Big and Little Pink Strawberry Cakes, Naturally

GR turned eleven years old last month, officially making her a tweener. She requested a pink colored, strawberry flavored birthday cake. When we cut out artificial colors and flavors and petroleum-based preservatives last Fall, I hadn't really encountered a need to improvise on colors and flavors until now. I knew it would be coming with the children's birthdays, so I was mentally prepared. GR was very specific: she wanted strawberry flavor, not strawberry chunks. I had thought of using strawberry extract because I think it's okay, but I'll have to check to be sure. But, I really wanted to see if I could do this without extracts. I had also heard of using beet juice for the color, but since I was already using real strawberries for the flavor, I thought I'd see what color they'd make as well. What turned out was a sweet pink hue with a gentle strawberry flavor. GR was very pleased with it. She had a slumber party a few days later, and wanted the same thing in cupcake form, and we ended up with perfect little pink mini-cupcakes.

I used my White Cake with White Butter Cream Frosting as a base to start with. I thought by adding strawberry puree, I wouldn't need the soy milk, but I actually ended up using the same amount of soy milk as in the original recipe. Also, since my dear husband, G, has been complaining so much lately about the lack of frosting in between cake layers, I decided to double the butter cream frosting. Eh, don't do that, unless you have a limitless ability to eat sweets. I am a salt girl, myself, but even my sugar-lovin' family said that frosting version was too sweet. So, stick to the original. I'll repeat the recipe below. The photo of the cake below is with the doubled frosting recipe, and you can see I had abundant frosting. GR wanted both her cake and cupcakes topped with fresh raspberries, and they complete her beautiful desserts. She wanted to do the honors of topping them herself, and she did a great job, deepening my belief that she's going to be a fantastic cook someday.

Pink Strawberry Cake

You can kind of make out the pink cake here

Gorgeous strawberry puree!



Pink cake batter


Our cute little, pink mini-cupcakes

Mini-cupcakes all dressed up and ready to be devoured

Big and Little Pink Strawberry Cakes, Naturally

Ingredients:

Cakes:
(The same for both a double-layer cake or mini-cupcakes)

2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cups vegan or raw sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup soy milk
2 and 1/2 cups of chopped strawberries, pureed in blender
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. EnerG Egg Replacer
4 Tbs. water

Frosting:

1/2 cup vegan margarine, room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
3 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. soy milk

Fresh raspberries for garnish

Directions:

For the cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For a double-layer cake, spray two round cake pans with an oil spray, and lightly flour their bottoms. For mini-cupcakes: I did not need to prepare the mini-cupcake pan - the cupcakes came right out. If you need to spray yours, feel free to do so. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream the shortening to soften it completely. In a small bowl, whisk together the Egg Replacer and water. Alternate beating the flour mixture and the soy milk into the shortening, beating with a mixer on medium speed. At the end, add the strawberry puree, Egg Replacer mixture, and vanilla extract. Beat for three minutes, until completely smooth. For the two-layer cake: divide the batter between the two cake pans, and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For the mini-cupcakes: fill each cupcake well almost to the top with batter, leaving a bit of room. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a couple of them comes out clean. Cool both types of pans on cooling racks for fifteen minutes. Remove cakes from their pans and finish cooling on racks. Makes one double layer cake or four and half dozen mini cupcakes.

For the frosting: When the cakes have completely cooled, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine and salt. Starting on low speed and working up to medium, beat in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla extract and the soy milk, and beat on medium speed for three to five minutes, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Makes enough frosting for one double layer cake or four and half dozen mini cupcakes. For the double cake - rim the top layer with the raspberries, and for the mini-cupcakes - top each one with a raspberry. Feeds five hungry vegans and some giggling little girls!