Vegetarian Star

Downtown Disney, a shopping and dining area at Disneyworld Resorts in Florida, has severed its ties to the McDonald’s restaurant once located in the complex and replaced it with BabyCakes’ Bakery, the famous shop with headquarters in New York and Los Angeles offering vegan, gluten-free and often sugar-free cupcakes, cookies, brownies and other sweets.

According to Inside the Magic, the Disneyworld BabyCakes is located at West Side and Marketplace, near the LEGO Store and T-Rex restaurant.

BabyCakes became famous after several celebrities like Pamela Anderson gave their thumbs up to owner Erin McKenna‘s creations lacking butter, milk and eggs. McKenna has since published a cookbook with the restaurant’s most popular desserts and has appeared on television shows like Martha Stewart.

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Mark Bittman has posted some behind the scenes photographs from shooting his “The Minimalist” video series. If you can get past the lamb (remember, he’s vegan until 6 PM and promotes less meat), you’ll see a lovely photo of BabyCakes vegan cupcakes in the background. BabyCakes owner Erin McKenna blogged, “Yep, that’s totally a bunch of BabyCakes all scarfed up in those boxes. Cool, cool.” McKenna also took the opportunity to highlight the controversy among vegans about Bittman’s half veggie diet.

“Now, I know some vegans out there might be critical of this but he has made an outstanding impact on so many peoples lives and because of this more and more people are opening up to thoughtful eating that I think he should win a major huge trophy.”

Kudos to her comment and a congratulations is ultimately in order for McKenna and other cupcake bakers. As Inhabitat informed, while other consumer goods are taking a hit from the economy, cupcakes are experiencing a boom.

(more…)

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Erin McKenna. Photo Credit: Clarke Tolton

Although Erin McKenna may run the very popular and successful BabyCakes Bakeries in New York and California, home to the vegan, gluten-free and mostly sugar free desserts, she didn’t always have the vegan dough to put out for buying all the ingredients when experimenting in the kitchen.

According to a recent story in LA Weekly, McKenna worked three jobs as a waitress, had no credit and no money to put down to purchase products while she formulating her recipes for the restaurant.

So if anyone is ever upset that a spelt or gluten free Red Velvet Cupcake costs $4.25, it’s not like she’s not feeling your pain.

The baker who’s treats were voted best by New York Magazine said, “People get upset because they think it’s really expensive,” adding that prices will come down once more people get on the healthy eating bandwagon.

Yes, we are all looking forward to the day when dairy-free, gluten-free muffins can be bought for $2 from the vending machine just like the ones that guy name Otis makes.

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Here’s the perfect opportunity to use those FAQs Erin McKenna has  recently compiled for her BabyCakes cookbook.

As previously reported, McKenna has added about 20 of the most common questions or problems people have had with the recipes.

The owner of the famous bakery in New York City offering vegan, sugar-free, and gluten-free desserts has a blueberry muffins recipe that she made on Good Morning America.

If you’re out of coconut oil, don’t despair.

According to the FAQs, any other vegetable oil can be substituted in the batter. However, if you were making frosting, you’d have to use liquid coconut oil.

Grab the recipe here, and to learn where to get your Bob’s Red Mill flour, visit the FAQs.

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Erin McKenna is busy cranking out another cookbook, but if you’re still navigating your way through her first one, BabyCakes: Vegan, Gluten Free and (Mostly) Sugar Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked About Bakery, there is help available on her website.

If you’ve ever wondered if potato starch can replace potato flour, you’re in luck.

Over the months since publishing the book, she’s compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about her recipes, and she’s created an FAQ list.

BTW, potato starch and flour are TOTALLY different and you have to use what the recipe calls for.

Here are a couple of other commonly asked questions.

Q: What if I can’t have gluten or bean flours? Is there a substitute?
A: You may substitute rice flour for the recipes that call for Garbanzo-Fava bean flour, but not for the recipes that call for Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour or Spelt Flour.

Q: What is Evaporated Cane Juice? Is it liquid or granular?
A: It’s granular and relatively easy to find. Try Florida Crystals. You may also use Rapadura.

For the complete list of FAQs, visit BabyCakes.

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Carrie Underwood and fiance Mike Fisher have ditched the traditional wedding cake and opted to be sweet tooth locavores and serve cupcakes made by a bakery near her hometown instead.

The rest of the reception menu has been decided on as well, as Carrie told Ellen DeGeneres, “We pick out food, and we know where we’re going to be. The big hurdles, but everything else we’re easy about…We don’t care.”

Because Carrie’s a vegetarian, she’s sure to have plenty of meat free options besides cupcakes.

If you’re in need of a vegan cupcake (along with sugar and gluten free), BabyCakes bakery has you covered East Coast or West.

The bakery that originated in New York City and now with a shop in LA, offers cupcakes, cookies, brownies and now even donuts that are completely free of animal products.

BabyCakes’ owner, Erin McKenna, started the company because she had multiple sensitivities to foods like wheat.

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Erin McKenna of BabyCakes has perfected the vegan donut.

NY Mag is reporting the eggless, dairyless rings come in several flavors, such as chocolate-glazed, coconut-lemon and cinnamon-sugar.

Sounds delicious!

“Everything has to be not just fine for vegans or gluten-free but, you know … worth it, worth eating and really delicious,” McKenna, the owner of the bakery frequented by many vegetarian celebrities, said.

Will BabyCakes new donuts be worth every penny to the last crumb?

Jason Schwartzman or Zooey Deschanel will have to hold a vegan eating contest and find out.

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The LA offshoot of Erin McKenna‘s bakery for vegan, gluten-free and sugar free desserts, BabyCakes, has been open for a couple of weeks now.

If you had the opportunity to visit the New York bakery and are expecting the same delicious animal free yumminess, you’re in luck.

But be prepared for a few extras in terms of the store’s environment, according to McKenna’s blog.

“Although we wanted to recreate what we have in New York, we knew it was crucial to let this bakery be free to be itself. We wanted it to have it’s own life and personality so we just let it flow. This bakery’s got more room than New York–4 tables and chairs to rest your weary legs and a gasp-inducing vintage oil painting of two poodles with bouffants (thank you Bridget!). Of course we have Stumptown Coffee.”

Head over to the downtown LA bakery at 130 East 6th Street and rest your weary legs as you sink your teeth into a Red Velvet cupcake.

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