On January 13th my firstborn turned 4. 

On January 17th my baby turned 1. 

On January 19th we threw them a joint birthday party with a [party] animal theme. 

Meanwhile I was working at all hours after both kids were in bed to complete my eBooks ‘Nurtured - plant based recipes for kids’.

January was nuts. 

That party though!!

Lake said it was the best day of her life. And we’re pretty sure it was too! 

We hired a bouncy castle for Lakey’s gang, a soft play area for Banksy’s baby crew and incredibly it all fit inside The Living Room of My Chelsea/Tanya’s!!

 

 

The entire buffet spread was 100% vegan and nut-free and the sweets were also gluten-free and refined-sugar-free in addition to that. 

We ordered all the savoury yummies from My Chelsea and I did all the baking.

Lake’s grown up cake was Chocolate with Strawberry Frosting and Banksy’s baby cake was Carob with Apricot Frosting, because a). I wanted them to match and b). there’s no stimulants or caffeine in carob.

Here’s our plant based menu...

 

From My Chelsea Hotel:

Vegan Pizzas

Vegan Pasties

Vegan Sausage Rolls

Vegan Nuggets

Hummus + crudités + pita breads

Beetroot falafels

 

From ‘Nurtured - plant based recipes for kids’ eBooks:

Creamy Pea Dip (Dips & Party Foods eBook)

Blueberry Ice Lollies (Shakes & Ice Creams eBook)

Breakfast Popsicles (Shakes & Ice Creams eBook)

Banana Cake Bites (Dips & Party Foods eBook)

Baked Doughnuts (Dips & Party Foods eBook)

Chocolate Cake & Strawberry Frosting (Birthday Cakes eBook) 

Carob Cake & Apricot Frosting (Birthday Cakes eBook)

 

 

  

Lake specifically requested a Chocolate and Strawberry Cake, so that’s exactly what she got.

The end result went down an absolute treat and was very popular among all the parents as well as the kiddos.

It’s also a great staple cake recipe to keep handy and any one of your favourite frostings will go amazingly here, so have fun with it!

 

Aaaaand if you're looking for the perfect recipe to bake on the upcoming Love Day (Valentine's Day is this Friday people!!), then you've just found it...

 

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE & STRAWBERRY FROSTING 

 

For the cake:

(This recipe is enough for two 7-inch cakes just like you see in my pictures. Or you can make two slim 9-inch cakes instead.)

 

3 cups (440g) GF self-raising flour

3/4 cup (65g) cacao powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1 1/2 cup (420g) agave nectar

1 cup (200g) coconut milk from tin

1 cup (200g) light olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tbsp vanilla extract

 

For the icing:

2 cups (250g) ground xylitol

1/3 cup (70g) vegan butter or a non-dairy spread

280g jar of sugar-free strawberry jam

3/4 block (150g) creamed coconut or 1/2 cup coconut butter

optional: 2-8 tbsp coconut flour

  

 METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/390°F/gas mark 6. Grease two 7 inch (18cm) removable base cake tins with some olive oil.
2. Place the flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk with agave, olive oil, vinegar, vanilla and ground flax.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk again to combine, but don’t over-do it. Distribute among the two greased tins in equal amounts, tap tins on a hard surface for the mixture to even out and let them sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.
5. Place inside the hot oven and bake for 25 minutes. Cakes are ready when a sharp knife comes out clean or with a few crumbs stuck to it, just make sure not to overcook - this recipe is better gooey than too dry. Let the cakes cool entirely before getting started on the icing.
6. You can grind xylitol in your blender, simply blend on high until powdered and wait for 2-3 minutes for the dust to settle before opening the lid. Place all of the icing ingredients, except the coconut flour, into a food processor and process until smooth (You may need to open the lid and scrape everything down from the sides of the jug).
7. If you are making a Victoria sandwich-style cake, the cakes will need to be levelled off before they will stack neatly (only if the cakes haven’t sunk in the middle. If they’ve sunk, leave untouched). To do this, use a sharp knife to slice off the top of both cakes where they have over-risen. Then place a scoop of frosting onto the bottom cake and smooth out to the edges giving a generous layer of filling. Flip the second cake over and place on top. Pour the rest of the frosting on top of that if your icing is thick and spreadable but not runny. If it is too runny, add 1-2 tablespoons coconut flour to thicken it up and process to combine. Continue adding more coconut flour until the desired texture for icing your cakes has been achieved, careful not to over-do it as the coconut flour has a drying effect. Spread a generous amount of icing all over the top of the cake and take your time to carefully spread it towards the sides and then down the sides to completely cover the cake. If you like the exposed look of my cake, scrape off the icing from the sides as you are turning the cake on its stand. Decorate to your liking.

 

 

 If you think this recipe is pretty special, I have many many more in my new eBook series 'Nurtured - plant based recipes for kids'.

