John and I were planning our wedding four years ago this month. We gave up sweets to feel better on our wedding day and enjoy the dessert bar and cake more.
It was finally the big day. We were so good that we had not eaten any sweets except for honey and an occasional mint after dinner. You better believe that we ate a lot at the reception. I was in sweet heaven.
As with most honeymoons, we indulged in a lot of sweets. So when we returned to “real life,” we reset our diet. We had to put sweets back on the shelf.
It wasn’t until I attended the wedding of close friends in Portland that I encountered the chocolate cake, which may have changed my life.
I had resigned myself to giving up desserts indefinitely. But when I showed up to this wedding, it was charming, and the food and ambiance were perfect. The music is by a local bluegrass group.
I got my entire table to debate whether this cake was really worth breaking my fast.
We all agreed unanimously to say yes. After one bite, I was unable to comprehend the rich, luxurious chocolate cake. It had so many layers, including mousse, cake, and ganache, that my mind could not understand what my taste buds were experiencing.
This cake can be made in just one bowl and under an hour. Even the buttercream frosting can be made in the same bowl as the cake. Simplicity is the best.
This cake is a healthier alternative to most chocolate cakes and has fewer ingredients.
Applesauce is added to reduce the amount of vegetable or canola oil.
Cane sugar is a good substitute for granulated sweetener
Buttercream (vegan buttercream) is the only “butter” that’s vegan.
What does it taste of? It tastes just like chocolate cake! It’s:
Tender
Fluffy
Chocolaty
Sweets
Moist
Decadent
Frosted generously
The perfect match for a glass of almond milk
You’re probably like me – if you love chocolate cake or any other cake for that matter – then it deserves to have a huge scoop of ice cream next to it. Does it get better than melted ice cream with a thick, heavily-frosted slice of cake?
For the modest cake eaters, a glass or two of almond milk will be enough to wash this vegan chocolate dream down. Enjoy!
Ingredients
CAKE
- Almond Breeze Almond Milk Original Unsweetened HTML0: 1/2 cup
- Use 2 tsp of white or apple vinegar
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or sub-avocado oil)
- Add more almond milk to 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups of unsweetened applesauce
- Two heaping cups of whole-wheat flour pastry or unbleached flour all-purpose (a heaping cup is equivalent to 1 cup plus roughly 2 Tbsp).
- Cane sugar is organic (or substitute granulated sugar).
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- Sugar powder 2 1/2 to 3 cups
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate dairy-free (melted, slightly cooled).
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Almond Breeze Almond Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray lightly 2 8″ round cake pans or one large rectangle pan with nonstick spray. (See notes for cooking time for different sizes of pans. // Adjust number or size if changing batch size). Dust the top with cocoa powder. Shake off any excess and place aside.
- Mix almond milk with vinegar in a large bowl and allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Beat the oil, applesauce, coffee, vanilla, and vanilla extract until foamy. If the coconut oil becomes hard, you can microwave it in increments of 10-15 seconds until it melts.
- If you don’t have a sifter, mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and add them to the wet mixture while beating. If you do not have a mixer, mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to the wet one. Beat until there are no large lumps. It should be pourable and creamy. Add more sugar to taste if needed.
- Divide the batter evenly among your rectangular or cake pans.
- Bake for 25-40 minutes or until toothpicks inserted in the middle come out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- As the cake cools, prepare the frosting by mixing all ingredients until fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly until you achieve your desired sweetness and consistency. Add more almond milk if it gets too thick. Add more cocoa or powdered sweetener if it becomes too thin.
- After the cake has cooled down, add a generous layer of buttercream frosting between the two layers (if you are making a 2-layer dessert). You can also omit frosting and sprinkle cocoa powder instead.
- Serve with a scoop or two of dairy-free vanilla ice cream or with a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. You can also serve it with coconut whipped cream or almond milk.