Taking Liberties with Chocolate Cake

"The BEST chocolate cake ever…that happens to be VEGAN. I kid you not!" is the title under which I found what has morphed into my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I found it here on instructables.com. It's great the way it is if you can have regular flour, but because we avoid gluten and soy I've worked it into something we think is a real treat. 

You'll notice that this cake has no milk. It has no eggs. The title of the recipe even touts it as being vegan- which it is, IF you remember to use raw sugar. 

This is the original ingredient list as it was posted:

1 1/4 cups of flour 

1 cup of sugar

1/3 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1 cup warm water

1tsp vanilla extract 

1/3 cup of vegetable oil 

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

Included in the post, the author has wonderful 5-step instructions and another recipe for a glaze that goes on top of the cake, but I've never made this. I like doing my own Iced Cake Vodka buttercream frosting (see below for recipe). 

I have taken liberties with "The BEST chocolate cake ever…", so what I do is as follows. I have tried to write this in a way that is accessible to folks who may not be used to baking for people with dietary restrictions. If that's you, please don't miss some extra tips right here!  

Liberty Chocolate Cake 

Dry:

1 1/4 cups of King Arthur's All-Purpose gluten free flour mix 

or other gluten free mix- whatever is the favorite at the time. If you're making your own mix for this, white or brown rice flour is great as a base, SMALL amount of tapioca flour (about 1/4 cup) included is also nice- gives it a springy texture, nutty flours like almond or cashew meal are good for texture and flavor as well. 

scant 1/2 tsp xanthan gum- if you don't have this, it won't be the end of the world. It's just a binder that will hold everything together a bit better. For cupcakes especially, this is no big deal to leave out. You may even prefer to.

1 cup of sugar- make sure it's organic sugar if you're cooking for a strict vegan. 

1/3 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder- my favorite is Hershey's Special Dark

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Wet: 

1 cup So Delicious chocolate coconut milk warmed (stove or microwave is fine)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/3 cup of olive oil or canola oil

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar OR hard cider work best if you have one or the other on hand, but white vinegar, apple juice, fermented apple juice, and club soda are also things I've used. 

I keep it super simple. This is what I do for cupcakes, but if round layers or square pans are the order of the day, grease the pans with olive oil (or butter if you're not going dairy free) and it's just the same. 

Prepare a muffin tin with muffin cups. Set aside. 

Whisk the dry stuff together in a big bowl.

In a measuring cup, heat the coconut milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. 

Put the olive/canola oil into the measuring cup also (this will bring you to the 1 1/3 line on the measuring cup). 

Then top the wet mixture off with the vanilla and vinegar teaspoons. 

Stir the wet into the dry- step lively here because xanthan gum can thicken a mixture pretty quickly. 

When everything is incorporated and uniform, spoon it into the muffin cups. I like big cupcakes so I fill my cups a little more than 2/3. 

Put into the oven set at 350 degrees. I don't usually pre-heat my oven because it saves energy not to. Plus, this cake doesn't have to be cooked all the way through for food safety or for deliciousness. (In fact, a little underdone might be the way to go if you like fudgy cake.)

Check them at about 10 minutes. They're ready when you say they are, but they're fully cooked when the tops spring back from a light touch of your index finger. 

A note for them that needs it: 

If you are nervous about reaching into the oven with your bare hand (and you should be, a little bit), you won't burn yourself if you just give the cake a gingerly little tap. Don't touch the pan, inside of the oven, or oven racks without oven mitts though. 

Iced Cake Vodka Frosting 

1 stick of butter

4 cups powdered sugar (sifting optional- the sugar might be lumpy if you don't but the high speed on a mixer will usually take care of the clumps so don't sweat it if you don't have time or a sifter)

1/3 cup of Smirnoff's Iced Cake Vodka

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream that butter. Sift and dump the sugar. Mix til combined. Put in the vodka and vanilla. Mix again until uniform. Lick beaters- DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. 

Put on fruit, cake, or the end of your clean finger. 

 Variations of this include:

*using 1/2 cup palm shortening and 1/2 cup coconut cream in place of the butter if you want to go dairy free- when I do this I also add cocoa powder because without the fat from the butter to balance out the sweetness, you lose a little flavor. The chocolate taste is generally a crowd pleaser and no one will be the wiser that your dessert has no dairy! 

*putting cocoa powder in for chocolate icing (also adding melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips would be great!) 

*other flavored liquors in place of the vodka 

*food coloring for theme parties just add a drop or two at a time until it's the right color- keeping in mind that for very vibrant colors, you might begin to taste the coloring. Ew. 

*for G-rated kid gatherings, you can replace the vodka with milk or coconut milk

For the Brave, Considerate Person Who Wishes to Bake for Those with Allergies or Dietary Restrictions

First of all, thank you. The fact that you're even reading this shows that you empathize with your friend or loved one with special dietary needs. Your effort speaks volumes, please know that. 
                   
