Vegan Texas Sheet Cake for Two (eat chocolate: feel better. . . and Frankie's first year)

Well. I needed chocolate. You know how when you usually bake a Texas Sheet Cake, you're obliged to bake with an overly large thirteen inch cake pan--with a TON of leftover cake mocking you the rest of the week? (Nibbling away here and there until five more pounds creep up on you? Seriously, now that I'm in the "over fifty" range--if I look at a cake, I can feel my thighs growing.) Not so with this cake. It takes a six-inch round springform pan, less temptation--more reason to love, and viola: cake for two! Perhaps a more appropriate name for it would be: Rhode Island Chocolate Sheet Cake. (Okay, I have dibs on this name for my future restaurant.)

 It's delicious, moist, chocolate-y, nutty and cinnamon-y. Pure delish. Serve it with some vegan ice cream and really get your dessert fix on. But not five pounds worth, 'kay?

I found a wonderful little baking book: Dessert for Two by Christina Lane in the book store quite by accident a few weeks back (or maybe the book found me). Although not vegan in its design, you know I've never met a non-vegan recipe I couldn't veganize--I'll be busy baking from this book for 

awhile. 

**The summer here in St. Louis, thus far, has been brutal and awful. 

This heat and humidity: OMG. It's unbearable. Call me weak. Say whatever you want. 

I am not a lover of July in St. Louis. Period. It's enough to drive a person mad. Mad I tell you!

Well. Back to this cake. For obvious reasons, the magnetic pull of "chocolate" drew me right to this recipe first. So. Happy. I found a six-inch round springform pan at JoAnn's of all places! 

(I was in there to buy fabric, I swear! But you know how you have to wait in the "que" with your number to be called for your fabric cutting, um yeah. That's when even MORE money leaves your hands. It's a brilliant strategy. But sneaky, too.)  

So cute to bake a mini-cake version of one of my all-time favorite chocolate cake recipes. Even better, the cake pan and all went right into the fridge afterwards for storing. 

Well our little Frankenstein turned one this weekend. We have come so far. And have no regrets. (Maybe some sleepless nights owing to the utter insanity a puppy reigns over a house for the first couple of months: new pillows, new rugs, new sofa--not yet, but soon!)--but other than that, we really have no regrets. And as for her sissy's take on the matter, well. . . we think she adores her, too. 

Frankie reminds us that life is one big flippy-floppy. (Her toy.) Some days she loves it, some days not so much. Dr. Thyme and I have discussed the fact that no matter what--however she turns out--it is a direct reflection of us. Which is sort of scary when you think about it. We've always rescued dogs in the past. What we got is what we got. With a lot of unconditional love and care, dogs are so resilient, they usually find that being around humans is okay after all. When you are all a dog knows, and no other influences have affected her, well, you pray all the love and corrections take, is all.

With a puppy, you are shaping the world for them. You are what they see in humanity: the good days, the bad days and the stuff in between. She is a mommy's girl for sure. If I leave the room--and the back of the house is baby-gated off--she starts to whine. When I was gone visiting my sister, Dr. Thyme told me she'd sit at the baby gate in the evenings looking for me to come back. Precious. 

(But you know, I sort of needed my "breaks".) 

This weekend, I stopped in the big box pet store and wouldn't you know it, they were having a dog adoption event. Dammit. I was trying to walk in with one eye on the treats section, but my other eye caught the face of a terrier mix--adult dog, "just surrendered". I had to stop and ask: what's this one's story. And was told two were surrendered, and that the other was already adopted out. I hung out over the cage and as people passed by and if they showed the least bit of interest, I'd say, This is an awesome dog--you can tell he's super smart and super sweet: he'd make the perfect companion! I was smitten with the little guy. Totally smitten. But one must know one's limitations. And we do.

I suppose in my own way, I was re-visiting the days when our home was bigger and our dog count was seven--eight! We aren't in our thirties and forties any more, but fifties and sixties. Those days of a canine "ranch" are over. But it doesn't mean we won't rescue again. We have sworn no more puppies after Frankie. She was our first Pyr puppy and perhaps our last. (Never say "never", but it has been a LONG road, trust me, and there's still more to go because that puppy Pyr doesn't seem to want to let go, thus her nickname: Frankenstein.)

Last week she had her first "spa" day. I was VERY concerned/worried/nervous. She can be a pill if you try to handle her too much. I mean, those TEETH! Well, I took both Pyr girls in for a once over. (Our oldest girl has short hair and bless her heart, it left the day for us together and we had a spa day in the back yard). 

When I finally got the call that the big girls were "ready" at four in the afternoon, I asked the groomer, "Well, are you okay?. . . Can we come back?" She laughed and said they both did fine and yes! I got there to find Frankie and her sissy had the run of the place--plus the groomer's cat on hand! Frankie had never seen a cat--and I said, "How'd that go--with the cat?" She said Frankie got on her front paws looking for a new playmate, the cat ignored her, of course, but that was about it. Awww. 

Well, baby girl, I hope you're happy and that you have another fifteen years ahead of you. 

We love you to pieces and don't change a thing. Um, maybe you could work on the teeth thing, but other than that--Love You!

Vegan Texas Sheet Cake for Two

(*adapted from Desserts for Two by Christina Lane)

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup spelt flour

5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons water plus 2 teaspoons ground flax (for the egg)

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup coconut milk plus 1 teaspoon vinegar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon brewed coffee

1/3 cup chopped pecans (divided)

for frosting

2 tablespoons vegan butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon coconut milk 

1-2 cups powdered sugar

left over chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 6-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. (Make sure you place your pan on a cookie sheet in the oven in case of spills--I didn't have that problem, but just wanted you to know. I have a Wilton springform pan.) Whisk together the dry ingredients--except sugar. Add oil and sugar in another bowl and stir until well blended. Add flax egg, vanilla extract and stir until combined. Add half the chopped pecans. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix well--until dry ingredients are moist. Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out with a few crumbs on it. Remove cake to cool 15 minutes before adding frosting. 

While cake bakes, prepare frosting. Add all ingredients to small saucepan, over low heat. Whisk together well until the butter begins to melt. Keep whisking until mixture becomes smooth. If you find you need to add more or less sugar, do so! Keep tasting. **I found I needed to add more sugar and bit more cocoa to get just the right flavor. And NOTE: the frosting thickens up as it sits. SO don't panic if you think it's too runny--you'll want it a bit runny. Once cake is cooled, pour frosting over. Allow to cool about an hour before slicing. Store in fridge--the two pieces of leftovers! Enjoy!