Get yourself a slice of vegan loveliness from Louise Palmer-Masterton, founder of Stem & Glory
Lead image: Vegan Classic Chocolate Cake
Stem & Glory is all about healthy foods, with their main menu being refined sugar-free and gluten-free. Give these three recipes a try and enjoy the delicious results:
Vegan Classic Chocolate Cake
This is a really simple and delicious large cake that can be served in many different ways. Make a large, rectangular cake with a layer of ganache on top or a double-layer round cake with ‘butter’ cream inside and ganache on top. Or add cherries and create your own vegan black forest gateau. It’s the perfect cake for a kids’ party.
Serves 12
Ingredients
The cake
3 cups self-raising flour
2 cups sugar (I use soft dark brown)
1 ⅔ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 cups of water
1 cup oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
4 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache icing
1 bar dark chocolate
1 tbsp coconut oil
⅓ cup soya/oat cream
3 cups (ish) icing sugar
Directions
- Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl
- Mix the wet in another bowl
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together (do not over mix)
- Pour the mixture into a large greased and lined baking tin.
- Bake 30-45 mins at 180C. The middle of the cake should be firm to touch, and a knife should come out clean when inserted gently into the middle of the cake. One large cake will take longer than two small ones.
Chocolate ganache icing
- Melt the chocolate, and oil and soya/oat cream together.
- Add the icing sugar bit by bit until you have a thick, but just about pourable consistency.
- Then spread over the cake quickly before it sets!
Vegan Fig Upside Down Cake
Delicious any time of year, but especially good in the late summer/autumn when figs are in season. Choose the fattest, ripest ones that you can find.
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 cup flour
½ cup almond meal (ground almonds)
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
¾ cup cold water
½ cup concentrated apple juice (this is different from normal apple juice and is a sweet, concentrated version of apple juice. If you don’t have this, use ¼ cup agave syrup or similar, with ¼ cup water)
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 fresh figs sliced in half with stems trimmed
Directions
- Line and oil a 9″-round cake pan
- Take the fig halves and place them cut-side down on the pan, in a circle so they are side by side over the entire pan
- Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl
- Mix the wet in another bowl
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together
- Gently pour the cake batter over the fig. You may need to spread it out with a spatula to get it flat
- Place in the oven at 180C and bake for 25-30 minutes, testing with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Usually, when the top is a golden brown, it is done. Cover with foil and cook longer if needed
- Once cooked, cool in the tin on a cooling rack for 30 minutes
- Then you will need a flat plate. Slide a spatula around the sides of the tin to loosen the cake. Carefully turn the pan over on to the plate. You should have a gooey caramelised figgy bottom!
Vegan Raspberry and Almond Gluten-Free Muffins
Stem & Glory is not only plant-based, the chefs cook gluten-free too, as everyone deserves to be able to enjoy cake!
Makes 12 large muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free flour
2 cups ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder (gluten-free)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 x apple, grated
1 x lemon (juice and zest)
¾ cup maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil
½ cup sunflower oil
¾ cup rice milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup frozen raspberries
¼ cup flaked almonds (for garnish)
Directions:
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl (except flaked almonds)
- Place the wet ingredients, including the apple (but excluding frozen raspberries) into a food processor and blend
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in raspberries whilst still frozen
- Pour evenly into 12 muffin cases
- Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 20-25 minutes at 150°C
More info at stemandglory.uk
