A year ago yesterday I went into labor. Thursday Thumper turns one. We have a (small) party to plan. We’re keeping it simple, just family, but even so my head is spinning a bit. Must have a little something to give to each of the young cousins attending. Must have a vegan cake for Thumper to try (he’s allergic to milk protein). Must have a non-vegan cake for the adults. Our families have helped us out so much this year… Thumper certainly doesn’t understand birthdays yet, so this party is really to thank them. And how can you thank them without delicious cake? (I’m sorry. Vegan cakes just aren’t as good. They’re not. Mmmm….butter…)
This past weekend we went to a baby shower in Long Island. There was a 14-month-old boy there, as well as my two-year-old nephew. Thumper had a great day crawling around in the grass and playing on the swingset and handing toys back and forth with the 14-month-old. He also played in a sandbox for the first time, and it was a big hit. He was a contented sandy mess. Clearly the boy should get a sandbox for his birthday, no? I tried to buy one online from toysrus.com and the shipping (sand not included!) was $200. Yeah. Sometimes it’s a pain that we don’t have a car. So his gramma will most likely pick it up for him in Jersey. My mom’s the best. Have I mentioned that lately? She really is.
Meanwhile, in the list of things I can’t tell you about, real estate hijinks! Stealth knitting nearing its conclusion! More real estate hijinks. All will be revealed sooner or later, dear reader.
And now, back to that stealth knitting while Thumper is still sweetly napping…
If you are in a position to splurge, maybe you could get a cake from Babycakes on Broome Street? They’re DELICIOUS, and allergen-free: they’re all vegan, and you can choose either gluten-free or spelt flour (easier to digest than wheat), and they don’t use any dairy, eggs, refined sugar or nuts. I swear they’re completely wonderful, but they are a bit pricey. I just got my boss a cake from there and he loved it.
Posted by: regina
Real estate hijinks–I’m with you. I’m in the process of buying my first house now, and it has brought me a far deeper appreciation of Howard’s End. I know now that the Wilcoxes are full of “panic and emptiness” not because they’re new money or unintellectual, but because they’re always buying and selling houses.
Posted by: Kat
I have a delish vegan cake recipe! Chocolate. I really do! And it is pretty easy…in the book Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It’s called “the best chocolate cake” and it really is great, I’ve made it for several birthdays. Actually the whole book is full of great simple recipes and I highly recommend.
Posted by: sarah
I have a delish vegan cake recipe! Chocolate. I really do! And it is pretty easy…in the book Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It’s called “the best chocolate cake” and it really is great, I’ve made it for several birthdays. Actually the whole book is full of great simple recipes and I highly recommend.
Posted by: sarah
We got our daughter a sandbox for her first birthday (almost a year ago now)! Definitely a good choice. Though the minutes (plural!) of contented playing that I envisioned it would bring have really begun to happen consistently just recently.
Make sure you get “play sand” (they have it at Home Depot and such) – it is sterilized, and if he
s anything like my kid, you can be sure he will eat a lot of it.
Posted by: M
Andy’s also allergic/sensitive to dairy proteins (gives him ear infections!), so we made the pumpkin cupcakes from Vegan with a Vengeance for his party. He got a cupcake, and I used the batter to make a cake for everyone else. Frosted with Tofutti “better than cream cheese” + enough powdered sugar to make a frosting consistency (and give everyone in the STATE a cavity), and it got RAVE reviews.
If your mom can’t get the sandbox (another of Andy’s favorite playthings, the sandpit at the park), would it be less expensive than shipping to rent a car for the day?
Posted by: jen
I don’t know about cakes, but these vegan cupcakes are ridiculously good:
http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2006/01/fluffy-white-cupcakes.html
Posted by: Sara
For a vegan cake (chocolate!) try a google search for Wackie Cake or Wowie Cake. It’s the cake the mixes all in one pan with the vinegar and baking soda. We grew up on it as kids and didn’t even know it was healthy. No milk, eggs or butter.
