Foodie Friendship

sunshine and birthday cake for every occasion

This weekend is the official grand-opening of Hey, Sunshine Kitchen here in LA. The all-vegan spot is GMO-free and damn delicious. The price-point of the food is accessible and everything on the menu is, you know, actually cooked on-site from real ingredients. This is strangely hard to find in most vegan fast casual restaurants so it’s a huge step forward in a city with no shortage of vegan spots. I know most of you don’t live in LA but I wanted to tell you guys about how I know the wonderful sisters who run the shop, Heather and Jenny.

not a recent photo but too cute not to post

As many of you know, I was a cashier at Whole Foods (pre-Amazon) for almost a decade. I met all kinds of amazing and horrible people at the check stand over the years. How people treat service and retail workers says a lot about their character and I have never forgotten the big-names in food, wellness, and veganism that treated me and my coworkers like shit. In a sea of assholes, Heather and Jenny were a bright spot. They ran a cooking school in nearby West Hollywood, so they came in all the time buying ingredients for their classes. They were bubbly and sweet to every single person in that store, every single time. It didn’t take me long to notice that all the stuff they bought was vegan so I started chatting with them. I had only been in LA for a year and outside of my coworkers and immediate neighbors, I knew no one. I asked them about places to eat, ingredients they liked, whatever I could fit into the couple minutes we spent together as I would ring up their order. They were so kind to me in a time when I really needed it and they were absolutely just being themselves. No agenda, no performative grace, just truly decent and empathic people.

adorable, inside and out

A couple years later, I had quit Whole Foods and my first cookbook was about to come out. The publisher asked Matt and I to compile a list of people in the cooking and vegan space to invite to our little launch party for the Eat Like You Give A Fuck. We didn’t know anyone. Neither of us had connections with people who worked in food and I spent days trying to think up people to invite outside of my small circle of friends. Then I remembered Heather and Jenny. I sent them an invite without really explaining who I was and I crossed my fingers. They showed up all smiles and sunshine the night of the event and remembered me immediately. I couldn’t believe it. Since that night, we’ve grabbed countless drinks and dinners, I’ve cooked alongside them at their school, met their families, watched them become mothers, and so much more. To say I look up to them is an understatement. Every piece of advice they’ve given me I hold so close to my heart. The world would be a much better place if we were all a little more like Heather and Jenny. It’s that simple.

In celebration of them opening their wonderful new restaurant, here is a recipe from their first cookbook, Spork-Fed, for Vanilla Birthday Cake with Buttercream Frosting and extra sprinkles. Make it for someone you love or someone you admire, even if that’s just yourself. I’m sure you deserve it.

Vanilla Birthday Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Serves 6-8

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons egg replacer, dry

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk

1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup neutral tasting oil

1 cup evaporated cane sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons naturally dyed sprinkles

Buttercream Frosting

1/3 cup non-dairy butter

4-4 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

2 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Warm up the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, egg replacer, and sea salt. Whisk until uniform.

Pour the apple cider vinegar into the milk and set it aside for a few minutes. When the milk has slightly curdled, grab a separate bowl and whisk together the milk mixture, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract and then slowly incorporate this into the dry ingredients. Mix batter until uniform, but do not overmix.

Pour batter into two greased 9-inch round baking dishes. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Let the cake rounds cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, leave the non-dairy butter on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften before using. To whip, place butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt, and milk in a mixing bowl and whisk by hand or in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment.  

To assemble, place the first cake round on a large surface that rotates, or on a cake plate. Spread an even ¼-inch layer of frosting on the cake round, using a flat spatula. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes for the best consistency. Place the second cake round on top of the first and frost the entire cake from the top down. Scatter sprinkles over the top and enjoy!