Maple Vanilla Baby Cakes

Sometimes people ask me for recipes and then I realize that the only thing I have that's remotely like what they are looking for is way too complicated and esoteric. Ugh. So, when an awesome neighbour (who usually bakes with very traditional ingredients) asked me for a cupcake recipe that was sweetened with maple syrup, I could have sent her a recipe that involved 12 different types of flour. But I thought that would be mean. So instead I came up with this one, that uses kamut flour and tapioca starch. Simpler. Few ingredients. Quick to mix up. Super tasty. Taste Testers: The Kid and The Husband (who by the way never leaves his socks lying around) snarfed 3 of them before I could ask them how they were. In my husbands words: "They were so terrible I had to have another just to make sure. And then another. Terrible."

They are this perfect mix of plain and delicious.

equipment:

1. kettle
2. mixing bowl
3. mixing spoon
4. whisk
5. measuring cups
6. measuring spoons
7. cupcake or muffin cups -- I use the silicone ones on a baking sheet, but you can use a muffin pan lined with papers if you prefer!
8. oven


ingredients:

a)
1 1/2 cups of water (warmed up a little but not hot)
2 tbsp coconut oil (the warm water will melt it)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar

b)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups kamut flour

c)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional but awesome)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
(you can use 2 tsp baking powder instead of cream of tartar and baking soda)



directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345!
2. in a mixing bowl, combine the warm water and coconut oil and let the coconut oil melt
3. add the rest of the ingredients from part a)
4. using a whisk, mix in the ingredients from part b)
5. still whisking, mix in the ingredients from part c)
6. scoop the batter into muffin cups, leaving room for them to rise
7. bake at 345 for 25-30 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently pressed

made 20 quite small cakes

Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container!

Baby Cake Vegan Apple Cake -- Baby Cake #4

Vegan Apple Cake

For some people, apple cake is synonymous with comfort food. I wanted to create a recipe that was not fancy. I wanted to offer something fragrant with cinnamon and vanilla, but still sweetly quiet and ... comforting. This pretty little number offers the winning combination of simple fare with a small nod towards health. It's definitely not the healthiest thing I've ever made, but the total sugar content is quite low, and the rest of the ingredients don't belong in the 'totally evil' column by any means.

The recipe for this evil little cake is simple, and it bakes up in a hurry.

ingredients:

1 1/4 cups filtered water

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

2 tsp egg replacer + 1/4 cup filtered water

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon

1/2 tsp organic ground vanilla

2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 large apple (royal gala), cored and cut into small pieces

1/2 med sized apple (royal gala), quartered and cut into thin slices

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. warm the water, and melt the coconut oil in it

2. combine the egg replacer with the 1/4 cup water, and stir into the water and oil

3. add the vanilla, sugar, and apple cider vinegar

4. add the salt, cinnamons, and vanilla

5. add the flour

6. mix in the baking soda

7. stir in the chopped apple, and spoon into 24 prepared muffin cups

8. top each cup of batter with a thin slice of apple and a (generous) sprinkle of organic cane sugar, which will caramelize delightfully as the cake bakes

9. bake the cakes at 345 for 30 minutes

Baby Cake Coffee Cake -- Baby Cake #2

Baby Cake Coffee Cake

The texture of these is delicate and moist, and the taste is so rich and flavourful that you won't miss the white sugar, white flour, and other assorted evils of a more traditional coffee cake. Enjoy, and consider naming your first born (first born baby cake) after me.

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic whole milk

2 organic eggs, large

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (I prefer Nutiva)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp sea salt

2 cups fine almond flour (I used JK Gourmet)

1 tsp organic vanilla bean powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

a quick grind or five of black pepper

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup fine kamut flour (whole grain)

1/2 cup organic thompson raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. warm the milk slightly

2. add the coconut oil, and stir until melted

3. add eggs and stir briskly

4. add vanilla and maple syrup, combining well

5. add salt and spices and almond flour, and stir well

6. add baking soda, mix well

7. add kamut flour, and mix thoroughly but briefly

8. add raisins and pecans

9. pour batter into 24 muffin cups, and sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon and a lot of coconut sugar

10. bake at 345 for 30 minutes in the upper half of the oven