These vegan sugar cookie hearts are perfect for any occasion, whether it's Valentine's Day, a birthday, or just a sweet treat for yourself. They are easy to make and can be decorated to match any theme or color scheme.
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour. 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened. 1/2 cup granulated sugar. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. 1/4 teaspoon salt. Vegan icing and sprinkles for decoration optional.
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As the founder of a vegan bakery that specializes in making treats you could never tell are vegan, I get asked A LOT of questions about vegan baking so I thought I’d start answering some of those here on the blog on a segment I call “Ask a Vegan Baker.” I know, super creative, but it’s self explanatory!
Today’s question: what is the secret to the perfect chocolate cake?
As a lover of all things chocolate, this one is very close to my heart.
The answer is pretty simple: the perfect chocolate cake is not overly sweet.
A lot of chocolate cakes out there can be hurt-your-face-sweet and that is not good. All the chocolate cakes at the Curious Cat Bakery are the perfect balance of chocolatey goodness, tasting rich and decadent without overwhelming you with sugar. The key is not to go too heavy on that vanilla extract.
Try tasting your batter before adding it. Is it really needed even if the recipe calls for it? If so, add it half a teaspoon at a time.
And for the buttercream, I NEVER use vanilla extract at all. I mean, American buttercream is just butter and sugar. Why would you add any more sweetness to that?
A chocolate ganache can also transform a cake and bring it to the next level. I mean, chocolate ganache can pretty much bring anything to the next level, right? It’s soft, spreadable, rich and delicious and since I make mine with semi sweet chocolate chips, not overly sweet either.
If you’d like the recipe for that, it’s included in my latest eBook, “Vegan Baking 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Veganizing Dessert Staples.” You can order it on the website.
Keep sending me your questions at [email protected]. I’ll be answering them on Mondays and Wednesdays.
As the founder of a vegan bakery that specializes in making treats you could never tell are vegan, I get asked A LOT of questions about vegan baking so I thought I’d start answering some of those here on the blog on a segment I call “Ask a Vegan Baker.” I know, super creative, but it’s self explanatory!
First up: what kind of vegan butter is best for vegan baking?
There is certainly no shortage of options out there but my personal favorite is Earth Balance’s Soy Free Spread. Now, just to be clear, this is not a paid advertisement. I just love the product.
I’ve been using Earth Balance since I first went vegan almost a decade ago because:
1) it tastes like real butter,
2) it looks like real butter,
3) (and most importantly) it acts like real butter. That means it melts in the way the real stuff would and combines with melted chocolate like the real stuff would.
I use it for all of my recipes at the Curious Cat Bakery that require butter so that includes everything from buttercream to cookies to caramel and sweet breads.
So if you ask me, that’s the best substitute for butter when baking.
Keep sending me your questions at [email protected]. I’ll be answering them on Mondays and Wednesdays.
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Never in a million years did I ever think I would love chickpea water this much. No, seriously, you read that correctly. And yes, it’s as weird as it sounds.
The first time I was told to save that murky yellowish water inside a can of chickpeas for baking I was skeptical too. Just because you give it a fancy name that sounds like some new celebrity cologne (“Aquafaba”), doesn’t mean it’s a thing, right? But I put that aquafaba in the mixer, added some sugar and gave it a whirl — and my life changed forever.
Turns out when you do that, somehow the vegan baking gods shine their light upon you and that gross water turns into vegan meringue! That’s right. Nice, airy, fluffy, shiny, soft and stiff peaks of marshmallowy goodness — no chickpea smell at all. You can see that process in my Instagram story.
It’s a truly inspiring thing when you think about it.
Because if chickpea water can become a chocolate mousse, s’mores or a macaron, you, my friend, can do anything.
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