I am planning for my daughter's third birthday party. I have never considered myself to be much of a baker, but since infancy my daughter has had a severe milk protein allergy, which prevents us from the convience of purchased cakes. I have experiemented with a few recipes substituting soy milk for milk and margarine for butter. I have also been reading up on the buttercream frosting recipes. Does anyone have suggestions for cake and frosting recipes that are moist?

I have a recipe for a chocolate cake that is milk and egg free that I used recently for my niece. It tastes pretty good. It is both milk and egg free, so I am not sure that it is what you are looking for, but I will be glad to share it with you.

I use a "one-bowl" cake that gets rave reviews for its taste and moistness. It is milk-free and calls for eggs. Please private message me if you would like a copy of it.

For the icing, would the Wilton buttercream icing work? It calls for Crisco, icing sugar, water, vanilla and meringue powder? If you need a copy of the recipe, please private message me.

All these are milk-free and egg-free.

CHOCOLATE CRAZY/WACKY CAKE - no eggs, no milk
3 c Flour
2 c Sugar
1/3 c Cocoa
1 ts Salt
2 ts Baking soda
2 tb Vinegar
2 ts Vanilla
3/4 c Oil
2 cups cold water
Sift all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix liquid ingredients in large jug. Pour over all and mix well. Do not beat! Pour into a greased and floured 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Stand 5-10 mins. Gently remove - cake may be a little fragile when hot - firms up as cools. Also try cupcakes, cutout cake, double-layer cake, etc.

VEGAN PASTRY CREAM - no eggs, no milk
1/2 cup flour
2 cups soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice, divided
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 t. grated lemon zest
1/2 t. vanilla
In a small bowl, place the flour and whisk in 1/2 cups soy milk, and set aside. In a small saucepan, place the remaining soy milk, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients and whisk well to combine. Cook the mixture over medium heat, while whisking constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened. Add the remaining ingredients, whisk well to combine, and cook the mixture an additional 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a glass bowl. Place a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Place the pastry cream in the refrigerator for several hours to cool completely. Use as a filling for pies, tarts, pastries, or phyllo dough, or as a topping for desserts. Yield: 2 Cups

BUTTERCREAM - no milk products
1 1/2 cup crisco* [up to 2c]
2 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1/4 cup very hot water [up to 1/3]
1 1/2 ts butter flavoring
1 1/2 ts vanilla flavoring
1/2 ts almond flavoring
1 teaspoon fine popcorn salt [recommended but optional]
* Vegan margarine may be substituted for part of the vegetable shortening.
Mix the salt and flavorings to warm water and stir to dissolve salt. Blend the cornstarch and crisco [vegetable shortening] until smooth. Add sugar and the liquid to the creamed mixture. Beat to a smooth and creamy texture. Add more sugar depending on the weather. Adjust vanilla and water as you choose.
Notes:
1. Allow to sit about 15 minutes before using. This allows the cornstarch to absorb fully - the icing will firm up while standing - use corn syrup to thin before using.
2. Salt and cornstarch reduces the cloying sweetness.