Just Baking

Does being vegan (no wheat, eggs or other dairy) mean that your sweet tooth has to suffer?  Of course not.  It just means you may have to get a bit more creative, both in making the sweet treats yourself, and in seeking out vegan bakeries.  Yes, vegan bakeries.  Believe it or not, they do exist.

In the June/July issue of Domino magazine, they highlighted two vegan bakeries that they think are just fab.

Babycakes, NYC
Owned and operated by Erin McKenna, this former California girl now calls NYC home with her Lower East Side vegan bakery (an LA location is slated to open next month).  Her cupcakes are sugar- and egg-free and it’s all she can do to keep them in stock.  Not local?  No worries, she also ships overnight.  Her secret to her sweets?  Using agave nectar as a sweetener, and cold-pressed extra-virgin coconut oil in her recipes.  “It makes everything taste so buttery, and it’s supergood for the heart and the metabolism.”

Black Sheep Bakery, Oregon
Her tagline is straightforward and to the point … “Vegan treats that don’t suck.”  Her secret sweeteners?  Applesauce and organic maple syrup.  Like Babycakes, NYC, if you’re not local, you’re still in luck.  Her Everything But Your Momma coconut-chocolate chip cookies are a particular favorite that will let you serve up vegan treats right from your own oven.