Harrowing Halloween

My dear friend, P, has finally moved to her new place. As a sort of an invitation, she decided to host a Halloween party. Though I have seen many people dress up for Halloween, I have never been to one and was at a loss on what to wear. Finally, I dug up my seven year old trench coat and decided to go as a vampire/matrix character/or something with a trench coat. Also, she had asked me to make a cake for the party and I used this opportunity to practice my hand at fondant figurines and a new cake flavour.

I made a spiced chocolate fruit cake with layers of peach in the middle. Topped with chocolate fondant and figurines. Initially, the idea was for the ghost to float but somehow the weight of the fondant skewered them through. So, I decided to settle them on the cake itself. 

Spiced Chocolate Fruit Cake (Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

1 cup soymilk

1 tsp vinegar/lemon juice

2/3 cup granulated sugar (original calls for 3/4 cup)

1/3 cup canola/corn oil

1 tsp vanilla extract/paste 

1 cup plain flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp nutmeg powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

a pinch of salt

1/3 cup dried mixed fruits

Method:

1) Line a 8 inch round pan with greaseproof paper and grease with oil. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.

2) In a bowl combine the vinegar and soy milk. Let it sit for about five minutes to enable curdling.

3) In another bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and salt.

4) Add sugar, oil, vanilla paste/extract to the curdled soy milk. Whisk until well incorporated.

5) Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Incorporate well.*

6) Add the dry fruits in last. Mix until just combined.

7) Line and grease an eight inch round pan with oil. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Test by poking the cake with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, it is done.

8) Serve when cooled. Cake tastes better after several hours. 

*Don't over mix the batter. Stop whisking when the batter is smooth or if there are only tiny lumps.