This rich chocolate cake is totally vegan and great for special occasions, like Christmas.
I’m not keen on super-sweet food so I’m giving you my reduced sugar version, but I have included the maximum amount of sugar and chocolate you can add if you prefer a much sweeter taste. I used the chocolate cream on the inside and the outside the cake, but when in I may just use plain cream inside and the chocolate cream on the outside, just to give a contrast of flavours.
Ingredients –
- 1 1/2 cups flour (I used organic spelt flour)
- 1 cup sugar (maximum 1 1/2 cups) (I used organic coconut sugar)
- 1/2 cup cacao (not cocoa) powder
- 1 tsp bicarb of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup oat milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used organic olive oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water (or coffee – I added 1tsp of coffee to the water)
For topping and filling – - Up to half a jar of black cherry jam
- 1/2 cup dark vegan chocolate (maximum 1 cup)
- 1 pot 220ml whippable vegan cream ( I used Coconut Collab Double)
- (You can add up to 1/4 cup of icing sugar if you like your topping extra sweet. I chose not to add any sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Method – - Preheat oven to 175 degrees (165 degrees for fan oven)
- Grease and line two 9″ cake tins
- Whisk flour, sugar, cacao, bicarb and baking powder in a bowl
- In another bowl mix oat milk, oil, cider vinegar and vanilla
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir as minimally as possible until combined (the vinegar and bicarb create pockets of gas which will help the cake rise, and you don’t want to beat these out)
- Slowly add hot water (or coffee)
- The batter will be thin and runny
- Divide equally into the two tins
- Bake 25 – 35 mins in centre of oven until the skewer test is clean
- Let the cakes cool in the tins for 10 – 20 mins then remove to a rack
Topping and filling – - Melt the chocolate in a bain marie
- In a separate bowl, whisk up the cream
- (Add icing sugar if desired)
- Mix together cream and chocolate and vanilla
- Leave to cool very slightly to thicken
Assembly – - When the cakes are cooled completely, place one on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of the cherry jam on top.
- Top the jam with a layer of the chocolate cream
- Place the second cake on top and top the cake with the remaining chocolate cream.
- Dust with cacao powder or grated chocolate if desired
- Place in the fridge and leave 30 mins to set
- This cake is best kept in the fridge
Enjoy!
