Vegan Pound Cake

The traditional recipe for pound cake includes a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. The way to make this  “Vegan Pound Cake” (page 448), while still a rich and satisfying treat, is much lighter. And, when you replace the oil with applesauce, like I did, the health profile improves a bit more. The recipe is very simple, using flour, sugar, baking powder, non-dairy milk and tofu for the batter, flavored with vanilla extract. Initially I was concerned that leaving out the oil would cause the cake to be dry and crumbly, so I opted to stay with the all-purpose (white) flour instead of substituting whole wheat  or whole wheat pastry flour. I also used a scant ½ cup of applesauce to replace the ¼ cup of oil. This is the amount of applesauce found in the snack size containers sold under many different labels (look for the no-sugar added varieties). Happily, the final result was a delicious cake both moist and delicious.  

Slices of this cake are perfect for topping with sliced fresh fruit, vegan whipped cream, or dessert sauces, but is equally delicious with no additions at all. I made this treat for a 4^th of July gathering, and topped each slice with strawberries, whipped cream, and blueberries for a red, white and blue theme. This was a fun and festive presentation that was met with rave reviews!

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” checklist:

• Replace the ¼ cup of oil with a scant ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce.
• Although I didn’t try this myself, to make this even healthier, substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose (white) flour.