Happy Easter

It was a strange Easter without the girls at home. They have always been into our little traditions of colouring eggs (we always did the white wax and food-colouring method), and having an egg hunt in the yard. For the most part they were probably playing along for Ethan's sake, but I think those things were important to them. I asked Ethan (who is now 13), if any of those traditions were important to him. Ethan has never eaten eggs, and with me being vegan, I was hoping that he wasn't interested in colouring eggs. What would we do with a bunch of hard-boiled eggs? The family used to eat egg sandwiches after Easter, but now Fred is the only one who would be interested in that... I was relieved when Ethan said, "I like the egg hunt. Getting candy."  It's fun (and funny) to see a 13 year old boy searching high and low just to get some little eggs with candy in them. :) I'm glad he is still motivated by childish pleasures.
*Note about candy: Many types of candy are not vegan. They may contain ingredients like gelatin or modified milk ingredients.

I did make a cute egg-shaped cake for Easter. Cakes are fun. Baking really is like science too. Adding a little vinegar to a recipe that contains baking powder provides all the rising power that a cake needs (without the eggs).

White Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon white vinegar

5 tablespoons melted vegan margarine

1 cup lukewarm water   

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready an ungreased 8-inch square cake pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or grease and flour the bottom. For a layer cake, double the recipe.  Sift flour, baking soda and powder, sugar and salt into a bowl.  Make 3 holes in the dry ingredients. Into one hole pour the vanilla, in second hole pour vinegar and into last hole pour melted margarine.  Quickly pour LUKEWARM water over all. Beat well. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until top seems cooked. Easy peasy!