Lil' Disclaimer
I do not pretend to be an expert. These are things I've picked up from my personal experiences as someone who cooks for and eats with a person with gluten and soy sensitivities. This is by no means an exhaustive list and I welcome any comments that might make it more complete. Any doubts, concerns, or questions you have while baking should be posed to the person with the allergy (they are generally very knowledgable) or a physician/dietician.

With that in mind, here are some good things to know and consider:

Allergies/sensitivities/intolerances manifest differently and with varying severities. Everyone is different. Just because a person doesn't break out hives or need an EpiPen, doesn't mean that they are not allergic or sensitive or intolerant to certain foods. Life threatening illness, minor discomfort, hormonal reactions, and personal values are all very legitimate reasons for avoiding foods.

Allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances are all totally different things. If it seems relevant, I highly recommend reading up on them.
However, for simplicity's sake, hereafter I will refer to any or all of these with just the word "allergy" or "allergen".

I am hoping to write these instructions for the worst case scenario where even a small bit of cross-contact with the allergen will be dangerous. Discuss the severity of the allergy with your loved one before you prepare food for them so that you take all the appropriate precautions without stressing yourself out. If you don't read anything else on this list, read the link on cross-contact. Very helpful.

Before you start baking, be sure that all of your bowls, surfaces (refrigerator shelves too?), measuring cups/spoons, and oven mitts have been thoroughly washed with soap and warm water (even if they were clean to start- wash them again and dry them with a freshly washed towel) to remove trace amounts of allergens you normally use. If you are baking one specialty dish for a person with an allergy and other dishes for non-allergic people, bake the specialty dish first and store it in a temperature-appropraite place as far from items containing the allergen as possible.

This is an important one. Especially if you are new to allergy cooking/baking, but really all the time. READ ALL INGREDIENTS IN EVERYTHING YOU'RE USING. This means cooking spray/oil, juices, liquors, baking mixes, EVERYTHING. Even if you think you know what's in it, read the ingredient list. Things like gluten, corn, and soy are tricky. They appear in many forms in many products. I've been avoiding gluten and soy for almost 2 years and I still slip up at the grocery store! I have used this site before as reference for things that might contain allergens we avoid. Click the links of whichever allergen applies to you/your loved one. Many of these have a section that says, "Should be Safe" but unless you've discussed it with your loved one or their doctor, I'd stay away from those ingredients also.

Vegans are different from vegetarians. Vegetarians avoid meat, but do eat dairy and eggs. Vegans avoid all animal products. Reasons for doing so vary greatly from health to environmental consciousness to religion and more. Let's use that as a most basic, barebones definition. Speaking of bones! Not all vegans would consider refined sugar as appropriate for them to eat because of how it is processed. Some refined sugar is filtered through animal bone char. Raw sugar is one alternative. Read more about sugar alternatives and other vegan concerns here.

Baking for a crowd of people with one or more allergy apiece is quite difficult. Don't try to take on too much. Try to serve something everyone can eat if possible. Failing that, have a separate dish for your allergic guests. An example: At Thanksgiving, serve regular dressing in one dish and a smaller gluten-free dressing in a separate dish.

Don't be offended or surprised if your allergic loved one questions you about the methods, ingredients, or utensils used to prepare their dish/meal. It's not because they doubt your intentions or ability. It's likely part of a routine they must perform at restaurants to ensure their food will be edible. Hopefully they will do this in a way that is courteous, but keep in mind that people who are very new to allergies may be frustrated or overwhelmed.

If you discover that you've dipped a toe into forbidden territory and accidentally included or cross-contacted an allergen, do not allow your loved one to eat the dish. Better to be safe than sorry, always. Learn from the mistake and try again next time. Baking is about well-being and showing that you care. The gesture will be meaningful even if it isn't edible.

If cooking or baking seems too risky, do a little research on already prepared products sans allergen(s) you may be able to purchase at a grocery store. Udi and Enjoy Life are two of our favorite brands that have a wide range of products for a wide range of diets. Whole Foods has lots of great choices for a variety of dietary restrictions as well. We've nicknamed it "Whole (Paycheck) Foods" because it's over-priced, but sometimes it's the best (or only) option for what you're looking for.

People who have allergies generally do not expect to be accommodated in every (or even most) situations. More than likely they've planned ahead. But as a host/ess or friend, your inclusiveness means the world.


I would like to end this post by saying a hearty "THANK YOU!" to all of my friends and relatives who have accommodated Carlos and me for the last two years. From day one I've been able to count on my parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. for edible gluten/soy free meals and treats. And my closest friends have made a game out of shopping with me, "Which (insert product here) Can Sarah Take Home to Carlos?" Whether you've helped me find 1, 10, or 0 things, I am ALWAYS the winner of that game. I have the best family and friends anyone could dream up. We are so lucky to have your love and understanding. Thank you for believing that we deserve food that is both delicious AND safe.