In my opinion, chocolates cakes have fared the best when morphing into vegan cakes. It is often very difficult to even tell the difference as the taste and texture is almost identical. This recipe gives you a deeply dark and moist cake that will rival any great chocolate cake.
The added benefit is the ease in which the cake is made – 2 bowls and a whisk. This cake can be made into one large cake or 2 x 20 cm round cakes. That simple!
This is quite a dark chocolate cake courtesy of the high cocoa content and the coffee. The smooth buttercream provides the perfect topping for the darkness of the cake.
Ingredients for Cake
- 1/2 c canola oil
- 390 g sugar
- 284 g cake flour
- 75 g sifted cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy, coconut, almond)
- 1 c brewed, unsweetened, black coffee at room temperature (can also use water)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 TB apple cider vinegar
Method to make Cake
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- Grease a 23 cm square pan and line with baking paper so that there is overhang, to create a handle to lift cake out of baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl measure out cake flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar and cocoa powder and lightly whisk to combine.
- In another bowl or large measuring jug add oil, coffee, non-dairy milk, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk till mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Turn mixture into baking pan and lightly tap pan a few times on a hard surface to dispel air bubbles.
- Bake for 35 – 45 minutes till cake is firm to the touch, well risen and coming away from the sides of the pan.
- Leave cake in pan to cool for about 15 – 20 minutes before lifting out of pan using both ends of the baking paper.
- Leave to completely cool before frosting the surface of the cake.
Chocolate Buttercream
- 200 g Vegan Flora
- 2 c sifted icing sugar
- 1/4 c sifted cocoa powder
- 1 TB instant coffee granules
- 2 -4 TB boiling water
- Mix coffee granules with boiling water into a thick mixture and cool to room temperature.
- Beat vegan margarine with an electric beater till light and fluffy.
- Add sifted icing sugar and cocoa in 2 batches and beat well with each addition.
- Add 1 TB of cooled coffee mixture and beat well.
- Add a thick layer of frosting onto cool cake or pipe rosettes using a piping bag and a large star tip.
- Cut into squares.
