Of gnomes and various cakes

As well as baking cakes, we also painted a gnome

The bad news is that I keep forgetting to update my blog, but the good news is that my friends and I have been baking the occasional cake so I'm updating my blog now. Ooh, also, I turned vegan again. It was my new year's resolution and is going pretty well so far. In terms of resolutions, I tend to only go for things I was thinking of doing anyway, so I usually stick to them. It just gives me a kick into actually doing the thing I intended to do since I can take a while to get round to things sometimes... Anyhow, without further ado, on with the cakes!

Ginger and pineapple upside down cake

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 5.
• Melt 20g vegan margarine in a pan and add 4 tbsp syrup.
• Heat over a high heat until thickened.
• Pour into a greased baking tray and level out.
• Next add a layer of 2 grated pieces of stem ginger and 150g tinned pineapple, chopped.
• In a separate bowl, mix 250g self-raising flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 115g sugar.
• Blend soya milk, oil, 300g tinned pineapple and banana until almost smooth.
• Add blended mixture to flour mixture, mix thoroughly and cover pineapple, ginger and syrup in tin.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until skewer/sharp knife comes out clean.
• Leave to cool, then place serving plate over tin and turn upside down. (The syrup should be on top of the cake.)
• Serve hot or cold with custard or soya cream.

Ginger and pineapple goodness

Recipe source: 'The Vegan Cookbook' by Nicola Graimes

Chestnut and chocolate mousse

• Heat 75g of sugar in a pan with a few tbsp water and bring to boil.
• Simmer until the caramel becomes runnier, then pour over the bottom of a greased oven dish.
• Mix together 420g unsweetened chestnut purée and 175g sugar in a pan.
• Add 350ml soya milk a bit at a time.
• Whisk over a moderate heat until mixture comes to the boil; simmer until it thickens slightly.
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in 200g broken pieces of dark chocolate until they melt.
• Pour mixture over caramel and leave in fridge for 6 hours or more.
• Enjoy!

Chestnutty goodness

Recipe source: Vegan Perv-Nerds

Apricot and brazil nut flapjack
Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3.
Over a low heat, melt 175g dairy free margarine in a pan with 150g sugar and 2 tbsp golden syrup.
Add 100g dried apricots (cut into pieces) and brazil nuts, 125g muesli and 125g oats and mix thoroughly.
Spread the mixture into a greased baking tin.
Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Leave to cool for 15 minutes.
Cut into squares and leave to cool completely, or enjoy warm.

Flapjacky goodness

Recipe source: 'Beyond Baked Beans Green' by Fiona Beckett
(This is a great vegetarian cook book with little 'v's for all the vegan recipes, as well as estimates for how long each recipe will take.)