Mistress Ginger’s Barbarian Torte

This recipe was featured at Twin Cities Veg Fest 2017. Watch the demo here!

From Mistress Ginger Cooks: Everyday Vegan Food for Everyone

Yields 16 servings

Here it is—the pièce de résistance! This cake is so damn decadent that it’s downright uncivilized! It’s certainly not health food, so don’t try to convince yourself that it is. Give in, you brute. These unruly amounts of fat and sugar and refined flour are to be saved for a special occasion, like Tuesday.

Cake

  • 1 cup plain nondairy milk
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅓ cup canola oil

Cream Filling

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled for 6 to 8 hours
  • 8 ounces nondairy cream cheese, softened
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Dust

  • 1 (3.5-ounce) nondairy dark chocolate bar, grated

Barbarians: You’ll need to pretend to be civilized if you hope to pull off this torte. You got me? Good. Now proceed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a piece of parchment paper into two circles, both with a 9-inch diameter to fit the bottom of two 9-inch baking pans. Insert the parchment circles into the pans and lightly coat the sides with vegetable shortening. Sprinkle with flour and then shake and tap out the excess.

To make the cake, mix the nondairy milk with the lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from the heat.

Put the egg replacer and water in a food processor and process until frothy, about 3 minutes.

Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the oil and half the nondairy milk mixture. Using an electric mixer, beat until just mixed, about 1 minute.

Add the remaining nondairy milk mixture and the melted chocolate and egg replacer mixture. Beat until just mixed, about 1 minute, to make a batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (You dirty brute, do you even know the meaning of the word “clean?”)

Let cool in the pans on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Turn the cakes out of the pans onto the rack and let cool for 1 to 2 hours longer.

While the cakes cool, prepare the filling. Remove the coconut milk from the fridge, but do not shake the cans. (When chilled, the cream from the coconut milk rises to the top.) Gently turn the cans upside down and carefully remove the lids. Pour the watery liquid into a storage container and reserve for other purposes. Scoop the coconut cream from the cans and put it in a large bowl. Using the electric mixer, beat the cream until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Put the nondairy cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and blend until well combined using the electric mixer (there’s no need to clean it after beating the coconut cream). Add the cream cheese mixture to the coconut cream and mix until well combined.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, cut each cake in half horizontally to make four layers. Be careful to cut the cakes evenly, you vulgar savage. (I hope you’ll take that as a compliment. Some of my best lovers have been vulgar savages. Actually, all my lovers have been vulgar savages.)

To assemble the cake, put one layer on a cake plate, spread one-quarter of the filling over that layer, and sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chocolate dust. Continue to alternate the layers, the filling, and the chocolate dust until all four layers are stacked with a layer of the filling separating them. Spread the remaining filling over the top layer of the cake. Delicately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate dust as a garnish. Geez Louise, I said delicately sprinkle! This isn’t one of your barnyard escapades.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving to all your beastly friends. Store loosely covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator and use within 1 week––as if you could restrain yourself for longer than that, you wild heathen, you.

Per serving: 350 calories, 4 g protein, 21 g fat (11 g sat), 40 g carbohydrates, 345 mg sodium, 156 mg calcium, 2 g fiber

More fun and delicious recipes from Mistress Ginger, visit mistressgingercooks.com.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 24 cookies

This vegan version of the Nestle Toll House recipe gives you all of the familiar taste and texture of the classic cookie that you grew up loving. This decadent treat proves that you don’t need give up the flavors you love when you choose vegan options.

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer
  • 3 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 cup vegan buttery spread, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups of nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the egg replacer with the water in a food processor and process until frothy, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, mix by hand using a whisk.)

Put the sugar and the vegan buttery spread in a large bowl and mix using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and the egg replacer mixture and blend again. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix with a spoon.

Fold in the chocolate chips and optional nuts.

Roll the dough into 24 balls, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and put 12 balls on the prepared baking sheet, flattening them a little. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Easy Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze

This tasty chocolate cake has a delicious chocolate glaze and is quick to put together!

For the Cake:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

For the Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp margarine
  • 2 tbsp soy milk
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8in x 8in square pan. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a fork, until well mixed. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mixing so that all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet, scraping down sides as necessary. Pour the batter into the prepared dish, place on center rack and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted. Cool completely before icing.

Once the cake is cool, you can make the optional glaze. (You will not want to make it before the cake is ready to ice since this glaze hardens quickly.) In a small saucepan, bring sugar, margarine, milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly. The resulting mixture will be bubbly. Remove from heat and stir for another five minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are super great, super easy, and contain no hydrogenated or palm oil!

You will need:

  • ½ c brown sugar
  • ¼ c white sugar
  • ½ c canola or vegetable oil
  • ¼ c water or nondairy milk
  • 1 Tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ½ c all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ c chocolate chips (more or less to taste)
  • parchment paper or oil/grease for your pans

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 9×13 cookie sheets with parchments or grease.

Mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, making sure the sugar is completely saturated. Add water and mix again.

Mix all of the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips in a separate bowl, then add to the oil mixture. Begin forming a dough with your hands. Add the chocolate chips before all the flour has been incorporated and knead into a dough until the chips are distributed and there are no dry spots of flour. If you find that your dough is a little dry, add a little more oil or water, 1 tsp at a time until it forms a soft dough that holds its shape.

To bake form balls of about 2 Tbs of dough each (for approximately 24 cookies total). Flatten each ball of dough with your hands and place evenly spaced on the cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes for a soft cookie or 8 minutes for a crisp cookie. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a ceramic plate to cool.

