Cake News

Austin chef launches cottage bakery devoted to vegan olive oil cake

Hooniecakes centers on a Mediterranean tradition.

Photo courtesy of Hooniecakes

An Austin chef has launched a cottage bakery and now it's vegan cakes for everyone. Called Hooniecakes, the enterprise is by chef Hannah Nichols, who founded it as a side project in July.

Austin has plenty of vegan baked goods, but Nichols has created a unique niche by specializing in olive oil cake, a recipe whose origins are said to date back centuries in Mediterranean countries.

More recently, olive oil cake has become a foodie trend, found on menus of upscale restaurants such as Flower Child and Tillie's in Dripping Springs.

Nichols is doing three cakes: original lemon, plus two seasonal flavors, currently cherry and green Chartreuse meringue. Following a popular model observed by cottage bakers, she hosts the business on Instagram where customers can place orders by sending her a message. Prices range from $40 to $50 per cake, depending on variety, and are available for delivery in Austin only with a 1- to 3-day turnaround; no shipping for now.

Olive oil cake is revered by bakers and diners alike because of its sophisticated, not-too-sweet take on dessert. Most olive oil cakes, Nichols' included, are served unadorned — no gobs of frosting to distract from the pristine pleasure of the cake on its own.

Nichols began baking olive oil cakes on the side while working as a sous chef at restaurants such as BBQ Tatsu-Ya and Tiki Tatsu-Ya.

"I'd bring them in for family meals and everyone loved them — it was a way to bring happiness," she says. "Eventually I made a vegan version for a friend who's vegan, and found the vegan version was actually better than the non-vegan."

Conventional bakers rely on butter, cream, and eggs for making pastries and desserts, but one thing that vegan bakers have found is that those ingredients are not required to make a great vegan treat — especially vegan cake. Despite the lack of dairy or egg, vegan cakes often have a nicer, springier texture than non-vegan cakes.

Nichols uses favorite vegan tricks like applesauce in place of eggs; the olive oil replaces the dairy. Her cakes are 9-inch rounds, about 2 to 3 inches high, with the trademark subtle fruity flavor that olive oil cakes have, as well as a moister "crumb" that gives the cake a longer shelf life. You can have one sitting around for a few days and, unlike regular cake, it won't dry out.

One thing her cakes are not is gluten-free; her recipe relies on the inclusion of flour.

"You do get gluten-free requests, but my operation is so small that I'm staying focused on one niche for now," she says.

That niche: a simple, sophisticated cake that appeals to people who don't like icing and also happens to be vegan.

"I wanted to make a cake that is great for any occasion," she says. "It's not a birthday cake — it's a cake that can be enjoyed casually any time of the day."

chefs vegan desserts

Out to Pasture

New hotel and restaurant open at historic Austin 'pastures'

Photo by Casey Dunn

Henry's gives a chic, updated look to an old property.

Mattie's at Green Pastures, a Southern restaurant on a historic property with famous peacocks, already felt like a retreat from the more urban parts of Austin. Now the property at 811 W. Live Oak St. has reached its hospitality potential with the addition of the Inn at Green Pastures, with 63 new guest rooms, a private pool, a lounge, a bar, and even a whole new restaurant called Henry's. Room reservations will open Friday, December 12.

The Green Pastures property in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood used to cover 50 rural acres, but now it's down to seven — still a healthy size considering its always-changing surroundings. The pièce de résistance is a 120-year-old Victorian farmhouse that was built by local minister and physician Dr. Eugene W. Herndon and later purchased by lawyer Henry Faulk, who moved his family in and ran the surrounding land as a farm.

By 1946, the owner's daughter Mary Faulk Koock and her husband, Chester Koock, turned the home into a restaurant — the first racially integrated restaurant in Austin, according to Green Pastures — and more family members stewarded the property until it was sold by a local investment group of more than 100 members in 2015. The restaurant became Mattie's in 2017.

The biggest news for Austinites is the new restaurant, which will be open day-to-night for morning coffee service, snacks, full meals, and cocktails. For now, it's just open from 4-11 pm, and will open in its full capacity starting December 12.

Foodies can still get the famous mini-biscuits from Mattie's, plus hot smoked salmon on a bagel, a hotdog with relish, a burger using beef from Grassfield Farm in Hondo (about 50 miles west of San Antonio), and grilled redfish with German potato salad. These dishes will be served in the restaurant as well as to guests in their rooms. Small plates like charcuterie boards and oysters will be available at the pool.

Henry's at Green Pastures hotdog Not everything at Green Pastures is fancy.Photo by Jessica Stephens

Cocktails aren't relegated to the nighttime hours. Guests can order a breakfast martini with gin, red berry liqueur, lemon and strawberry jam; then they can come back at lunch or dinner for a Hugo Spritz or a signature cocktail. Draft cocktails like an Artemis Cup, Back Porch Tea, and Espresso Martini keep things simple and can be served without alcohol.

For travelers and staycationers, the guest rooms and nine suites in the newly constructed, three-story hotel offer a "quiet, restorative retreat," according to a press release. Both room styles show off high ceilings and windows that maximize that height, plus hardwood floors, marble sinks, anddeep bathtubs. The suites are all named after wildlife that might be found on the property, and the building is shaped like an "L" to work around existing live oaks. Even parking is out of the way, hidden underground.

Inn at Green Pastures guest rooms The guest rooms keep things simple and serene.Photo by Casey Dunn

The new structure was designed by the highly regarded local architecture firm Clayton Korte. Its many recognizable projects include other historically sensitive builds, like major renovations just announced in November at Austin's Paramount and State Theatres. On the interior, local design studio Noah Marion is responsible for leather goods around the property including catchall tray, decor, games, apparel, and more that will all be for sale to guests.

Completing the resort feel, a luxury spa is planned for a 2028 opening.

Finally, the property will also be available for events, including weddings, with access to its gardens, event hall at Mattie's, and Green Pastures ballroom. A cottage also provides a space to get ready for the events to come.

Inn at Green Pastures The new addition looks nothing like the Victorian farmhouse it accompanies.Photo by Casey Dunn

“The Inn at Green Pastures is our way of offering guests a deeper connection to this special place,” said Jeff Trigger, chairman of the investor board and president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, in a press release. “Whether you're here for a wedding, a quiet getaway or drinks at Henry’s, we want every stay to feel personal, elevated and rooted in the beauty of Austin.”

Rooms at the Inn at Green Pastures start at $395.

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