Easter Swirl Lamb Cake. Veganized Family

...Easier said than done, but with a little trial-and-error I've come to a yummy conclusion. I've posted my frosting recipe here - and part two: the batter and set-up. Onto the new and improved vegan recipe...Frosting 2010:Easter Cake 201

I knew my biggest challenge would be that gosh darn perfect egg white frosting. Here are a few of the other "vegan substitutions" I had to consider:egg white frosting -> Shiny Cream Cheese Whipped Vanilla Frosting, using agar agar, vegan cream cheese, vegan shortening, rice whip and soy milk. (See Frosting Post for Complete Recipe)dates -> vegan, yay.artificial food coloring -> natural homemade food colorings from fruit/veggiessweetened coconut -> unsweetened fine coconut shreds, organicwhite flour, bleached -> I chose a Bob's Red Mill unbleached organic white flourwhite sugar -> chose a vegan, evaporated cane juice crystals, sugareggs in cake -> combo of applesauce and soy yogurt and baking powderbutter in cake -> chose virgin coconut oil (or canola oil)The one thing I couldn't veganize...I knew I would never be able to get my cake to rise the way that 4-5 egg lamb cake used to! So I decided to nix the one-side filled cake mold, and I simply filled both halves of the lamb cake mold with batter. I then secured the cake with toothpicks. You can use toothpicks or leftover frosting. Worked well.Also, yes I know I arranged the date "eyes and nose" in more of a "looks like a dog" way. But if you angle the date nose vertically - you'll get a more "Lamb" look. I'll admit it - I was rushing a bit. But the taste saved the day..Color. Yes, the colors fade a bit during cooking - but I was very happy with the results...Color of cake after baking:Onto the recipe...Spring Swirl Vanilla Cakevegan3 cups white flour*I used Bob's Red Mill unbleached, organic1 cup vegan granulated sugar2 tsp sea salt1 Tbsp baking powder3/4 cup water1 cup soy milk2 Tbsp canola oil or softened virgin coconut oil3 Tbsp vanilla soy yogurt1/2 cup applesauce1 Tbsp vanilla extract OR real vanilla bean seeds (1 bean)food coloring:green: kale, juicedpink: red currents, blended into batter*food coloring recipes here

Other:1- 1 1/2 cups of White Fluffy Frosting (Recipe here)1 cup shredded coconut3 dates"green grass" garnish

Tend to the frosting. See details in frosting recipe post.

Preheat oven to 37

Grab lamb cake molds. Note: You can also make a regular two-layer cake or use another cake mold with this recipe. Grease and flour the cake tins very well. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder.

Mix well.

Fold in water, soy milk, yogurt, applesauce, oil and vanilla extract or seeds.

Pour 1 cup of the batter into a separate small bowl, and another cup into another small bowl.

Add 1-3 tsp of veg/fruit food colorings to the small bowls (one pink, one green) Stir until well colored.

Next swirl in a few Tbsp of each color into the cake pan until you get a nice swirled cake color.

Place pans in oven, and bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Remove cake and allow to cool fully until you remove cake from pans. Loosen with knife.

While cakes cool, grab your chilled/firmed frosting, fold in whipped rice cream (as in frosting directions) until you get a white fluffy mixture. You can even use more rice whip than recipe calls for, for a fluffier, softer frosting.1

Set up lamb cake molds. You can use toothpicks OR frosting to secure two sides of mold.1

Frost your cake.1

Add coconut "fur".1

Add date eyes and nose, secure with toothpicks.1

Add grass garnish.1

Serve or store in fridge (wrapped in plastic or wax paper) until ready to serve. 1

Serve at room temperature-slightly chilled temp.1

Will keep in fridge for a few days.Taste Test!Just for you guys, a stroll down memory lane...Moi, Being a 15 year-old Goofball on Cake Frosting Day:Me and my Lamb Cake. Circa 199

My sister snapped this goofy pic of me smiling silly - frosting face and all. Like I said, I loved that gooey luscious egg white frosting. And as you can see, most of the frosting got on my face and in my mouth rather than on the lamb. ha ha. good times. I was a freshman in high school, yet still a cake-loving kid. Enough self-embarrassment!