vegan berry chantilly cake and cupcakes!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with vegan cream cheeze frosting (vegan, gluten free, agave sweetened )

Berry Chantilly Cake (vegan, agave sweetened, local berries)

Berry Chantilly Cupcakes

happy and delicious!

various baking adventures of late

Now that summer is kicking in the heat, I won't be at the markets, but I am taking orders for vegan and gluten-free treats and as well as general cooking and catering.

some new favorite treats I've stirred up.
Zucchini Cookies - I found this recipe online (when browsing for carrot cake recipes) and decided I'd make it vegan/gluten-free and sugar-free.
(I used the same proportions of most ingredients, subbing flour for gluten free flour blend; subbing the sugar for half the amount of agave and adding a tsp of xanthum gum.) DELISH!

Carob+Blueberries+Beans = Pudding or Brownies.
It sounds strange, yes, but totally yummy. Derived from the vegan black bean brownie recipe, I decided to alter to my own dietary needs/restrictions.
I cooked up mung beans instead, as they are one of the easiest beans to digest; then added blueberries, crystalized ginger, coconut oil, and a few tablespoons of carob powder, and added all this to the food processor. presto, pudding. yum!

Bywater Arts Market: 2/21 - Mardi Gras weekend, and new cakes!

For the Bywater Arts Market, I made my usual cookie favorites, and then explored the exciting world of cakes and cupcakes. My new favorite cookbook is Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Here are some variations I gleaned from there. (pics are in order last to first).

"Red" Velvet Cake with ButterCream Frosting

frosting stages

finished mini-cake, dusted with cocoa and cinnamon. yum!

Buttercream Frosting (vegan, yes)

Not quite the fire-engine red like some - I used beet juice. Nutritious!

a personal creation - Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombes
(Chocolate Chip cookie crumble + Peanut Butter, rolled in Chocolate + Coconut = Magic!)

Mocha Cupcakes w/Ganache Frosting and Shredded Coconut

The 8" round version of the Red Velvet Cake, with Choco-Tahini Frosting

somehow, the batter seems redder than after it bakes...

new creations - Feb 2009

kitchen experiments, and new creations. I've also been crafting yummy goodness from the produce we've been picking up from the Hollygrove Market
cornbread

cosmically delicious salad w/steamed winter greens, asparagus, portobellos, fresh tomato, herbs, and avocado

Carob Fruit Tart - seasonal, local fruit from the market, with carob, in a granola crust, topped with coconut sprinkles

Balsamic-Rosemary roasted Portobello Mushroom wrap (local mushrooms and chard leaves)

Vegan, Wheat-free Cornbread!

Creamed Turnips and Turnip Greens - tahini, Bragg's, ginger, and garbanzo flour make this exquisite in it's creamy-goodness.

Hand-Crafted Coconut milk Ice Cream, topped with local berries,
naturally sweetened with agave nectar.

More local goods from Hollygrove Market - Sauteed Green beans with colorful carrots and "popcorn rice".

Hollygrove Market 1/31/09

Banana Pecan

I'm excited for tomorrow's Hollygrove Market - The folks there will be featuring my baked goodies on the lagniappe table!
If you haven't been to this one yet, it's every Saturday from 10am - 2pm, and for $25 you receive a box full of local fruits, vegetables, herbs, and rice. It's fantastic :) We had fun cooking up all sorts of new creations from our variety box.
For this week, I've baked Banana Pecan Bread, Tahini Ginger Oat Cookies, PB cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Carob Fudge w/ginger and walnuts (my new fave).

Stevia-sweetened Chocolate Chip (an experimental recipe...not bad)

Banana Pecan loaves

Chocolate Chip!!

Carob Fudge w/Ginger & Walnut

Tahini Ginger Oat Cookie

Sweet Treats at the Bywater Arts Market

Banana Pecan Bread

Peanut Butter Cookies (with a fleur de lis stamped in for local flair)

I forgot to bring the camera to the market, but I did remember to snap a couple photos during my little bake-off. We had fun at the Bywater; the sun came out for awhile, so we were not as chilly as the weather forecast had predicted. Thanks to all the folks who ventured over and sampled treats!
I'm planning to be at the Sankofa and Bywater Markets next month as well (2/14 and 2/21).
In the meantime, I'll be practicing some valentines-ey recipes.
stay tuned...