Vegan or dairy free birthday cake
I've seen this thread here before, but it's at least a year old so I thought I'd revive this topic. I need a vegan or dairy free (he'll eat eggs in prepared food, but is lactose intolerant) cake for my husband next week and he doesn't trust my ability to make one. We're hoping to find a new place that makes flavorful, delicious cake: we've tried Fiore's and Whole Foods and were not impressed. We liked Hippie Chick Bakery, but it's too far away. Worse comes to worse, I'll order something to be delivered from Cafe Indigo in NH as we know and like their cake, but I was hoping to find something local. I know there are some cupcake places that have vegan cupcakes, but I prefer cake.
Haven't tried Blacker's Bakeshop - what are their cakes like? And will Flour make a vegan cake if asked?
Any other ideas? TIA!
By amsalias
on Dec 20, 2010 06:08 PM
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Good luck with finding a good vegan cake. Although you said you couldn't bake please try Chef Cloe's recipes. I made cupcakes for my husband and even the kids were in love with them.
http://www.chefchloe.com/
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Wish I could help as we have several vegans in the family but we do our own baking and always get rave reviews for our cakes, even from non vegans. If you can urge your husband to trust you, try some recipes for a simple chocolate cake with vinegar, sometimes known as a wacky cake. There are lots of good recipes for simple frosting on line. Most include Earth Balance and powdered sugar as a base. You could also call Flour and other local bakeries who would probably be more than willing to make it for you!
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I had a great birthday cake from Blacker's this past summer. My husband ordered it in advance, I don't think they have them in the shop generally. It was just a regular frosted cake, but really delicious and no one could believe it was dairy-free.
Party Favors in Brookline will do dairy-free and I think egg-free as well.
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Party Favors
1356 Beacon St, Brookline, MA
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If he is lactose intolerant, and he can eat anything that is kosher parve.... I think many stop and shop bakeries are parve!! Blackers is nut free and parve.. Andrews catering in brookline can also do parve.. any kosher caterer for that matter, can make a parve cake.
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So I ended up going to Bella Moto Bakery in Arlington, based on the response to a previous post. I got a vegan carrot cake, and my verdict is just ... meh. It was okay, not great, and waaaaay overpriced (can't remember if it was $35 or $40) for a six inch cake. My husband thought it tasted more like carrot bread than cake, and the frosting was unmemorable. I also got a red velvet cupcake, which was pleasantly moist yet lacking in flavor.
Next time, will try Blacker's, Cafe Indigo, or just making one myself! Thanks to everyone for your responses. Hopefully more Boston-area bakeries will offer vegan options in the future.
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There are some great cake recipes on line, not to mention in vegan cook books. I always make my own now, and have had great success. Good luck! Vegan baking can be fun.
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Bumping up this thread in case any new bakeries in Boston have opened where one might get a vegan cake. No recipes, please - my attempt at self-deprecating humor in my original post seems to have misfired, as I do know how to bake and have many vegan cookbooks - I am specifically looking for a vegan bakery, as this is my husband's wish. So... anything new opened in the last year, or any suggestions not already mentioned in the thread? Thanks for your input.
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Have you triedd Veggie Galaxy in Cambridge. They are a vegan diner bakery. I'd haven't tried them yet but hope to soon. Vegan girlfriend went there and said the food was good but she didn't try the cakes.
I know Flour chould be able to make you a vegan chocolate cake since Joanne Chang has it in her cookbook and I'd made it but it was just ok.
I'm baking a vegan cake for my brother's birthday next week. I can put one in the oven for you too?
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The desserts at Veggie Galaxy are outstanding. I do not eat dairy (or eggs) so I usually rely on my own cooking skills for vegan desserts. But this place is far better than I could ever be when it comes to producing dairy free treats like chocolate cake, carrot cake, pecan pie, brownies, and even lemon meringue pie. They are really nice people, too.
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Chocomom - would you consider sharing your recipe? Maybe on the Homecooking section (so we don't get booted off by the mods)... I'd love a good vegan recipe - I have one I got yrs ago, but it's more for sort of eating out the pan, as it falls apart easily. I'd like to be able to frost it, look good & still taste delish...
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Threedogs-Email me and I will share w/you. I work with all sorts of allergies and dietary issues so I have many.
purpleprincesstoo@yahoo.com
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Another vote for Veggie Galaxy. I had a chocolate cream pie there that blew my mind. I'm planning on getting it for my birthday and I have no dietary restrictions and I eat everything... it was just that good.
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You could try Philip Kruta, formerly of Fiore's Bakery in JP, now running a bakery catering business called Whisk. He did a wedding cake last year with eggs but no dairy that had separate flavors for each of three different tiers of cake (chocolate, vanilla, and spice) and a faux buttercream frosting--delicious!
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This place in Salem NH does sugar free, they may also do dairy free.
www.sugarandspicebakeshoppe.com
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How about an ice cream cake, made with only sorbet? You could order it from a store, but is also spectacularly easy and fun to make, even if you don't bake. Soften the sorbet(s) and press them into a mold, decorate with candy... see Julia Child for more specifics.
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Call modern pastry in the north end.
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Modern? Seriously? Man, that would be awesome (one of my daughters is vegan) - but I always imagine the traditional, old school shops in the NE to be like the mother of the bride in My Big Fat Greek Wedding ("He doesn't eat meat??? ... We'll have LAMB!!!") haha - that was how my older Italian side was (all passed away now, sad to say).
I usually do a good bit of baking on holidays, but would love to know a place or two for back-up in case I get behind in my plans.
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Treats in Needham has good vegan cupcakes.
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Quebrada in Wellesley does a very good vegan chocolate cake. I was very surprised, as i usually think vegan desserts aren't worth the calories.
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