Decadent chocolate & raspberry cake

Recipes for #Veganuary2021 continue! This glorious chocolate cake recipe was taken from Virtually Vegan by Heather Whinney.

The best bit about this cake is that you can lick the spoon knowing there is no raw egg involved. Don’t expect the same rise you would get for a cake with eggs – but it will still look the part once sandwiched together and piled with chocolate frosting.

Taken from Virtually Vegan by Heather Whinney

Serves 8 | Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins

Ingredients

85g/3oz/scant ⅓ cup dairy-free spread
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
300g/10½ oz/2½ cups self-raising/self-rising flour
2 tbsp dairy-free cocoa/unsweetened chocolate powder, at least 70% cocoa, plus extra for dusting
100g/3½ oz/½ cup golden caster/superfine sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
½ vanilla pod, seeds only
300g/10½ oz fresh raspberries, roughly chopped, leave some whole for topping

FOR THE TOPPING:

200g/7oz dairy-free dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
80g/3oz dairy-free spread
2 tbsp almond milk or dairy-free milk of your choice
6–8 tbsp icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted plus a dusting for decoration if you wish

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and base-line two 20cm/8in cake pans with parchment paper.

2 Put the dairy-free spread in the bowl of a food mixer, add the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and 300ml/10½fl oz/1¼ cups of boiling water. Mix slowly until the spread has melted and everything is combined.

3 In another bowl, put the flour, cocoa, sugar, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda and the vanilla seeds and stir. Add this to the wet mixture and beat on slow until you have a smooth batter.

4 Divide the mixture between the pans, smooth the top and bake for about 20–30 minutes (check after 20 minutes), or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.

5 Leave the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6  To make the frosting, put the chocolate and dairy- free spread in a heatproof bowl. Sit it over a pan of just simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little, then stir in the milk and slowly add the icing/confectioners’ sugar, beating as you go, until it begins to thicken and become glossy. Put in the refrigerator to set.

7 To assemble the cake, remove the frosting from the refrigerator and beat until glossy. Spread generously over one of the sponges, top with most of the raspberries then top with the other sponge and cover with the remaining frosting, and use a knife to neaten. Top with the remaining raspberries and a dusting of icing/confectioners’ sugar or cocoa, if using.

We’re almost halfway through January, plus it’s Thursday, it’s time for a little chocolate flavoured indulgence. Don’t forget to tag us, @NourishBooks, if you give any of our recipes a try!