And the Launch Special 'Buy 2 eBooks, Get all 5!' is still on... check it out:

tanyasliving.com/pages/nurtured-plant-based-recipes-for-kids

 

 

 

As my baby's birthday was approaching, I've been an emotional wreck for the last month. Anyone else know what I mean?

My little big girl turned Two, just yesterday.

It's weird because when she turned One, I felt nothing.

Everyone was congratulating me on this huge milestone, saying what a big deal it is and how it must feel so incredible to celebrate. 

It didn't.

I know how that sounds. The truth is- I was obsessed with my little girl, but I was still healing from the trauma of birth and the challenges of breast feeding. On top of that, I was still learning how to juggle work and motherhood. I didn't feel in control of anything any more and as all Lake wanted to do was crawl, I was regretting booking a busy crowded restaurant for her 1st birthday celebrations.

This year couldn't have felt any more different.

 

So different in fact, that for a solid month leading up to her birthday on 13th January, I only had to think of my baby turning 2 and tears would well up in my eyes. 

My grateful heart would feel so full, it hurt physically.

Then on her birthday eve, as I reminisced exactly what I was doing to prepare for her birth two years earlier, I was in bits. 

It was as if I was suddenly feeling the collective love of every parent of this world. The love that I never knew existed, so pure, so intense, and so unbelievably unexplainably unquestionably unconditional.

I posted some highlights of her first two years earth-side on social media that night. Have a browse here if you like>>

 

Guys, thank you so much for being here and for letting me share my joy with you.

It literally feels like it is you that I blog for every week (well almost every week) and it means so much knowing that you're reading.

This Raspberry & Coconut cake I made yesterday was of course for my beautiful angel but it was also for you too...

I knew I'd be sharing the recipe with you ASAP, so just know that it was made with EVEN more love, because you were on my mind.

 

Oh and BTW, the cake is vegan, so no dairy or animal products of any kind, but it's also gluten free. Also, I would never use refined sugars, so it feels good to feed it to my child and her little friends till their tummies and hearts are full.

And adults LOVE it too! It's still as moist and sweet and creamy and spongy as your favourite naughty cake. Definitely one to try!

 

 

 

 

 

PLANT BASED RASPBERRY & COCONUT CAKE

 

For the baked cakes

• 1.5 cups extra virgin olive oil (360ml)
• 3 cups coconut palm sugar (375g)
• 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups gluten free flour (I used 2 cups rice flour, 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1/2 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup desiccated coconut)
• 2 teaspoons bakin powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the raw icing

• 2 cups cashews, soaked 3-8 hours
• 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
• 1 cup xylitol or erythritol 
• 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1-2 cups desiccated coconut
• 3 punnets fresh raspberries (450g)
• 300g frozen raspberries

Baking Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C. Grease three 7.5 inch (19cm) removable base cake tins with some olive oil.
2. Pour olive oil, sugar, coconut milk, cider vinegar and vanilla extract into a high speed blender and pulse till well combined.
3. Sieve the flours, baking powder and soda into the same blender jug and blend on low till fully mixed. I used a heavy duty Dynapro jug from Tribest>> (Alternatively, beat everything in a large bowl using an electric mixer)
4. Divide the batter equally among 3 greased tins. Bake for 30 minutes or until the knife slides out clean when cake is pricked. Cool the cakes completely in their tins (I baked them the night before Lake's party).

 

Icing Method

Rinse the soaked cashews in warm water and transfer to a blender jug (cashews must be warm, otherwise the coconut oil will solidify too fast). Also add the coconut milk, xylitol, lemon juice and melted coconut oil to the jug and blend until runny and smooth.
Pour out about 1/2 cup of the mixture for use later and add 1 cup of desiccated coconut to the blender jug. Blend using a tamper rod. If this mixture is still runny, add more desiccated coconut and continue to add then blend, till the mixture becomes easy to scoop and spread.
Remove all three cakes from their tins and place one onto the cake stand or plate which you'll be using to display the finished masterpiece. Spread the thick icing like pancake batter in the middle of the cake, leaving approximated 1 inch around the perimeter clean. 
Take fresh raspberries, one at a time, use the point of each to slide from edge of the cake towards the icing, until it sticks. Place raspberries side by side, always having the round opening facing out. You should have an assemble resembling a flower.
Take little spoonfuls of the smooth runny cream and carefully pour it on top of the raspberries. Some cream will naturally drip between the berries, but don't overdo it. Sprinkle some frozen raspberries all over the thick icing and gently press on each one until it touches the cake. Spread a little more of the thick icing on top to create an even surface.
Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the steps above.
Place the third cake layer on top and now spread more of the thick icing but in a much smaller circle. Create another raspberry flower and continue to create another flower within it, until you reach the middle.