Sunday, July 13, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday and I made my own birthday cake. I made the Moosewood Deep Chocolate Vegan Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting. (btw - I intentionally made a gluten containing cake so I wouldn’t overindulge.)



The cake is actually a crazy cake or wacky cake recipe, developed in the 1940s using no eggs, butter, or milk, so I knew it would turn out. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t like buttercream frosting, and I’ve mentioned many times my love of peanut butter. I love whoever thought up using peanut butter for frosting instead of margarine and shortening!


I baked the cake into two 6-inch layers, then frosted it. I made a double batch of frosting to have leftover to pipe borders. Then I topped it with chocolate curls I made from a hunk of dark chocolate, and a few gold flakes.




I had a taste of the cake I leveled off with a squirt of leftover frosting. It is chocolate peanut butter heaven! We’ll eat it after our dinner at Satay tonight. I’ll show you a slice next post.



Now I’m off for a birthday manicure and pedicure!

39 comments:

ms. jared said...

happy birthday! the cake is beautiful. i love the chocolate peanut butter frosting too. so yummy!

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! That is one gorgeous cake (can't wait to see the inside). Glad you're treating yourself today--enjoy that mani/pedi!

PS Fabulous idea to bake only a 6" cake--even if you DO eat the whole thing, great damage control :)

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! What a gorgeous cake!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Happy Birthday Diann! That is one amazing looking cake you made. I liked the tip for a peanut butter frosting :)

Sarah said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I definitely made my own birthday cake for myself just a few days ago. Everybody was like why would you make your own!? Well obviously cause we are the bakers ;)

Have a lovely day and enjoy all the pampering and relaxation it sounds like you have planned.

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIANN!!!!! Oh my, that cake looks scrumptious - will you ever make a gluten-free version of it?? I'd love to see how it'd compare :0)

Rose said...

Happy Birthday! I love the way your cake looks. And what a great idea to bake your own cake on your b-day; I'm definitely doing that for mine :)

Katy said...

Happy Birthday!!!

That cake looks delicious and pretty! Almost too good to eat...almost. :)

Anonymous said...

HAPPPPPPPY

BIRRRRRRTHDAY!


That cake looks insanely good :)

Liz Ranger (Bubble Tea for Dinner) said...

happy birthday to you! that cake is soooo pretty, with the gold and the shavings... and pb frosting sounds pretty divine. (I'm not a big fan of buttercream either... but nut butter, hooboy!)

Little Miss Sunshine said...

YAY for Moosewood Deep Chocolate Vegan Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting!! Tsk tsk ... you're adorable in the sense that you make it WITH gluten to not overindulge - but just want to let you know that YOU deserve more than anyone else to have a slice (or two) of that SCRUMPTIOUS looking cake!!!

Your cake is SO pretty - did you take any baking class before?! Haha, it's just that your cakes ALWAYS look so PROFESSIONALLY made :0) Love the way you put chocolate curls and gold dusts on top of your gorgeous cake!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT ONE!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

happy birthday to you, sweet Diann!!
your cake looks absolutely scrump-a-licious.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Diann! I hope you had a wonderful day.

A.M. said...

Happy birthday Diann!

That cake looks amazing. I love the chocolate shavings and the piping. Very well done!

urban vegan said...

Happy Birthday, Diann! I hope all your wishes come true. That is one gorgeous cake. I would have a hard time not eating the whole thing.

XO

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to you! Here's to a beautiful new year on this silly little planet. I love birthdays! I'm sure your son will spoil you!!
Your cake is just beautiful- lovely frosting/decorating job! I've never tried that pb frosting before, but that seems like a truly inspired idea!

Erin said...

Happy Birthday! Your cake is stunning, very nice job!

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

Happy Birthday! (what a beautiful cake! I want a piece. YUM!)

jessy said...

happy birthday! :D WOW! i thought you bought that cake - it looks that awesome! it's perfect!

i hope you enjoyed your "mani-pedi"! and all the fun birthday awesomeness!