Happy birthday Thumper!
Posted by: Leslie – knitting therapist
Don’t forget this recipe that barbara gregory gave me — i’ve eaten it and would never call this anything but delicious. you could make it for the grownups, too (as long as thumper isn’t allergic to anything else in the recipe).
happy birthday, big T!
B.’s Chocolate Cake
(no cow, no chicken)
– combine (sift):
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
– add and stir until smooth:
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. vinegar
– batter will be thin.
– pour into ungreased 8″ square or 9″ round pan, or make 18 small cupcakes (bake them only 20 minutes).
Topping
– stir together:
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. cocoa
– sprinkle over surface of raw batter in pan, along with:
3 to 4 tbsp. chocolate chips
Bake at 350° for 30 – 35 minutes.
Posted by: amy [knitty]
Go to Babycakes! They do vegan delicious, seriously. They’re on Broome Street, off Ludlow (SNIFF, SNIFF). May be out of the way, but definitely worth it.
Oh, yes. The wee one’s first birthday. Sniff, again.
Posted by: valentina
If you are in a position to splurge, maybe you could get a cake from Babycakes on Broome Street? They’re DELICIOUS, and allergen-free: they’re all vegan, and you can choose either gluten-free or spelt flour (easier to digest than wheat), and they don’t use any dairy, eggs, refined sugar or nuts. I swear they’re completely wonderful, but they are a bit pricey. I just got my boss a cake from there and he loved it.
Posted by: regina
Real estate hijinks–I’m with you. I’m in the process of buying my first house now, and it has brought me a far deeper appreciation of Howard’s End. I know now that the Wilcoxes are full of “panic and emptiness” not because they’re new money or unintellectual, but because they’re always buying and selling houses.
Posted by: Kat
I have a delish vegan cake recipe! Chocolate. I really do! And it is pretty easy…in the book Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It’s called “the best chocolate cake” and it really is great, I’ve made it for several birthdays. Actually the whole book is full of great simple recipes and I highly recommend.
Posted by: sarah
I have a delish vegan cake recipe! Chocolate. I really do! And it is pretty easy…in the book Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It’s called “the best chocolate cake” and it really is great, I’ve made it for several birthdays. Actually the whole book is full of great simple recipes and I highly recommend.
Posted by: sarah
We got our daughter a sandbox for her first birthday (almost a year ago now)! Definitely a good choice. Though the minutes (plural!) of contented playing that I envisioned it would bring have really begun to happen consistently just recently.
Make sure you get “play sand” (they have it at Home Depot and such) – it is sterilized, and if he
s anything like my kid, you can be sure he will eat a lot of it.
Posted by: M
Andy’s also allergic/sensitive to dairy proteins (gives him ear infections!), so we made the pumpkin cupcakes from Vegan with a Vengeance for his party. He got a cupcake, and I used the batter to make a cake for everyone else. Frosted with Tofutti “better than cream cheese” + enough powdered sugar to make a frosting consistency (and give everyone in the STATE a cavity), and it got RAVE reviews.
If your mom can’t get the sandbox (another of Andy’s favorite playthings, the sandpit at the park), would it be less expensive than shipping to rent a car for the day?
Posted by: jen
I don’t know about cakes, but these vegan cupcakes are ridiculously good:
http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2006/01/fluffy-white-cupcakes.html
Posted by: Sara
For a vegan cake (chocolate!) try a google search for Wackie Cake or Wowie Cake. It’s the cake the mixes all in one pan with the vinegar and baking soda. We grew up on it as kids and didn’t even know it was healthy. No milk, eggs or butter.
Happy birthday Thumper!
Posted by: Leslie – knitting therapist
Don’t forget this recipe that barbara gregory gave me — i’ve eaten it and would never call this anything but delicious. you could make it for the grownups, too (as long as thumper isn’t allergic to anything else in the recipe).
happy birthday, big T!