Basic Pumpkin Pie

By Torie M.

Ingredients

  • 1 vegan pie crust
  • toasted pecan halves
  • 12 ounces silken tofu
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Directions

  1. Put tofu, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in the blender
  2. Pour into vegan pie crust
  3. Bake 40-45 mins at 350F
  4. Place toasted pecans in concentric circles while pie is hot
  5. Cool to room temperature, then chill for 1-2 hours

Orange Caramel Cake

Recipe by Annette G.

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 2 11.5 oz cans of mandarin oranges
  • 2 c flour
  • 2 c sugar
  • 2 t baking soda
  • 2 t salt
  • 3/4 c brown sugar
  • 3 T Earth Balance
  • 2 T soy milk

Directions

  • Cream banana and oranges together. Mix next four dry ingredients together, then mix into the orange mixture in three batches. Mix at high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into 9×13 pan and bake for 30 minutes @ 350.
  • Add brown sugar, Earth Balance & milk in a saucepan and heat on medium until boiling, stirring constantly. When cake comes out of oven, poke repeatedly with a fork across the top of the cake. Pour the glaze mix slowly over the cake, letting it soak into the cake. Spread the glaze with a spoon to insure coverage.

Silken Tofu Chocolate Pie

Recipe by Liz H.

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (a vegan brand)
  • 1 8 oz. container of nori shelf stable silken tofu (not refrigerated)
  • a splash of soymilk (a tablespoon maybe)
  • a spash of vanilla (optional)
  • vegan prepared graham cracker crust

Directions

  1. melt chocolate chips on the stove, stirring frequently on medium heat.. add a little soymilk to keep them from getting to dry.
  2. put the tofu in a blender straight out of the box. no need to chop- before blending pour in the completely melted chocolate chip/soymilk mixture (it’s okay if it’s still hot).
  3. now, blend away on a high setting;
  4. you may need to help out a little with a rubber spatula buy scraping down the bits of tofu and choc. chips that get stuck to the side.. just keep pushing that stuff down from the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure it all gets blended well.
  5. you may add a tiny bit more soymilk if needed, but it will be too runny if you add too much.
  6. when finished blending it should resemble a chocolate mousse and be completely blended.. no specks of tofu of chocolate, it should be completely smooth.
  7. pour the tofu/chocolate mixture into the graham crust and spread evenly to make a smooth surface on top.
  8. chill a minimum of 3 hours, and you are good to go!
  9. totally heavenly with a vegan whipped cream, i might add 😉

Vanilla Pudding Parfait

Yes, you really can have a delicious dairy-free pudding without using tofu. This recipe is supreme – it pleases life-long pudding fans of all persuasions. I have slightly adjusted a recipe from The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook to create this easy-to-make hard-to-dislike dessert.

Need a dessert that is both satisfying and easy? Whip up some of AmyLeo Barankovich's pudding parfait for a delicious treat!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ¾ c unrefined sugar *
  • ¼ c corn starch (3/4 c if making pie)
  • ¼ t sea salt
  • 3 c soy milk *
  • ¼ c Earth Balance Buttery Spread *
  • 2 t pure vanilla extract

Garnish options

  • ¼ c coconut chips, not flakes, toasted
  • 2 T grated vegan dark chocolate
  • 8 T berries of your choice

Directions

  • In medium saucepan whisk together sugar, corn starch and salt. Over medium to high heat slowly add non-dairy milk whisking constantly. Bring to boil, lower the heat and cover. Let boil gently for 10-15 minutes, keeping and eye on it to be sure it does not burn. You might need to stir it once in a while.
  • Remove from heat and whip in Earth Balance Buttery Spread and vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl or 4 parfait or champaign glasses. Let cool slightly, garnish. Chill or eat warm.
  • Variation: Add 1 cup fruit to the body of the pudding as you pour the pudding into the dessert cups. Once pudding has lightly set garnish with more berries.
  • Note:I have used other non-dairy milks and none create as rich and full a flavor. However, if you cannot eat soy the pudding is still good with a different non-dairy milk.

* Unrefined Sugar – sometimes called Turbinado or Cane comes from the first pressing of the sugar cane. It has large crystals and retains some of the molasses flavor, which is a natural byproduct in the processing of white sugar. It can be interchanged in most recipes without drastically altering the integrity of the recipe. It isn't processed as much as white sugar, so it retains some trace minerals.

* Earth Balance Buttery Spread is a Non GMO (genetically modified organism), non-hydrogenated vegan buttery spread that is great in taste and healthier than margarines; it is not considered a margarine. Earth Balance Buttery Spread come in several varieties including soy, olive oil and soy free.

Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Recipe from Freeman W.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy or coconut or almond or other vegan milk
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil 
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened Fair Trade cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
  • 3 cups regular rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, soy milk, coconut oil, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and quickly stir in peanut butter (to melt it), vanilla, and oats. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper or a baking sheet. Let cool until hardened. Put in fridge to cool, if possible. 

Fudgy Fudge

Recipe from Adam and Samantha

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance
  • 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter
  • 2 small organic ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons organic brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon organic cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, roughly five minutes.
  2. Use a spatula to pour the mixture into a flat, sealable container.
  3. Place the container in the freezer. The fudge needs to be super cold in order to retain its shape, so I find that it’s best to store the fudge in the freezer. If you store it in the fridge, it will have a semi-solid mousse-like texture.

Get Involved

Subscribe to our weekly update:


Donate

Volunteer

Veg Resources

Upcoming Events