Bye Ric! - a story about cake

Bye Ric! This recipe is for you!

If you're wondering what I'm taking about, Ric is one of my managers. Unfortunately, he will be leaving us and moving to another location after tomorrow's shift. It's always a bummer when someone you enjoy working with moves on, but on the other hand, it's also pretty delicious!

... what?

Well, if you read my blog religiously, which I'm sure you all do - haha! (*cough*, wow, tough crowd tonight! :P) - you would realize that I ALWAYS bake a vegan desert for 'going away' events. My schedule is pretty full as it is, and sometimes I only have time for the things I HAVE to do, not always being able to do the things I'd LIKE to do - like baking! What does this all mean? Well, I just put the 'like to's on my 'have to do' list: Ric is leaving, so I have to bake a cake!
In conclusion, I'm pretty great at justifying how I spend my time :)

well, enough of this rambling (how'd that happen?!) let's bake!

Brenna's Cha-cha-chai Cake with Almond Latte Icing

Ingredients:

Cake:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups organic sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup firm tofu
- 3 egg replacers
- 3/4 cup each grated carrot and apple
- 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh
- 1/2 cup grated coconut

Icing:
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup (scant) coffee
- 1 tsp almond butter

Directions:
1) Combine dry ingredients, including sugar, in a mixing bowl.
2) In a seperate, smaller bowl, whisk together tofu, oil, and eggs - it looks like mayonnaise!
3) With a wooden spoon, add 'mayo' to dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Add grated apples, carrots, coconut, and juice. Stir with wooden spoon JUST until combined.
4) Pour mixture into greased bunt pan and bake at 350oF for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature.
5) Meanwhile, while the cake bakes, combine icing ingredients, making sure to add coffee slowly until the desired consistencey is reached (you want it JUST pourable, not watery). When the cake is cool, flip out of bunt pan, and spoon icing onto cake so it spills sexily down the sides of the cake. (yummmmmmmmmmm)
6) Refrigerate before serving!

We'll miss you lots ric - especially the way you ALWAYS have something to say! Whether it's a dirty joke, discussions of alien conspiracies, or the politics of eating meat, it's always a great chat.

Love B!