B.’s Chocolate Cake
(no cow, no chicken)
– combine (sift):
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
– add and stir until smooth:
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. vinegar
– batter will be thin.
– pour into ungreased 8″ square or 9″ round pan, or make 18 small cupcakes (bake them only 20 minutes).
Topping
– stir together:
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. cocoa
– sprinkle over surface of raw batter in pan, along with:
3 to 4 tbsp. chocolate chips
Bake at 350° for 30 – 35 minutes.
Posted by: amy [knitty]
Go to Babycakes! They do vegan delicious, seriously. They’re on Broome Street, off Ludlow (SNIFF, SNIFF). May be out of the way, but definitely worth it.
Oh, yes. The wee one’s first birthday. Sniff, again.
Posted by: valentina
aw – one year old! yay! the key to a good vegan cake is to make sure it’s chocolate. or maybe the key is to get it from the little french bakery by my house since that is the only good vegan cake i’ve had and it is VERY chocolatey. mmmm. now i’m craving cake…..
Posted by: jen c
http://veganyumyum.com/
I just read about this site very very recently on someone’s blog – though I don’t remember, not surprisingly, which blog (if they read this post, perhaps they’ll stand up and take a bow). Eh, even if you don’t find a wonderful dessert (the pictures are lovely), at least you’ll be able to enhance your marzipan knitting skills (really). I haven’t eaten meat in probably close to 15 years, but I don’t go the vegan route, precisely for the reason you mentioned – mmmmmm, butter.
Happy Birthday to almost toddler Thumper (Thoddler?).
Posted by: patrice
Ditto on the recommendation for play sand. Also, don’t overfill the sandbox. Lots will be spilled outside the sandbox so we only put in sand halfway up and keep a bag in reserve. As far as goodies for the cousins, a plastic sand bucket makes a great holder and put stuff like cheap plastic sunglasses (80s style wraparounds are particular favored in Texas right now), dinosaurs, mardi gras beads, etc. Loved by boys and girls alike.
Posted by: liz
Mmmm. Cake.
I want the standard one-year old birthday cake all over the face picture.
Posted by: claudia
It’s been a YEAR? Whoa.
Real estate hijinks? Do tell…
Posted by: Cassie
Happy Birthday Thumper!!
Posted by: Michele
Happy Birthday Thumper!! He’s a very lucky boy! I was never allowed to have a sandbox. 🙁
Posted by: Anna
The best cake I’ve ever made is an orange cake (vegan) out of The All New Joy of Cooking. It’s moist and has great flavor. The recipe is on page 932 of the book, or email lilithparker at yahoo. 🙂 Happy Birthday, Thumper!!
Posted by: Lilith
happy birthday thumpus bo bumpus. 🙂
Posted by: carolyn
vegan cakes: atlas cafe on 2nd ave btwn 4th and 5th street. they are crazy good. try cookies and cream, lemon lime, chocolate peanut butter bomb, any of them. they are great!
Posted by: jeanette
Oh yes, the cake-on-the-face photo is requested, pretty please. In my experience, one year olds LOVE their first birthday party. “This is all for ME? You’re all looking at ME? I LOVE it!” Sand boxes are great: p.s., girls like them, too. Remind me to tell you sometime about how my husband and I went at dawn to steal nice sand from our local beach without realizing that the container would be too heavy to get into the car…….
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
I have a recipe for Chocolate Banana Snacking cake that I always serve my vegan friends – it’s from an old Hershey cookbook. It’s moist and delicious! If you want the recipe, let me know. It’s really quick to make.
Posted by: Steph VW
aw – one year old! yay! the key to a good vegan cake is to make sure it’s chocolate. or maybe the key is to get it from the little french bakery by my house since that is the only good vegan cake i’ve had and it is VERY chocolatey. mmmm. now i’m craving cake…..
