For my birthday this year, my sister-in-law Aimee made me a vegan chocolate cake. I am not vegan, but we do keep kosher in our home; since we were eating “fleishik” (meat), and we don’t mix milk with meat, she kept the cake dairy-free. To say this cake tasted better than ANY all-butter chocolate cake would be an understatement. So delicious was this cake, that I kept it in the fridge to photograph the next morning when the lighting was optimal. I am insisting you move this recipe to the head of the chocolate cake line because it is da bomb! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil OR melted coconut oil
- 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Ingredients for Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup of cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups of Earth Balance vegan butter, softened baking sticks
- 4-5 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
Directions For Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fareignheight and grease two 9-inch cake pans. I also line them with parchment rounds and lightly flour for easy removal of the cakes later.
- Measure 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk and add the tablespoon of vinegar to it. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Now add the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and almond milk/vinegar mixture. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) until well combined.
- Lower the speed and carefully pour in the boiling water, continuing to mix into the cake batter until combined. The batter will seem very runny at this point; that is how it should be, trust me!
- Divide the batter evenly between your cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After 10 minutes of cooling in the pan, carefully remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.
Directions For Buttercream Frosting:
- Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl (I just wipe out the cake bowl and use it for the frosting). Whisk well to remove any clumps.
- Add the softened vegan butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamed and well combined.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk, and mix until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix starting on low, and turn to high. Mix until fluffy and combined.
- If the frosting seems too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time. If the frosting seems too wet and doesn’t hold its shape, add more powdered sugar until it thickens up.
- Frost the cake using an icing spatula or just a butter knife.
