Ital is Vital... Vegan Cupcakes

Vanilla Vegan & Gluten-Free Cupcake with Vegan Buttercream and Strawberry Slices

Ital or I-tal (/ˈaɪtɑːl/ eye-tahl)  a diet designed to increase Livity (life energy).

Growing up in a Rastafarian household, there was a time that we ate only Ital food. In it's most purest form, Ital food is akin to a vegan diet minus the salt. In truth though, there are variations on the theme, and it is open to some level of interpretation. For me, when I think of Ital baking, I want to make something that anyone can eat, whether they are vegan, have nut allergies, a gluten intolerance or whatever else can steal the joy of someone wanting to eat a tasty cake.

Irie!

It's been a while since I did any, but last weekend, I tried my hand at a bit of Ital (in this case vegan and gluten-free) baking with a simple cupcake recipe adapted from Ms Cupcakes new cookery book - "The Naughtiest Vegan Cupcakes in Town"

Cupcakes fresh out of the oven

In my little bit of experience in making vegan cupcakes, I've discovered that there are a million ways to make them. Also once you get the right ingredients it's actually quite straightforward (my kinda cooking!)

Whilst I perfect my own recipe to share with you guys, check out PETA's website for a cool, step-by-step guide on how to make vanilla vegan cupcakes (Click here).

Some extra vegan baking tips;

• Vegetable shortening use Trex (for the British readers)
• Vinegar means Apple Cider Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
• Oil means flavourless i.e. groundnut, grapeseed or sunflower oil
• I used gluten-free flour mix instead of the usual self-raising flour
• Work quickly once the liquid has been added to the dry-mix & don't overmix
• Vegan cakes don't last as long as normal ones so they are best eaten straightaway (which is really no problem at all!)

Vanilla Vegan & Gluten-Free Cupcake with Vegan Buttercream and Strawberry Slices - Ital baking at it's best!

Before I forget, the book is an essential item in a baker's kitchen - it's beautifully put together and the recipes are easy to follow. Get yourself a copy! :)

Peace & Love

xx

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Summertime in London

It's February, it's dark & cold & wet. For some of us in England, it's been really really wet. Flooding has been a major issue for many people, bringing with it power shortages, destroyed train lines & all sorts of disruption. At times like this, I long for summer and reminisce over the happier times.

Last summer was epic for me & whilst seeking inspiration for my latest nail art designs, I remembered this birthday cake that I made for a friend's landmark birthday & just had to go with it!

The birthday girl

The cake was designed to encompass the things that make us happy; London, love, art & music with cherries on top. 

So fast forward to 2014 and I'm in the middle of a love affair with nail art. What better way to bring on the summer than combining my two favourite things, nails and cakes!

Special thanks to L Does Nails for the nail art and Alexia Lenoir for help with the cake design.

Peace & Love

xx

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Sugar Cubes and Sonnets

Sonnet XVII

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;

thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,

risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;

so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,

so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep. (Pablo Neruda)

Peace & Love

xx

Click here for instructions on how to make these cuties, they are really easy!

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Honey I Love You

It's that time of year again and Valentines Day is near. For me, Valentines Day is special because it's my son's birthday but I guess in a way over the years it's lost the whole romantic meaning....

Sugar cookies in the making...

As I've named this year the year of love, money and happiness, I'm focussing on what I want rather than what isn't. So to start with, I made a little collage of my ideal Valentines Day gifts (take note people).

Pictures courtesy of  Pintrest

Love letters, flowers and balloons, what more can a girl want from her Valentine? 

Sugar cookies of course! 

Sugar Cookies Recipe (American style adapted from Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups plain flour

1. Combine the sugar, butter and salt light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Finally add the flour (sifted) until it it's just combined.

2. Roll the dough into a large circle 1/4 inch thick in between two sheets of baking or parchment paper. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3. Cut out the cookies with a cookie cutter and place them on one of the sheets of baking paper at least 1" apart. Leave to chill for a further 1 hour. 

4. Pre-heat the oven to 180oC (gas mark 4). Bake until light golden, 6-12 minutes depending on the size and shape of the cookies. Rotate halfway through cooking so that you get an even colour. Leave to chill on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I covered these delicious sugar cookies with peach coloured royal icing (click here for a video recipe) and sprinkled them with love hearts. They lasted about 5 minutes and didn't even make it out of the house! Not to worry, this month my baking will be all things love and someone will get to be the recipient! :)

Peace & Love

xx

ps - if anyone wants to spoil me this Valentines, please do!!!!!

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