Vegan Recipes

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Contributor: Dr. Rashmi Chadha

From the Jessica in the Kitchen website

Dr. Chadha made this recipe for her daughter's 18th birthday and says it was delicious!

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Ingredients

Cake:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup soy milk or other vegan milk (240 mL)

2 cups sugar (400 g)

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60 g)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil (100 g + 2 teaspoons)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water + 1 tbsp instant coffee mixed in until dissolved (243 mL) – stir these together right before you need it so it's still hot

Frosting:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (80 g)

½ cup unsalted vegan butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

2½  to 3 cups powdered sugar (390 g for 3 cups)

⅓ cup vegan milk + 1 tablespoon extra if needed

Method

For the cake:

  • Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C.
  • Make vegan “buttermilk.” In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar and soy milk. Set aside while you work on the next step of the recipe; the mixture will thicken and curdle during this time.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add the wet ingredients. Add the buttermilk mixture, oil, vanilla extract, and the brewed instant coffee. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Divide the batter into the cake pans and bake for 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 30 to 60 minutes, then carefully turn the cakes out onto the racks to finish cooling.

For the frosting:

  • Combine the ingredients. Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt, and half the vegan milk to the bowl of a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
  • Begin mixing on low speed, then gradually increase the speed until the frosting is thick and smooth. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency; you can also add the rest of the milk for a thinner frosting.

Assemble:

  • Frost the first layer. Place one of the cooled cakes on a platter, lazy Susan, or cake stand and spread half of the frosting over the top and sides.
  • Add the second layer. Carefully set the other cake upside down onto the first cake layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, blending the upper and lower layers as you go.
  • Garnish and serve. Decorate with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder, then slice and enjoy.