Indulgent Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake

Chocolate fudge cake has always been a big favorite of mine. So of course, as soon as I turned vegan my main priority was to find out how to make it the vegan way! This recipe is a mix up of a few chocolate fudge cake recipes I've tried (yes, I have tried that many, maybe I have a problem). This cake is always a winner among my none vegan friends and family too.

The sponge is pretty much the same as my Chocolate Raspberry Coconut Cake.

Sponge Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unbleached cane caster sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup thick coconut cream
1/2 cup coconut milk

Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup vegan butter/marge
3/4 cup cocoa powder
4 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp soy/almond milk

raspberries to decorate  (optional)

Sponge Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease two 8 inch cake tins.

2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix in all of the wet ingredients until it is all completely mixed.

3. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-35 mins (25 for fan ovens). To tell if the cake is done put a sharp object into the middle of the cake, if it comes out dry the cake is done.

4. Allow to cool before frosting.

For the frosting & decorating:

1. Mix the butter and vanilla extract.

2. Gradually add the icing sugar and cocoa powder while mixing. Add a little milk if the consistency is too dry.

3. Sandwich some icing between the two sponges and ice all around the outside. Add extra raspberries to decorate.

Chocolate, Raspberry & Coconut Cake

Being a chocolate lover, one of my favourite things to bake is chocolate fudge cake. You really can't beat a moist, rich, chocolatey cake covered in buttercream. This recipe is based on a traditional chocolate fudge cake recipe, but i've twisted it and added creamy coconut and fresh, tart raspberries to compliment the rich and indulgent chocolate cake.

Sponge Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unbleached cane caster sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup thick coconut cream
1/2 cup coconut milk

Frosting Ingredients:
5 cups icing sugar
1 cup thick coconut cream

raspberries to decorate


Sponge Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease or line your cake tin. I used a deep 8 inch tin but anything around that size will do.

2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix in all of the wet ingredients until it is all completely mixed.

3. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 mins (This will be less for fan ovens so check it after about 35 mins. To tell if the cake is done put a sharp object into the middle of the cake, if it comes out dry the cake is done.)


For the frosting & decorating:

Mix all of the icing sugar and coconut cream into a thick icing consistency.

Once the cake is cooled, if you want a double layered cake cut in half through the middle. Ice in between the layers and then ice the complete cake. Decorate the top with fresh raspberries.

Vegan Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

 

I made these cookies on friday for my mum and her friends, and I have to say, I'm kind of impressed with how they turned out.

Ingredients:

• 200g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 120g soya spread or dairy free alternative
• 65g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs orange juice (add more if mixture is too dry)
• 200g smashed up plain chocolate
• the zest of an unwaxed orange

1. Preheat the oven to 180c

2. In a large mixing bowl mix the flour, salt and baking powder.

3. Cream the sugar, orange juice, orange zest and melted soya spread in and add to the flour mixture. Mix it all together.

4. Form a ball of dough, roll it out onto a floured surface using a floured rolling pin. Until the dough is 1/4-1/2 an inch thick. Cut out whatever shapes you want.

5. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake for 8-12 mins until the edges are slighly brown/

7. Leave at least 10 minutes to cool, then NOM THEM ALL!

Comfort Food

Here at PonyChops, we're all about being comfortable (read: lazy), and of course eating food. Why not combine the two?

Nikki McWilliams has cleverly done this. Her delicious cushions are based on classic English biscuits such as digestives and malted milks. And they're all really affordable too!

Take a look at these mouth watering treats.

Graze Boxes

You Are What You Eat

I never understood this statement as a kid, I thought literally and I sure as Shakespeare wasn't a walking talking chicken nugget.

'Chicken Nuggets' from Banksy's installation 'The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill'. Check out more images HERE

We all know eating healthy is important, but healthy food can be a little bland, and a tasty chocolate muffin is more tempting than a handful of bird seeds. However, the clever people at Graze have found a brilliant solution.

At £3.49 including P&P they send you a selection of tasty treats in the post. The box fits nicely through your letterbox too :)

Here is what I got in my first box :

In my selection I got:

Copacabana

brazil nuts, dark chocolate buttons and milk chocolate buttons

Orange and Ginger Flapjack

The Beach

banana coins, mango and pineapple pieces

Oven Roasted Cashews

The idea being to replace unhealthy snacks by grazing throughout the day on yummy healthy treats.
This box lasted me 4 days.

They have lots of different healthy snacks to chose from including breads, crackers, olives, yoghurt coated fruit, nuts seeds and many more.
each item you can rate as bin / try / like/ love / send soon.
I pretty much like everything, so I have all items on 'try' apart from anything super spicy, I binned those ones.

You can also choose what type of box you would like to receive depending on your dietary requirements.

My second box:

In this one I got:

Fruity Ploughmans

bramley apple and pear chutney with roasted poppy seed flatbread

Fruit Sangria
strawberries, orange sultanas and physalis

Lemon Meringue Pie

lemon sultanas, yoghurt coated peanuts and mini meringues

Fruit and Seed Flapjack

I have almost finished nibbling on my third box:

I received:

Banana Split
banana coins, cashew nuts and milk chocolate covered puffed rice

Honeycomb Flapjack

Billionaires Shortbread

cranberries, milk chocolate drops, fudge pieces and almonds

Mississippi BBQ Pistachios

I am very excited about receiving my forth box on Friday, and finding out what goodies they have picked out for me :)

Why not give it a try, to claim a free box use this code 23Z15GZ 

Let us know what you think.

Bear Week!

Ponychops are so excited about bears at the moment that we decided to dedicate a whole week to them. There will be cake recipes, make up tutorials and of course our top picks of high street and etsy bear fashion!


How adorable is this Glico bear ice cream kit??? I've searched the internet and can not find where to buy them anywhere :(