DU Vegans...I need a birthday cake recipe

[GoddessOfGuinness]

I'd also like to decorate it, so I need to know if decorator icing conforms to vegan standards as long as it's made with vegetable shortening.

I look forward to your suggestions! :D

[laheina]

1. Here are some ideas:

http://www.veganchef.com/

There is a vegan decorating frosting recipe in the "deserts" section, as well as several kinds of cake. I love this site, and I've never had any of her recipes turn out other than perfect. :)

Vegetable shortening should be fine. Crisco's all vegetable shortening will work, and their butter flavored version is artificially flavored, so their ingredients appear to be okay.

You do need to watch the sugar, though. The link above includes info about making "veganized" powdered sugar. If you use white sugar, it should be beet sugar and not cane sugar.

You can also get vegan cake mixes at the local Whole Foods or many Co-ops and health food stores.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. Thanks for the info!

Are there vegan food colors as well, or will any suffice?

[sbj405]

2. How about cupcakes?

http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2006/01/fluffy-white-cupcakes.html

Also, if you're looking to not bake, there is Sticky Fingers Bakery in DC.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. Thank you!

I might check the bakery out...I found their website!
We're not vegan, but my son is going to want to invite some friends who are. :hi:

[LeftyMom]

5. OMG cupcakes

::worships at the altar of jenniferschmoo::

BTW, I heard Isa of Post Punk Kitchen fame is doing a whole cookbook of cupcakes. :9

[laheina]

11. I think that I put myself in a sugar coma

just thinking about the idea of an all cupcake cookbook.

[LeftyMom]

6. here's a bunch of cake recipes

http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=236.0

The thing about the icing is that it's probably impossible to determine whether a sugar bleached in bone char was used or not. Not all vegans care about that specific issue, but if it can be avoided it's worthwhile to do so just to be sure. Also, some red food dyes aren't vegan due to the use of carmine, so it's generally best to aviod icing and other dyed foods when cooking for vegans.

Here's a link with which sugar brands are and aren't vegan and why. If you just grab some turbinado sugar at the local health food store you're safe for sure, but ir you'd prefer to use white sugar this breaks it down by brand: http://www.vegfamily.com/articles/sugar.htm

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Thanks LeftyMom!

I'll check out the links. :yourock:

[DS1]

7. Twinkies

[LeftyMom]

9. Twinkies have beef fat in them.

Really. :puke:

[DS1]

10. I thought they were entirely synthesized

Like a culinary Gary Newman

[laheina]

12. Unless they be schmood !!

http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2006/01/vegan-twinkies.html

I think that I am gonna have to try these. :D

[LeftyMom]

13. MamaSchmoo is a genius

I wonder how she'd feel about adopting a 25 year old?