Sugar Substitutions

These are my suggestions for sugar substitutes. If you have additional suggestions that I have not mentioned, please contact me or leave a comment. I would love to learn new things.

Agave Nectar (light or raw)

Brown Rice Syrup
Coconut Sugar
Date Sugar
Stevia
Palm Sugar
Honey

Most of these sweeteners can be found at your health food stores.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

                   
Chocolate chip cookies are one of the favorite cookies among , men, women and children. It is defiantly my favorite cookie. For me, there is nothing like a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie that has cooled and still has melted chocolate when you break it in half.
The chocolate chip is a very versatile cookie. It can be eaten alone, with whipped cream, dipped in chocolate, as a sandwich and as a topping for other desserts or sundaes.
This is a recipes the whole family can help bake. Children enjoy measuring, pouring and mixing.
My children and my husband enjoy baking cookies. They enjoy eating them more.
Have fun making and eating these cookies!
Share with friends and family.

                                               Chocolate Chip Cookies


2 cups unbleached flour *(Gluten free flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter softened  *(dairy free margarine, coconut oil or vegetable shortening)
¾ cup sugar *(can be substitute with 1/3 cup of agave, brown rice sugar or natural sweetener of choice)
¾ cup brown sugar *(½ cup raw agave)
2 eggs *(I use ¼  cup bananas, soy yogurt, applesauce, or oil)
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chip or chunks. *(vegan chips)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wisk, flour, baking soda and salt together. Put aside. Blend butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time until well blended.  Add vanilla and blend until dough is smooth.
Add in chocolate chips, mix by hand with a spoon.
Drop cookies on a cookie sheet that has parchment or is well greased.
Bake cookie 8 to 12 minutes. (Each oven is different, check cookies and turn half way through).

*Vegan substitutions*

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I made these delicious red velvet cupcakes for my new stepdaughter Kanisa. Kanisa turned 10 on February 20th. She made a special request for red velvet cupcakes. I was totally flattered when she asked me to bake for her.
I love baking. It comes naturally to me. I enjoy baking for special occasions and events.
My greatest joy comes when a child asks me to bake for and with them. Kanisa is one of my biggest fans.
I want to share the recipe for these cupcakes with you. I hope they come out well for you.

*Vegan conversions provided*

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (vegan - vegan margarine)*
1 1/2 cups white sugar (vegan - Substitute 2/3 cup of agave)*
2 eggs (vegan - 1/4 cup oil - I like coconut)*
1 cup buttermilk (vegan - dairy free milk)
1 fluid ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 cup muffin pans with 20 paper baking cups.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 mins.then transfer to wire rack. When cool frost with frosting of choice.

Frosting

Two choices:

Basic cream cheese or vanilla butter cream.

*See future posting for frosting recipes.

Vegan Oatmeal cookies

This recipe is completely vegan. It does not contain any refined sugar.
If you want to have cookies that taste as delicious as the ones I bake, I do advise you to follow this recipe carefully.
These cookies should be moist and chewy.
I will add substitutions below the recipes if you want to make modifications.
Enjoy!

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt ( I use sea salt)
3/4 cup unsalted soy margerine (1 and 1/2 sticks)softened
3/4 cup agave nectar (raw works well)
1/2 cup all natural applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract (pure)
3 cups old fashied oats

1 cup of dried fruit (can be anything you choose, raisins, cranberries,dried cherries, dried pineapple, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside. Mix butter and agave until smooth. Add apple sauce and vanilla. Mix until completely blended. Add flour mixture. Mix until blended. Add oatmeal and then dried fruit. Mix until fruit is blended.
*Do not over mix this dough.
Drop cookie on to cookies sheet with scoop or teaspoon. You can press the cookies a little if you like. These cookies do not spread on their own.
Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. *Remember, cookies continue to bake on cookie sheets even after being pulled out of the oven. So remember to check on your cookies after 10 mintues. Allow cookies to cool for 10 to 15 mins.
Enjoy!

Converstions (regular)

use 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 of white sugar (instead of agave)
3/4 of butter
2 eggs

Vegan vanilla cake

This recipe is a good alternative for vegans or those who want to sustain from eating dairy and eggs.
This vanilla cake is moist and will melt in your mouth if baked correctly.
Serve with the frosting of your choice. I will provide a basic butter cream recipe below.

Vegan Vanilla Cake

3 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Cup of vegan butter
2 cups sugar (regular or vegan)
1 cup of plain soy yogurt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk (plain)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside.
Combine butter and sugar, beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add soy yogurt. Mix well. Add vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in threes alternating batches with the soy milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Fills 2 9 inch cake pans.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for anout 5 minutes, then turn onto wire racks.
Frost and decorate as desired.
This cake batter also makes great cupcakes.

Serve this cake to your friends and they will keep coming back for more.

Butter Cream Frosting

3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (No need to sift if using bowl mixer)
1 cup vegan butter ( buttery flavor)
1 tsp vanilla extract.
2 to 4 TBS of soy milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract on low speed. Add milk bit by bit until the mixture has reached a spreadable consistency.
Makes about three cups.

*The frosting can be tinted with food coloring to create a fun design for any cake or cupcakes.