Spur of the Moment

My name is Kimberly Stachowski. I'm -somewhat- of a photographer from the back woods of Georgia...though it just so happens that I'm a city girl at heart; I have, as I like to think, the best of both worlds....an 18 year old vegan who is just as comfortable shoe shopping as I am camping on the side of a mountain.

I enjoy the little things yet still feel the need for adventure. Somehow this tends to get me into some pretty odd situations....cant say all are enjoyable moments; but hey, shit happens when you party.

My Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/matka.ziemia

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  1. German Chocolate Cake (Vegan)

    The only problem with this cake is that it disappeared too fast! Everyone seems to love it~ and it’s a really filling cake.

    Cake
    3½ cups all- purpose flour

    4 teaspoons baking powder

    2 teaspoons baking soda

    1 teaspoon kosher salt

    2 cups soy milk

    1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder(we recommend Hershey’s)

    1 cup canola oil

    3 cups real maple syrup

    1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Coconut-Pecan Center
    ½ cup soy milk

    ¼ cup cornstarch

    1 pinch kosher salt

    2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

    1½ cups coconut milk

    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

    1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

    Chocolate Ganache
    ½ cup soy milk

    8 ounces unsweetened chocolate

    ¼ cup real maple syrup

    What to Do:

    1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°f. Have ready two 8- inch round nonstick cake pans.

    2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    3. Heat the soy milk in a small saucepan to slightly bubbling, and then add the cocoa powder. Remove from the heat and whisk well.
    (When I worked at Starbucks we would ‘make the mocha’ at night by combining chocolate powder and hot water. This is basically the same idea)

    Now, while this looks like a tasty treat….its not. Remember that it has no sweetener, so before you snag a taste remember that! Its just bitter coco

    4. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk well. Pour in the soy milk–cocoa mixture, and whisk until smooth.

    5. Using a mixer or by hand, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.

    6. Pour the batter evenly into the two cake pans, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool thoroughly.

    7. To make the coconut- pecan frosting, whisk the soy milk, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl.

    8. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the brown sugar in the coconut milk. Cook, whisking, until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

    9. With the mixture on the stove still over low heat, pour in the soy milk mixture and stir continuously until the mixture is very thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Cool before using.

    10. To make the chocolate ganache, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, and stir continuously until the glaze is smooth. Remove from the heat, stir for another 2 minutes, and then cool to room temperature.

    11. To build the cake, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand, and spread a layer of the coconut- pecan frosting over the top (but not the sides). Place the second layer on top of the first. Using a spatula, ice the cake with a thick layer of ganache.

    Now German chocolate cakes usually have a top layer of the coconut-pecan mixture. Feel free to add it, but I personally think it’s just too much. This is a REALLY filling cake as-is

     
     
  2. Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake w/ Chocolate Glaze

    The first time I tired it I almost had a little food freak out its soooo good! I had to share. It’ll be perfect for the upcoming fall season, and it’s a really is a simple recipe (and cheap too!).  ;) 

    What You’ll Need (Cake)

    1/2 cup Soy Milk

    2 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

    1/2 cup Vegan Margarine (softened)

    1 cup Lite Brown Sugar

    1 can Solid-Pack Pumpkin

    1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

    2 cups All-Purpose Flour

    2 Tsp Baking Powder

    1 Tsp Baking Soda

    1/2 Tsp Salt

    1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

    1/2 Tsp Ground All-Spice

    1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

    (Chocolate Glaze)
    3/4 cup Vegan Semisweet Chocolate Chips (I use Ghirardelli)

    2 Tbl Vegan Margarine

    1 cup Confectioners Sugar

    1 - 2 Tbl Soy Milk

    I personally think that if you’re doing this for a Halloween get together a few Halloween themed sprinkles on top would be uber cute. Just an idea ;)

    What To Do (Cake)

    First thing, go ahead and grease a pan. For a nice presentation use a Bundt pan (and it’s easier to serve that way), but if you’re simple like me a regular 9x13 in pan gets the job done. Set the oven to 350d and get ready to cook!

    In a small bowl combine the Soy Milk and Vinegar and set aside.

    In a large bowl, cream together the Margarine and Sugar until fluffy (2~3 mins). Now, I know you might be thinking, “Fluffy?” But mix it until it looks close to the picture below. I put some flour on my hands and use them to mix. They are after all, your best tools in the kitchen!

    Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until mixed. Stir in the Soy Milk Mixture and Beat until smooth.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, and Spices. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin batter, about 1/3 at a time (mixing each time), until everything is mixed together.

    (I wish I had taken a picture of this, but alas I did not. Sorry. It looks just like normal cake batter at this point.)

    Pour it all into a pan and bake for ~30 Minutes (or until a toothpick comes out *of the center* clean). Cool completely.

    What To Do (Glaze)

    In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and margarine over low heat and stir.

    Remove from heat and beat in the sugar. Gradually add the soy milk until the glaze is pourable. When the cake is completely cool, pour on the glaze.

    —————————————————————————————————-

    My favorite thing to do is heat a slice in the microwave for 5 seconds then put some vanilla ice cream on top. YUM!

    Hope you like it! Enjoy! :)