vegan devils food cake
THE BEST (VEGAN) CHOCOLATE CAKE II
Slices: 10-12 PIECES
Preperation time: 20 MIN
Cooking time: 30 MIN
Total time: 2 HOURS MAX
INGREDIENTS:
For the cake
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar (raw, granulated or brown are all fine)
- 2 cups (500 mL) boiling hot water
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
For the chocolate buttercream** (see note)
- 1 cup vegan butter (or regular if you’re not vegan)
- 1 and 1/3 cup (130 g) cocoa powder
- 6 cups (725 g) confectioner’s/icing sugar
- 2/3 cup (160 mL) non-dairy milk (or regular if not vegan)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS:
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F.
- Generously butter 2 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper and dust with flour. You can also use a bundt pan (but you’ll need to increase the baking time to an hour or longer), or 9 inch (22/24 cm) cake pans.
- Next, you’ll need to mix all the cake ingredients together. In the video, I mix all the ‘wet’ ingredients (sugar, water, oil, vinegar) then add the dry ingredients (espresso powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, flour). However, I find it’s actually easier to mix all the dry ingredients first and then add the wet ingredients.
- When the batter is smooth, divide it between the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
For the chocolate buttercream: NOTE: if you don’t want to cover the cake in buttercream rosettes, you only need 1/2 of the icing recipe, so make sure to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
- Melt the butter either over a low flame or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 15-30 seconds.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
- Alternate the confectioner’s sugar with the milk, beating well until smooth, an electric mixer makes it easier to beat.
- Taste, and add more salt and vanilla as needed.
Assembling the cake:
- Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan and flip it over to release the cake. Do this with the other pan as well.
- If the cakes formed a dome while baking, use a serrated knife to trim it off.
- Dab a small amount of icing on your cake stand/plate, then place one of the cakes, bottom side up onto the plate.
- Add a generous amount of icing (between 1/2-3/4 cup) on top of the cake, and spread out evenly.
- Place the second cake top-side up, making sure the sides of both cakes match.
- Cover the cake with a thin layer of the icing.
- Spoon the rest into a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tipped nozzle.
- Cover the cake in buttercream rosettes (see video).
The frosted cake stores well for several days at room temperature, and up to 2 weeks if kept in a sealed container and refrigerated. If you want to freeze the cakes, wrap each one well in plastic wrap and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw well before frosting.NOTE: if you don’t want to cover the cake in buttercream rosettes, you only need 1/2 of the icing recipe, so make sure to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.