Kate Mara’s Daughter Just Had a COVID-Themed Vegan Birthday Cake

Actress Kate Mara just shared a photo of her daughter’s first, and very vegan, birthday cake to Instagram. And it’s just the thing to put a smile on your face. (And may possibly make you reach for a snack.)

The Strawberry Shortcake themed gluten-free and vegan cake was made by local Los Angeles bakery, Just What I Kneaded for Mara and husband Jamie Bell's daughter. And in keeping up on her current events, Ms. Shortcake is featured sporting a COVID-approved face mask.

Just What I Kneaded opened in Los Angeles’s east side last year. The bakery, co-founded by baker Justine Hernandez, raised $30,000 on Kickstarter.

“I love animals, I love our planet, and I wanted to put a purpose into my food,” Hernandez told The Eastsider LA last year. She went vegan in 2016, shortly after the presidential election. “I wanted to make an impact and knew as a baker I would be using a ton of animal resources like eggs, milk, and butter if I went the traditional route. I love ‘regular’ pastries and would never argue that butter isn’t delicious, but I felt there was room for something different, something that made me feel good about taking our environment into consideration.”

Vegan Baked Goods In Los Angeles

There are plenty of vegan options in Los Angeles when it comes to baked goods. Erin McKenna’s gluten-free and vegan bakery, trendy Highland Park vegan donut shop Donut Friend, and the Ridiculous Baking Company, known for its flaky vegan croissants, are all delivering during lockdown. Restaurants including Flore Vegan, Crossroads Kitchen, and Sage Vegan Bistro all also offer vegan baked goods in addition to their regular menus.

Mara, like her sister, actress Rooney Mara, is an outspoken advocate for animal rights issues and the benefits of a vegan diet.

On Mother’s Day, Mara shared a picture of a cow and her calf to Instagram. “I don’t make milk because I’m a cow,” it reads. “I make milk because I’m a mom.”