it is always a gift.  But occasionally I get request for which, I get paid. This cake was for one such request. Request was for a vegan cake. When I asked what flavor, the person ordering asked what all I can make flavor wise. I went on saying Vanilla, chocolate, coconut and before I could utter another word, it was settled to 'Coconut' flavor. Since it was not for my 'home consumption', I don't have a picture of sliced cake.

One year back - Whole Wheat Savory Crescent Rolls
Two years back - Peanut Chutney Powder
Adapted from - Here
Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 3 cups
Baking Powder - 2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Coconut milk - 13.5 Oz can (Low fat will work fine too)
Applesauce - 1/2 cup
Canola Oil - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice or lime juice - 1 TBSP
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Coconut extract - 1 tsp (use more vanilla if you don't have this)


For the glaze:
Canola oil - 1 TBSP (Or use shortening or vegan butter melted)
Confectioner's sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Coconut extract - 1/2 tsp (Or vanilla)
Lime Juice or Lemon juice - 1/2 TBSP
Water or non dairy milk - 1 - 2 TBSP to get the desired consistency

Topping: (Optional)
Sweetened dessicated coconut - 2 - 3 TBSP toasted lightly either in skillet or in the oven.

Method:
Grease a 10" bundt pan with shortening and flour it tapping out the excess. Preheat the oven to 350 F. I used  a dark non stick pan so preheated to 325 F. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oil, apple sauce, sugar, lemon juice and the extracts. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately starting and ending with flour mixture. Scrape the bowl with a spatula couple of times and fold. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It took 55 minutes at 325 F for my cake.
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes on the wire rack. Turn it on to the wire rack to cool completely. You can either dust with powdered sugar or use the glaze. 
To toast the coconut:
Spread it on a cookie sheet and keep it in the oven after you bake the cake and you have turned the oven off. Let it sit in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes stirring halfway once. Transfer to a separate container.

To make the glaze:
Combine all the ingredients mentioned in 'For the glaze' and whisk till smooth. Pour on the completely cooled cake. Top it with toasted coconut if desired.

Enjoy.
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20 comments:

  1. This version of a vegan cake sounds just as interesting! Love the glaze and the topping, it definitely gives a new dimension to the cake!

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    1. Thanks Harini. This is the same cake that I had made a year back. I had used yogurt in the place of applesauce and it was very good.

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  2. i'd order a bunch of cakes from you if i lived near by:) that cake looks gorgeous.. love the added toasted coconut on top. i am sure everyone loved it!

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  3. great looks, i should learn baking from your site.

    Hema's Adugemane

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  4. Wow love the way it is presented..guess I can bake this..:)

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  5. Delish!! Love coconut in sweets!

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  6. cake luks just delicious.....nice space with yumy recipes..keep it up..visit mine when u free......
    Maha

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  7. It looks good I was wondering can I substitute the oil with coconut oil I've been using it in various baking recipes and it has held up fine

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    Replies
    1. Definitely you can use coconut oil. It will actually enhance the coconut flavor even more.

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  8. Just made this, the cake is so fluffy and yummy! Thanks!

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    1. Jessica,
      Thanks for the feedback. I am glad you enjoyed it.

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  9. I made this cake tonight and it was fantastic! I didn't have a bundt pan so I made a sheet cake. I was out of powdered sugar so I was afraid my cake was going to be boring. To spruce it up a bit, I took half a bag of frozen rasberries and sprinkled them over the top. I baked it for an hour, and half way through, I poured sweetened coconut over the top of the cake so it would brown. It turned out so good that I'm contemplating making another one to share with my parents this weekend!

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  10. I have done this cake twice and people just love it and have asked me for the recipe . However, my cake does not look as light and fluffy. It is rather darker in color and oily looking. It is very moist and shinny looking. I am looking for more dry fluffy, light color. Of course this my personal preference. I used cane sugar which is more tan in color but other than that I have follow your directions completely. Any idea of what I can do?

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    1. Color of the crust depends on the pan you use too. If the bundt pan you are using is a dark one, make sure you bake it at 325 F instead of 350. Also, I use shortening mixed with flour and oil as cake release. If you use the spray, it might alter the color of the crust too. I have made it so many times (this is my best selling cake) and I get the same color every time. I strongly suggest you to try a different pan and see what happens.

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  11. i was wondering could i leave the lemon juice out?

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If you have a question and you leave it as a comment, I'll surely answer the question to the best of my knowledge. Thanks for visiting.