Monday, September 01, 2008

In Dessert Mode...

I've had a need to bake and create desserts in the last couple of weeks. Even while preparing for hubby's bday party... and even after it was all done... I still wanted to make desserts.

Take this Chocolate Banana Pudding Cake, for instance. I've made it three times this week! (much to hubby's delight... and it wasn't even his birthday cake). Going off-topic for a moment, I forgot to take a pic of the bday cake. I used the All-Purpose Vanilla Cake from ed&bv for the layers, and I frosted it with two things - a new chocolate ganache that is silky and velvety and rich, and then, I got experimental and also made a raw orange cream frosting. Now, chocolate and orange are one of my favorite combinations (and I also love the combo in these cookies). So, I put a layer of the raw orange cream frosting in the centre and top of the cake, and covered everything with the chocolate ganache. I will have to recreate the recipe, just to show you a picture of this cake!

Getting back to the pudding cake. Ihad a memory of making a chocolate pudding cake years back during the 'low-fat' time of the early 90's. I'm sure some of you remember that enchanting food era. Everything was made with wads of refined flour and sugar, but no oil or other fat. The only redeeming quality about some of the baking is that fruit purees like applesauce were used to replace the oil... but so were egg-whites. I remember making a brownie recipe that used about 6 or 8 egg-whites. Ugh. Makes me gag to think about it now. Wow! I'm really all over the place in my post today, aren't I? Now you have a glimpse into having a chat with me - ha! Well, it's been a while since I've talked with you all, so I have a lot to say!!

Anyhow, again, back to the pudding cake. (I've decided to keep adding different photos to remind you what this post is really about!) I got to thinking about that low-fat pudding cake, and how much I loved that layer of molten chocolate bubbling underneath the cake when it was baked. You can spot a little pool of sauce oozing through the cake layer in this pic, see it, around the lower left corner? And, I loved how that pudding-ish layer was still insanely good even when the cake had cooled. But, make no mistake, this cake is definitely best still warm, and with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream to melt into the crusty cake layer and meet up with the chocolatey sauce.

A couple more tests to go on this one, and then I may do a call for some testers for my recipes, since I know many of you are eager to try some of the new dishes I've posted.

Now, what will I bake today? So many choices! Vegan baking is grand!

(p.s. details on the Salba giveaway still coming soon, just waiting for a few details from SourceSalba, stay tuned...)

27 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

**faints after viewing luscious pudding cake dessert**

Teresa said...

my stomach is grumbling "BE A TESTER"... I don't always listen to my stomach but it seems dead on for this one

Carrie™ said...

I love the choco-orange combo too. At Christmas time, when boxes of Ganong Delecto (how Canadian) get passed around, I seek out the orange cremes. Maple cremes are a close second. Mmmmm. Hubby's cake sounds delicious! And that pudding cake?! Oh boy!
Tester? May I submit my resume? I do have previous tester experience. ;o) Gimme a shout.

Animal-Friendly said...

Pudding and cake together in one dessert? Gosh, that along with the combo of chocolate and banana sounds deadly!

A call for testers! I can't wait to gladly answer that call :)

aimee said...

Pudding cake. Yummy.
With ice cream. Yummier!

Meg said...

That looks DIVINE!

Ruby Red said...

Bubbling molten chocolate?! Woooah, sounds like a knock-out. Oh Dreena, how I would love to try your pudding cake... It sounds like an amazingly rewarding baking project! It must be pretty darn good if you've already made it three times this week.

Jess said...

YUM!!! This looks so luscious! Wow. I think I need that ASAP.

Katy said...

Mmmm, that cake looks SO chocolicious and wonderful! My tummy is telling me that I must be a tester!

A.M. said...

**Makes mental notes to check this blog obsessively for call for testers**

That pudding cake looks amazing!

Lauren said...

Mmm..that cake looks so rich and delicious. My mouth is watering! You can never have to much chocolate!!

Shirley said...

The pudding cake looks so ... chocolaty! I'm willing to be a tester too.

Unknown said...

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me be a tester? i love baking and your recipes!!! I use your choc chip cookies to 'trick' omnis! would love something else like this as well! --Monica (your new facebook pal!!)

Anonymous said...

this post cracked me up, dreena! that cake looks beyond delicious. i will test this recipe in a heartbeat. chocolate and bananas is one of those combinations that is meant to be... especially when it's in the form of a moist, rich cake.

Brooke said...

I'm drooling right now. DROOLING!!!

Sarah said...

Must....have....pudding....cake.... *drool, drool*

urban vegan said...

I'm trying not to eat too many sweets. You're making it very, very difficult, Dreena.

Robin_upto_nogood said...

Hi Dreena! Your pudding cake looks wonderful! I am still cooking your recipes and my family is asking for more. I will be driving from Florida to Connecticut in Nov for the holidays. I will have to show my mother how to cook vegan and she is all for that! A new recipe to test would be major cool!!! It is wonderful how my family asks for me to make them vegan meals when they are not vegan. Verrrryyy tricky!!!

Robin

Meg said...

There aren't enough words to explain how delicious that looks.

Michelle said...

ah, yeah. so you know i want to be a tester, right, LOL?!

nora said...

i'll be a tester if you still need people!! i'm in edinburgh, scotland now, and i'm in self-catered housing where i do my own shopping and cooking...and i only brought one cookbook with me...guess which!! ED&BV!!

Anonymous said...

Oh I can not wait for this recipe! I have dreamed of making a dessert just like that. I'd love to test it out, I say drooling. I also made an chocolate orange cake for hubby's b-day. Chocolate layers with chocolate orange frosting and orange zest between the layers. Cake was then smothered in chocolate frosting. It was a hit!

The Little Mama said...

Oh my goodness. That looks so crazy phenomenally good. Are you calling for testers for this? Pretty please, can I fill the job?! Holy hannah banana, that needs to be in my belly!

Dreena said...

Wow, so many enthusiastic testers!! I always get you with the desserts - and chocolate - huh?! Thanks for all your excitement, once I get organized for testing, I'll let you know. Thanks everyone... you're all very sweet.

(and Eleanor, I'm flattered) :)

Zoey said...

Your cake looks amazing! I am still in search of my dream vegan chocolate cake and this might be it. I love the combination of bananas and chocolate.

I would be all over a call for testers if you are looking for people! :)

Tara said...

Dreena,
ED&BV is my FAVORITE cookbook! I just made your Sweet & Sour Chipotle Tempeh and Sweet Potatoes last night. We LOVED it!! Eric and I both took it for lunch. I have another portion in the fridge to eat in a couple of days. It was delicious. I swear, I've never made anything from ED&BV that we haven't loved. We especially love all of the burritos. I made the roasted tamari Chickpeas this past weekend too. So amazing! I still have to post about all of these dishes. So...you can always count me in as a recipe tester, if needed. :) Thanks for all you do in bringing wonderful, vegan recipes into our lives.

Arlete said...

Oh Dreena... that's just cruel! You know how tempting it is to see such a scrumptious vegan dessert in my 4th month of pregnancy!?!? Drooling doesn't quite cut it! And I'm sure I just felt the baby kick. I'd love to be a tester before the little one arrives... Please keep me in mind. :-)