With all the excitement of participating in the Vegan Month of Food, I sort of forgot to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Vegangela.com. Working on this blog has been such an enriching experience for me – and even if I were to stop blogging tomorrow, I know that my life has been forever changed by the incredible people that have supported me here and to whom I’ve looked up to for inspiration and guidance. The world can be a lonely place sometimes but it’s so nice to know that there’s this great little community out there that is there for me, and that in my small way, I’m contributing to as well. So thanks for everything, dearest readers, and here’s to many more years of blogging adventures!
On top of my recent blogiversary, my birthday was on Monday, so I decided to bake my all-time favorite cake. It’s moist, decadent, and pretty addicting. This is the cake that my mom makes me for me every year, but which I’ve been missing out on big time since moving to Sydney a couple years ago. I originally planned to make the cake but it requires two cake pans, and since I don’t even own one at the moment (and I’m moving in two months and leaving everything behind), I thought it best to halve the recipe and make cupcakes instead. The cupcakes are just as delicious and decadent as the cake, so I’ve included both options below.
Notes
- I used whole wheat flour and it worked wonderfully, and made me feel better about all that sugar!
- I store these in the fridge – the icing firms up and the cupcakes are cool yet moist…Mmm.
- I accidentally mixed the pineapple and pecan pieces right into the frosting, but you’re actually supposed to press them into the frosting separately – Oops!
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Vegan Carrot-Praline Cake (or Cupcakes)
A deliciously moist vegan cake (or cupcakes) with creamy cream cheese icing
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 12-14 servings of cake or 18 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Cake/Cupcakes
- 1 tbsp vegan margarine
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1+1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 vegan egg replacements (such as Ener-G egg replacer)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or 1 cup of each)
- 1+1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
- 2 cups shredded carrot
Frosting
- 1 package (8 oz/ 227 g) Tofutti cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 can (8 oz / 227 g) pineapple tidbits in syrup, drained
Garnish
- Pecan halves, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- For cake/cupcakes, melt margarine in a skillet; add 3 tablespoons sugar and cook over low heat until mixture bubbles. Stir in pecans; cook until pecans are coated and sugar begins to caramelize. Pour onto a sheet of waxed paper; cool. Break pralines into small pieces.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. In a mixing bowl, beat 1+1/4cups sugar, oil, and vanilla at medium speed of an electric mixer, 1 minute.
- Add vegan eggs; beat until blended.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to oil mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
- Stir in pineapple, carrot, and praline pieces.
- If making a cake, pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans, otherwise, pour into lined muffin pans. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pans/muffin pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans/muffin pans; cool completely on wire racks.
- For frosting, beat cream cheese and margarine in a mixing bowl at medium speed until creamy; gradually add brown sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- If making a cake, spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Press chopped pecans into frosting on sides of cake. Press pineapple into frosting around top edge of cake. Garnish with pecan halves.
Notes
Adapted from: Carrot-Praline Cake, The Spirit of Christmas book, 2002
