Pride Cupcakes

The last few weeks have been so exciting for the LGBT community.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is nearing its final day…

The state of NY has legalized same sex marriage…

There seems to be an increase in glitter protests…

All around, it has been an exciting couple of weeks! What better way to celebrate than with some rainbow pride cupcakes?

I actually made these in June for the wonderful Pittsburgh Pride celebration and am finally getting around to posting it. But with such an exciting week of LGBT events, I think it still fits.

So make some pride cupcakes, hug a gay person, and figure out more ways to throw glitter at Michelle Bachman.

Recipe and an inside picture after the jump…

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Lazy Vegan Corn Muffins

Pittsburgh is not really known for its amount of sunny days. I read a statistic once that said Pittsburgh is one of the cloudiest cities in the country.

Don’t know if that is true or not, but it sure is depressing. Nothing against the good ‘ol Burgh, but gloomy days just make me want to do one of three things:

1. Nothing
2. Eat
3. Do nothing, while eating.

Today I choose option 1…. nothing. How boring.

So since I am feeling so lazy today I have the perfect lazy vegans recipe; vegan corn muffins from a box. Really, you can’t get much easier than that.

 

I was a little hesitant when I bought the box (Dr. Oetker) and it has taken me FOREVER to finally make it. 

I will say I was pleasantly surprised. I have a very particular corn muffin affinity. There was a non-vegan donut shop in my hometown called, “Honey Dew Donuts.” They had corn muffins that I would push over a nana for. Legit.

Since going vegan I have not found for the "magic bullet" cornbread yet. I have had some pretty good cornbread though. That’s what I would call this version… pretty good.

But on a scale of one to “it’s so good I contemplate murder for more,” I would give it a 4.5. That means, I would make it again.

More pictures and Chubby Vegan notes after the jump.

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S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever heard of the website, “This is Why You’re Fat?”

It is pretty much the most ridiculous food items that people prepare for no reason other than to grow their waistline. Really, who in the world needs a bacon sandwich using Krispy Kreme doughnuts as bread?

Nobody!

Every now and then I see something on the interwebs that makes me go, “hmmmm.” One of those recipes that I think, "this is why you're chubby." I stumbled across a recipe for a s'mores stuffed cookie the other day. Yes a s'more, stuffed into a cookie. What?!

After my initial rational reaction I thought, “Wait, I bet I could make that vegan.”

This would accomplish several of the things on my recent to-do list.

1. Attempt to veganize a non-vegan recipe.
2. Try vegan marshmallows.
3. Make a cookie larger than most newborn babies.

*tinkering tinkering*

Victory!

This is the most absurd cookie (read: 4 cookies) you will ever see in your life. To be totally honest, I didn’t really “veganize” anything, I just constructed something using vegan ingredients and a recipe I already love. So take that as you will.

But, without further ado, presenting the vegan s'mores stuffed cookie.

More pictures and the recipe after the jump.

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Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Husband hates coconut…

I don’t know why really. I think it is such a versatile fruit that can be used in so many different ways. Coconut milk, oil, water, juice, flakes and the list goes on and on.

My mother always liked coconut pastries. I remember getting coconut donuts when I was a kid and I must say they were pretty darn good.

However, primarily due to husbands dislike, I have not baked much with coconut. It is not like he has to love everything I make, but I try to be nice and make things he will enjoy too.

The other day I was in the mood to stress bake. This is pretty much when you want to stress eat, but don’t have premade items in your house to adequately suffice your need. So I stumbled upon this recipe (and video) for Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies from Sarah Kramer at GoVegan.net. I have seen her books before but never tried her recipes.

There a billion and one recipes for vegan CC cookies, but this one had a nice twist and I decided to give it a shot.

The verdict…. INCREDIBLE! Really, they are one of the easiest and tastiest cookies I have ever made. The coconut flavor is so perfectly slight you barely even know it’s there. Husband remarked that they were some of the best cookies he ever had and proceeded to eat about 6. Coconut and all…

Who says you can’t change a man?  *wink*

Recipe, more pictures, and the video of Sarah making them after the jump.

