The Best Chocolate Cake…Seriously
This has been my go-to recipe for many years for chocolate cake and I am not sure why I haven’t posted it before! I was given a similar version when my youngest son was diagnosed with an egg allergy and I have made some tweaks and additions since we started eating plant-based. My eldest son just turned 10 and a double-digit birthday is a BIG DEAL! Whilst we weren’t able to celebrate with friends and family as we would have liked, due to social distancing around the world right now, we still tried to make the day super special for him. Of course, that meant the best chocolate cake was requested by the birthday boy. He wanted cupcakes so that we could ice them with different designs and that is just what we did. I will say though that this cake is so delicious and moist that you really don’t even need icing!
This could be made with eggs and butter (notes on this in the recipe) but I promise you that even non-plant based eaters will love this one.
You need to do a few simple steps at the beginning to get it all ready but that really only takes about 10 – 15 minutes. First, you need to make some plant-based buttermilk; which is basically unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice and some apple cider vinegar stirred in. Put that aside and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, make an egg replacer with applesauce and baking powder; stir that together and let sit. Bonus is the applesauce makes the cake so moist! Third, mix cocoa with boiling water and coffee to dissolve and set aside.
Whilst those ingredients are hanging out beat the plant-based butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Earth Balance is my brand of choice for vegan butter but you can use whatever one you fancy. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
By now the buttermilk will be ready so combine that with the dissolved cocoa. It is time to get the batter mixed up. Alternate beating the dry ingredients and the cocoa mixture into the bowl with the butter and sugar. Once it is combined pour it into lightly greased and floured baking pans or into cupcake liners/pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre. Let cool completely before removing from the pans. You can ice with your favourite icing recipe or just eat it plain…it really is that good that you don’t need the icing.
I am sure this will quickly become your go-to chocolate cake recipe too!
Enjoy!
Vegan Chocolate Cake – The best…seriously
Ingredients
Plant-based Buttermilk
- 1 Cup Plant-based Milk unsweetened
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Egg Replacer
- 1 Cup Applesauce unsweetened
- 4 tsp Baking Powder
Cocoa Mixture
- 1/2 Cup Boiling Water
- 1/4 Cup Brewed Coffee
- 3/4 Cup 100% Cocoa Powder unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
Butter/Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Plant-based Butter softened
- 2 Cups Brown Sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Cups Flour all-purpose
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans, 24 cupcake tins or use cupcake liners
Plant-Based Buttermilk
- Combine your choice of plant-based unsweetened milk and the apple cider vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes
Egg Replacer
- Combine applesauce and baking powder and set aside
Cocoa Mixture
- Combine the cocoa powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and coffee and stir to dissolve
- Once the plant-based buttermilk is ready, add this and the vanilla to the cocoa mixture.
Dry Ingredients
- Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl
Cake Batter
- Beat the sugar and the butter together with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the applesauce egg replacer to the butter mixture and mix well to combine
- Alternate mixing the dry ingredients and the cocoa mixture into the butter mixture.
- Pour into prepared pans
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan
- Ice with icing of your choice or eat as is
Notes
- Almond or Soy milk works well for the “buttermilk”
- If you are making cakes instead of cupcakes it may take a little longer to cook. Start checking after 25 minutes as ovens vary
- Eggless cakes can be a bit fragile so be careful removing from pans and let cool completely before doing so.
- You can replace the applesauce “egg” with 4 regular eggs and use regular unsalted butter for a non-plant-based version
Banana Bread
