Although vastly improved compared to a mere 5 years ago, the state of commercial vegan baked goods is still rather dismal. Unless you’re lucky enough to live near a wonderful bakery that takes enough time to think about cruelty-free sweets, the only real option is to bake for yourself. Of course I have no problem with that at all, and in fact love the challenge that this sometimes presents. For the average Joe stranded in a less veg-friendly town, however, it’s no surprise that even the most simple cakes are pretty much completely out of reach. Lacking the time or patience to fire up the oven and whip up some batter, I can easily understand how difficult it may be when a cake craving suddenly strikes. Up until recently, there was absolutely no where for a non-baking vegan with a sweet tooth to turn…
But Amy’s, makers of delicious and wholesome vegan meals, is here to change all that. Many a time have their fantastic frozen samosas and tamale pies saved me from a dismal dinner, so when I heard that they were developing a line of frozen cakes, I could hardly wait to see how these new creations would compare.
Freeing the Orange Cake from its box, I was immediately smitten. Lovingly nestled in a beautiful cardboard loaf pan, embellished with little gold flowers, this looked like something taken straight from a bakery or given as a thoughtful gift. I wouldn’t be at all ashamed to put it straight on the table, just as is.
A bit on the short side, this cake was clearly meant to be sliced thick to compensate for the lack of height. No problem by me- Each forkful had a nice heft to it, and made me feel as though I was getting more cake in each bite. Soft and tender, with an absolutely gorgeous, even crumb, it was hard to believe that this texture came from something that was recently frozen solid as a brick. Whereas the freeze/thaw process is often harmful to just about every food I can think of, this cake was miraculously unaffected.
Very delicately citrus in flavor, it had just enough orange to keep you going back for one more taste. Definitely more exciting than a plain old vanilla pound cake, but still a simple flavor overall, I can easily see this being a hit in just about any home. Tasty enough that it could be served as is, but also so versatile that just about any fruit, ice cream, or sweet topping could go nicely with it, this is one impressive yet unfussy dessert.
But what about all of you chocoholics out there? Surely you know what it’s like to crave chocolate in the middle of the night, and absolutely nothing else with suffice. Well don’t you worry, the Chocolate Cake was practically made with you in mind. Dark in color and intense in flavor, it manages to be both rich but not too heavy. Subtly sweetened, with a full-bodied, well-rounded chocolate flavor, it’s a very sophisticated take on a classic that adults will appreciate and I’m sure the kids would still enjoy.
Both flavors make for a wonderful treat to have on hand, especially when there’s just no time to bake. I just hope they don’t spoil me too much, because it will certainly be tempting to just pick up one of these frozen delights instead of turning on that hot oven in the summer!
[Written for Go Dairy Free]