Posted by: jen c
http://veganyumyum.com/
I just read about this site very very recently on someone’s blog – though I don’t remember, not surprisingly, which blog (if they read this post, perhaps they’ll stand up and take a bow). Eh, even if you don’t find a wonderful dessert (the pictures are lovely), at least you’ll be able to enhance your marzipan knitting skills (really). I haven’t eaten meat in probably close to 15 years, but I don’t go the vegan route, precisely for the reason you mentioned – mmmmmm, butter.
Happy Birthday to almost toddler Thumper (Thoddler?).
Posted by: patrice
Ditto on the recommendation for play sand. Also, don’t overfill the sandbox. Lots will be spilled outside the sandbox so we only put in sand halfway up and keep a bag in reserve. As far as goodies for the cousins, a plastic sand bucket makes a great holder and put stuff like cheap plastic sunglasses (80s style wraparounds are particular favored in Texas right now), dinosaurs, mardi gras beads, etc. Loved by boys and girls alike.
Posted by: liz
Mmmm. Cake.
I want the standard one-year old birthday cake all over the face picture.
Posted by: claudia
It’s been a YEAR? Whoa.
Real estate hijinks? Do tell…
Posted by: Cassie
Happy Birthday Thumper!!
Posted by: Michele
Happy Birthday Thumper!! He’s a very lucky boy! I was never allowed to have a sandbox. 🙁
Posted by: Anna
The best cake I’ve ever made is an orange cake (vegan) out of The All New Joy of Cooking. It’s moist and has great flavor. The recipe is on page 932 of the book, or email lilithparker at yahoo. 🙂 Happy Birthday, Thumper!!
Posted by: Lilith
happy birthday thumpus bo bumpus. 🙂
Posted by: carolyn
vegan cakes: atlas cafe on 2nd ave btwn 4th and 5th street. they are crazy good. try cookies and cream, lemon lime, chocolate peanut butter bomb, any of them. they are great!
Posted by: jeanette
Oh yes, the cake-on-the-face photo is requested, pretty please. In my experience, one year olds LOVE their first birthday party. “This is all for ME? You’re all looking at ME? I LOVE it!” Sand boxes are great: p.s., girls like them, too. Remind me to tell you sometime about how my husband and I went at dawn to steal nice sand from our local beach without realizing that the container would be too heavy to get into the car…….
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
I have a recipe for Chocolate Banana Snacking cake that I always serve my vegan friends – it’s from an old Hershey cookbook. It’s moist and delicious! If you want the recipe, let me know. It’s really quick to make.
Posted by: Steph VW
Happy birthday to Thumper and congrats to you! Good luck on the cake situation.
Posted by: kniternet
Have you tried Thumper on a vegan un-cheesecake? Most recipes are pretty foolproof (and you can find scads of ’em online) – you substitute tofutti (or some other vegan cream cheese alternative) and silken tofu for the cream cheese. I usually make mine with lots of lemon zest and then top with heaps of fresh fruit, but it’s equally delicious as chocolate/orange/whatever. Good luck with the party!
Posted by: Dani B
Happy Birthday Thumper!
Thats an awful lot of chocolate cake recipes. I developed an allergy to milk protein 12 years ago and really missed baked goods until I discovered the perfect solution. I use extra light olive oil and apple butter combined, instead of butter, and soy milk instead of regular. If you want a great carrot cake recipe let me know and I’ll send it. Its not too sweet and I make cream cheese icing and a dairy free icing on the side so that everyone can have what they want. Cakes don’t last long in my house!
Posted by: Ella
Amazing how time flies. A year! I bet it feels like five minutes and like forever at the same time. Don’t stress over the party — whatever you do will be a hit with family. Have fun.
Posted by: alison
I don’t know if I’ve delurked or not, but I’ll definitely delurk for cake!
You should definitely try the Wacky Cocoa Cake recipe. I think it’s the same one that Amy from Knitty commented. It’s absolutely delicious and moist and sooo good. I love butter, but this cake has no dairy and it’s awesome.
Posted by: Yaya
Happy Birthday, Thumper! My oldest is turning 10 on Saturday, and I’m in shock. As for moms, you never take them for granted again once you have kids of your own.
Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)
Speaking of sandboxes, my friend Erin — whose wedding I just attended down in Baton Rouge — comes from the kind of good country stock that doesn’t fool around when it comes to such things: in her early childhood, her father ordered a moderate-sized dumptruck full of dirt and had it poured onto their front yard. He was telling us about this, and said that she thought it was the “best present ever.” So a little while later, when she was momentarily free from her bride duties, I casually asked, “hey, what’s the best present you’ve ever gotten?” Without hesitating, she replied: “The dirt pile.”
Posted by: sutton
The sand box (pit in this country) is in almost constant use, even now. The creative play Max gets out of it is incredible. Go the sandbox, go the sandbox.
I cannot believe it’s a year – wow…
Posted by: Alison
Happy birthday, Thumper!
Posted by: Minneapolismama
Hi, I have been lurking on your blog for a while and I enjoy reading it. I don’t want to rain on your parade, but I just saw this article about play sand: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/120/play, so I wanted to pass that along. Scary, huh? I saw it right after a morning at the park with my daughter playing in the sandbox! Anyway, you may want to check out the sand at http://www.safesand.com.
Posted by: Kim
Happy birthday to Thumper and congrats to you! Good luck on the cake situation.
Posted by: kniternet
Have you tried Thumper on a vegan un-cheesecake? Most recipes are pretty foolproof (and you can find scads of ’em online) – you substitute tofutti (or some other vegan cream cheese alternative) and silken tofu for the cream cheese. I usually make mine with lots of lemon zest and then top with heaps of fresh fruit, but it’s equally delicious as chocolate/orange/whatever. Good luck with the party!
Posted by: Dani B
Happy Birthday Thumper!
Thats an awful lot of chocolate cake recipes. I developed an allergy to milk protein 12 years ago and really missed baked goods until I discovered the perfect solution. I use extra light olive oil and apple butter combined, instead of butter, and soy milk instead of regular. If you want a great carrot cake recipe let me know and I’ll send it. Its not too sweet and I make cream cheese icing and a dairy free icing on the side so that everyone can have what they want. Cakes don’t last long in my house!
Posted by: Ella
Amazing how time flies. A year! I bet it feels like five minutes and like forever at the same time. Don’t stress over the party — whatever you do will be a hit with family. Have fun.
Posted by: alison
I don’t know if I’ve delurked or not, but I’ll definitely delurk for cake!
You should definitely try the Wacky Cocoa Cake recipe. I think it’s the same one that Amy from Knitty commented. It’s absolutely delicious and moist and sooo good. I love butter, but this cake has no dairy and it’s awesome.
Posted by: Yaya
Happy Birthday, Thumper! My oldest is turning 10 on Saturday, and I’m in shock. As for moms, you never take them for granted again once you have kids of your own.
Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)
Speaking of sandboxes, my friend Erin — whose wedding I just attended down in Baton Rouge — comes from the kind of good country stock that doesn’t fool around when it comes to such things: in her early childhood, her father ordered a moderate-sized dumptruck full of dirt and had it poured onto their front yard. He was telling us about this, and said that she thought it was the “best present ever.” So a little while later, when she was momentarily free from her bride duties, I casually asked, “hey, what’s the best present you’ve ever gotten?” Without hesitating, she replied: “The dirt pile.”
Posted by: sutton
The sand box (pit in this country) is in almost constant use, even now. The creative play Max gets out of it is incredible. Go the sandbox, go the sandbox.
I cannot believe it’s a year – wow…
Posted by: Alison
Happy birthday, Thumper!
Posted by: Minneapolismama
Hi, I have been lurking on your blog for a while and I enjoy reading it. I don’t want to rain on your parade, but I just saw this article about play sand: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/120/play, so I wanted to pass that along. Scary, huh? I saw it right after a morning at the park with my daughter playing in the sandbox! Anyway, you may want to check out the sand at http://www.safesand.com.
Posted by: Kim