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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Last night the choir in Holland, Mi had a great rehearsal. We are working on a variety of opera choruses and Broadway show pieces. I told my husband, who incidentally directs the choir by the way, that this was going to be a grand concert. I am in my element when I sing opera. There is something about singing in a variety of languages. Our concert will feature pieces performed in Italian, Russian, German and English of course. I thought I had a favorite but I love singing in German and Italian. The lips for Italian pucker up a lot more whereas German demands there to be more sound from the middle of the mouth. It is truly exciting and exhilarating for me. I am working on a solo for the upcoming concert that I have never performed. I have recently been studying under a fabulous voice teacher that has taught me so much that I cannot wait to perform this solo. Here is a YouTube video of this piece. I will be singing what the main lady up front performs!
I have been meaning to post this recipe that I veganized. The recipe was adapted from a fellow blogger’s post from mid-December. Since I became a vegan I have not desired for many sweets or desserts but on the rare occasion I would want something or would have to prepare a dessert for a dinner party. What is a girl going to do? Prepare something she can’t eat? Heck no.
As I started researching substitutes for eggs, heavy cream, and butter, I became a little confident that I could add and substitute the non-vegan items for this apple dessert. The result was not a disaster, which is important. Even though I could smell the bundt baking in the oven, with the scent of apples and cinnamon, I could not be SO confident that this experiment would turn out. By God’s grace it turned out really well! I had almost thought I should not use the cream cheese icing but the cake required something more, even though my husband suggested ice cream. I was adamant that the whole dessert required to be vegan for it to my own success. I am glad I stood my ground because the icing was more of a sauce and it worked really well! Have a great weekend y’all!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Sauce
based on Dorie Greenspan’s Double Apple Bundt Cake
adapted from Vegetable Matter’s blog
Cake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
10 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, at room temp
1 cup Xagave nectar
3 tsp Ener-G (egg replacer)
4 Tbsp water
1 cup applesauce
3 red apples, peeled and grated
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dark raisins
Sauce
1/2 cup Tofutti cream cheese, at room temp
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with shelf in the middle. Spray bundt pan with canola oil spray and flour with 1 Tbsp of flour.
Combine first 8 ingredients and set aside.
Cream margarine and agave nectar on medium high until somewhat fluffy. Mix Ener-G egg replacer with water and add to agave mixture. Mix for 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add applesauce. Scrape sides and mix under well incorporated. Add grated apples and mix well.
Add dry ingredients and mix by hand until fully incorporated. Don’t over mix.
Fold in nuts and raisins. Fill bundt pan. Use a spatula to spread batter evenly.
Bake straight on oven rack until cake is springy and knife comes out clean, about 45minutes to an hour.
While cake is cooling, make sauce:
Mix first 3 ingredients until well combined and fluffy. Add vanilla and blend.
Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve on cake.