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Jelly Filled Cupcake Donuts

Did someone say cupcake donuts? Jelly filled? It can’t be!?!

Well it is my friends and it’s a whole world of delicious…

I have always wondered how people make pastries with a filling. For whatever reason, I always assumed people used some type of crazy injection system that shot jelly into a pastry. Maybe I thought everyone owns a giant pastry syringe?

Although pastry injectors do exist, this recipe is much easier and does not require a syringe (or any other special tools). In fact, it is probably the easiest vegan baking recipe I have ever seen. All of the ingredients are readily available at any supermarket; it uses one muffin pan, two bowls, and that’s about it.

These were one of the many recipes I made for a Super Bowl party we went to on Sunday. They were a smashing hit, if I do say so myself. I will be posting the rest of my party recipes throughout the week.

The recipe came from Veganomicon, which could very easily be my new favorite cookbook.

Recipe and more pictures after the jump.

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Happy Birthday (Cake)!

I love baking. It stresses me out, but I love it. It is a little bit like magic when you see what you can create out of mixing different things together.

Husband and I

As much as I like baking, I have also never been against going to a bakery and buying a cake for a birthday party. I don’t understand those people that say you need a homemade cake for your birthday. Honestly, some people just suck at baking and I don’t want their homemade cake. Yeah, I said it.

This year I decided to be adventurous and make a cake for husband’s birthday. We didn’t have a big party or anything but I thought it would be fun to do the whole homemade thing. Plus, I am selfish and wanted to eat the cake too. Don’t judge me… I am chubby for a reason.

Enter vegan god Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her Post Punk Kitchen. I have been sitting on her chocolate cake (and vegan butter cream frosting) for months now and was jazzed that I finally had the opportunity to try it.

I must say this was a really easy cake to make. It did not take long and was DELICIOUS. Although, I have a confession…

My name is Chubby Vegan and I can’t frost a cake.

I just suck at it. I don’t know why really. Its part me being impatient, its part me not having the best tools, it’s part me being clumsy. So pardon the picture of the final product and just enjoy it for what it is. I never said I was a professional cake decorator.

So (let them) eat (vegan) cake!

Recipe and pictures, after the jump!

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Is it Friday Yet?

I usually like Thursday… It means the weekend is almost here!

But don’t you ever just feel like you can’t possibly make it through the day. For me, it's usually at about 2:30 when you look at the clock and realize how many hours you have left at work.

I like my job but we all have those days. Don’t lie… Sometimes you just need a little boost to get through it.

Enter my guilty pleasure… vegan cupcakes!

I know, I know, cupcakes are so late 2000’s. But I don’t really care; I still love them.

So today I took a mid afternoon walk to one of my favorite Pittsburgh bakeries, Dozen Bake Shop, for a little afternoon guilty pleasure.

Vegan vanilla cupcakes, my love for you is real. AKA, the reason I am chubby.

What is your late afternoon guilty pleasure?

Head after the jump for more photos from my mid-day vegan cupcake emergency!

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Better Than Sex Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yeah, you read that right… Someone actually told me these cookies were better than sex.

Well alright then, I guess that means they were good. Plus, that came from a non-vegan!

I am sort of a cookie fiend. If the Cookie Monster and Bert and Ernie had a baby, it would be me. (Don’t question, just go along with it) So to avoid being an chubby obese vegan, I need to monitor my cookie intake as much as I can. I try to only make these better than sex cookies on special occasions.

You know, birthdays, football games, weddings, days that end in a “Y.”

This recipe actually came from a ‘zine that my partners’ high school friend wrote. In it she compiles lots of great vegan recipes including this cookie recipe and a vegan Brunswick stew that has been on my to-do list for about a year.

These cookies are incredible on their own, but I like to up the ante and make them into frozen cookie sandwiches using the vanilla icing from the Babycakes NYC cookbook. Can I get an amen?

So these cookie sandwiches have now become my most requested party item. The cookies are a breeze to make but I will warn you the icing can have its difficulties. So proceed with love and caution.

(Vegan) Cookies for everyone! After the jump...

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