Speak Kitty, Speak: Vegan Cherry Fudge Cake

Last weekend, my niece celebrated her 21st birthday.  She absolutely loves everything Hello Kitty and owns a vast collection: stuffed toys, slippers, bedspreads, lamps, and even Hello Kitty hosiery.  So picking a theme was by no means difficult.  My challenge was finding the time to bake it, since university was back in session and I had a performance the same weekend.

I had seen a Hello Kitty cake pan online and flirted with a potentially disastrous situation.  I quickly scrapped the idea, worried that my decorating skills were not yet up to par.  Instead, I did some hunting at a local party supply store and found an adorable Hello Kitty birthday candle.  I also picked up some Hello Kitty rings to decorate the side of the cake.  Easy breezy.

Onto the cake recipe.  I wanted to try out a cherry flavored cake, because I thought the theme would pair well with Hello Kitty, and also because dark cherries are delicious.  This cake turned out quite dense and, alongside the dark chocolate frosting, was very rich.  Almost too rich actually, which I find rather odd since it's Vegan and has no dairy.  Hence, I've decided to call it a cherry fudge cake.  Kaycee was delighted when I revealed her birthday surprise, and my cousins gave the cake a thumbs up.

Vegan Cherry Fudge Cake

Dry Ingredients: 3 cups Unbleached Pastry Flour 2 tbs Corn Starch 2 tsp Baking Soda 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Sea Salt 1 pkg (3 oz) Cherry Jel Dessert

Wet Ingredients: 1/2 cup Soy Milk + 2 tsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 4 tbs Water 2/3 cup Canola Oil 1 3/4 cup Sugar 2 cups Dark Cherries (fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup Cherry Preserves 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tsp Red Food Coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 320ºF.  In a food processor, blend cherries and preserves, reserve.  Add vinegar to 1/2 cup soy milk and reserve.  Stir egg replacer and 4 tbs water, reserve.  Sift together dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

Pour oil and sugar into a large bowl and beat with a wire whisk until well incorporated.  Whisk in egg replacer, cherry mixture, vanilla and food coloring if using.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Lastly, fold in soy milk and vinegar mixture.  Pour into two 9-inch cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow cakes to cool.

Dark Chocolate Frosting   

(I recommend doubling the recipe.)

1 box Firm Silken Tofu
8 oz. Vegan Chocolate Chips, melted in double boiler
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Chill in the refrigerator until thickened to desired spreading consistency (around 45-60 minutes).