This low-fat vegan cake is incredibly delicious served warm from the oven and topped with a cool lemon tofu crème. Using fresh ginger makes a great difference in its taste. I prefer this cake without the nuts and raisins, but others enjoy the texture and sweetness they add. Either way, this flavorful cake is sure to become a favorite of yours

　　

Ingredients

serves 12

　　1 cup barley flour

　　3/4 cup oat flour

　　2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　12 ounces light firm silken tofu

　　2 tablespoons canola oil

　　1/2 cup amber agave nectar

　　1/4 cup dark molasses

　　1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

　　1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk

　　1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

　　1/2 cup raisins (optional)

　　Lemon Tofu Crème (page 114)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan with canola oil spray.

　　

Step 2

Sift the barley flour, oat flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and baking powder together in a large bowl. In a food processor, blend the tofu, canola oil, agave nectar, molasses, and ginger until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy milk and blend well. Fold in the pecans and raisins if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack, and serve warm with the lemon crème. This cake must be stored in the refrigerator as tofu can spoil at room temperature.

　　Reprinted with permission from Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. Copyright © 2008 by Ania Catalano; photography © 2008 by Lara Hata. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of Cooking in New York and the owner of the Gourmet Whole Foods Catering and Cooking School in Milford, Connecticut.