(oh, and i've never had peanut butter frosting before, but it sounds like the most glorious thing ever. this i must make! mmmmmmm!)

jd said...

OOH! Happy belated birthday!

I hope you enjoyed your mani-pedi, & that scrumptious looking cake, of course! By the way, your chocolate-peanut butter frosting sounds absolutely decadent!

*drool*

PS Thanks for your kind wishes re: the Bar Exam :)

Sam said...

Happy birthday! I have to say, if I was on death row and had to pick my last meal, that cake would be part of it.

Simple and Divine said...

WOWEE you are quite the talent with cake decorating!!! Honestly, though, your skills don't surprise me in the least :) HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, BIRTHDAY GIRL, and enjoy that incredible cake, too!

Ruby Red said...

Have the happiest birthday ever, please!

And who wouldn't with that cake?! Seriously, that thing would make my birthday! I love your chocolate curls. And I agree, peanut butter is a genius replacement for margarine and shortening in frosting. Thanks for mentioning it!

Amy said...

Happy Birthday! And I'm coming over for cake!!!!!!!!!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Happy Birthday to my favorite Austin vegan! I KNOW you must've had a good birthday if it included chocolate ;o).

That is hands-down my favorite vegan cake recipe. And I just posted about it a few weeks ago, too (it was my clown cake)... but my cake was NOWHERE NEAR as gorgeously decorated as yours!

Vegan_Noodle said...

I am singing happy birthday to you right now in my head!! Hope you enjoyed every minute of it! With that amazing cake, it looks like it must have been pure bliss. I love the gold flecks and your shell borders.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Susan G said...

Happy Birthday, Diann! What a fabulous looking cake. I may have to go make one right now......

Anonymous said...

Great Post! Happy Birthday! My birthday was last month and my girlfriend tried to make me a vegan cake but finally gave into buying me a whole foods pre-made chocolate vegan cake...it was so good I even froze a few pieces.

Im going to have to absolutely try an make the moosewood!

-jjw

www.izzitgreen.com

Carrie™ said...

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!! That cake looks freakin' amazing! I can't wait to see the inside.

Meghan said...

that cake looks delicious!
i'm from Ithaca, NY where the moosewood restaurant is.
the cookbooks are much better than the restaurant itself. i swear!

Jackie said...

A belated Happy Birthday. What a wonderful chocolate cake to celebrate with. Never thought to put peanut butter frosting with chocolate so must give it a bash sometime.

Lovlie said...

Happy belated birthday! That cake looks awesome! Wow!

Meg Wolff said...

Happy Birthday!! Wow, this recipe was from the 1940's? Very cool. You did an awesome job with the frosting. Good idea to make it with gluten so not to overindulge. The manicure & pedicure sound heavenly!

Amey said...

HOorah!!
Happy Birthday!
I hope you had a great celebration for your birthday. The cake looks truly incredible. The peanut butter frosting is a great idea! I'll have to give that a try someday. Fantastic decorating skills too!

I sometimes feel funny about making my own birthday cake, but on the other hand - I know I'll like it!

I hope you loved your cake!

:) Amey

bazu said...

happy birthday! your baking and decorating skills never fail to amaze me.

Kumudha said...

Happy Birthday!

Cake looks beautiful!

Unknown said...

You're going to WHAT?!? Okay, its a beautiful cake but since you made one with gluten please say you aren't going to indulge rather than you aren't going to over-indulge. Please.

If you make the recipe GF and bake it in cupcake portions, it would be safe for you to eat AND control portions. And you will live longer and healthier to celebrate more Happy Birthday's.

Have a Happy - and healthy - Birthday!

Anonymous said...

Found you via a flickr pool--that is some cake! I'll definitely be checking back often.

Kati said...

Happy belated Birthday! Hope you had a great day. This cake looks SO incredibly good! I must make this sometime.