Let's Get Our Vegan Bake On!

This post is courtesy of Courtney Mayhew.  Thanks for the contribution!

When people first find out that I am vegan, I often get asked, "Well, what can you eat?"  This of course, is in direct follow up to, "Where do you get your protein?" (more to come on this in a later post.) My response, "What can't I eat?!"   As a vegan, I have eaten a more varied and delicious diet than ever before.  First and foremost, I eat a lot of fresh veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, and whole grains.  But I never forget about the desserts!  Vegan baking is so easy, so fun, and so yummy.  Everyone loves desserts and vegan desserts are no exception.  Serve up this coconut lemon bundt cake at your next work party or family get together and be the hit of the evening.  No one will be able to tell, but I always point out that the dessert they are devouring is void of all animal cruelty and exploitation.  The recipe for this bundt cake comes from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. here These two ladies really know how to get their vegan bake on!  And with our help, you will too!  We will give you all of the tools you need to Veganize your baking!  So let's get started.     

Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake 

-serves 10

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar**

2/3 cup canola oil

1 14 ounce can coconut milk

1/4 cup nondairy milk

1/4 cup lemon juice (I used fresh squeezed for a more intense flavor)

3 T finely grated lemon zest

2 t pure vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

2 T confectioners sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 or 10 inch bundt pan with a nondairy butter such as earth balance or some canola oil.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine your granulated sugar, canola oil, coconut milk, non dairy milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix by hand to combine.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into your wet ingredients in small batches, mixing well after each addition. Then fold in your coconut.

Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for approximately one hour or until a knife inserted through the cake comes out clean.  

Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before placing a cutting board over the cake pan, gently flipping it over, and releasing your cake.  Let the cake cool completely and once cooled, sift some confectioners sugar over the top.  This cake is so delicious on its own, it does not require a frosting.  In the summer, I would top with fresh berries such as blueberries and strawberries. 

**Most sugar refineries use animal charcoal filters during production.  To avoid this, use alternatives such as Sucanat, turbinado, concentrated fruit sweetener, rice syrup, and one of my favorites, 365 brand Vegan cane sugar.