Day 23: Angela's Vegan Lenten Cupcakes - Ange & Co., Toronto, Canada - April 9, 2013

Every once in a while, there is a person who will surprise you with a generous gift, a loving gesture, or even a kind word.  Today, we had all of the above from one person.  Her name is Angela.  Now, what made Angela more sweet than usual is that she remembered one of our birthdays, and made special Lenten cupcakes as a surprise gift.  She knows that we are fasting from all animal products, and she took the extra step to give us a treat that met our needs.

Now, we have had Lenten cakes before.  In fact, we had thought about making one specifically for this blog.  But, Angela did it for us!  Actually, she has offered us the recipe, but we don't want to take any business secrets away from her, so we refused.  Instead, we are going to give her the credit and let you know that Angela can be found through her website.  She is willing to work with a variety of dietary restrictions, and we are thrilled to know this.

So, what was it about these cupcakes that made us want to share (share our opinions, not the cupcakes!)?  Well, first, they were so moist and tender.  The cake part was dense, flavourful, and moist.  The topping made us go "Wow!"  The top was a chocolate ganache.  We aren't sure how you get ganache to be vegan, since traditionally ganache is made with equal parts chocolate and cream, but Angela did it!  The ganache tasted very much like the traditional one, and was creamy and smooth.

But, then, to make the top even more notable -- she sprinkled gold flakes on top of the cupcakes.  Edible gold is so beautiful. We are blessed to have received these very tasty cupcakes as a gift.  In fact, we are blessed to know Angela and to sample her outstanding baked goods.

We may try to make a Lenten cake one day, but for now, it is easier and faster to just make the phone call and have a professional do the work!  A big thanks to Angela of http://www.angeandcompany.com  for the birthday treat, and for the accommodations to our dietary needs.

"A faithful friend is a strong shelter. And he who finds one, finds a treasure."

Wisdom of Sirach (Chapter 6: 14)