Rich & Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

It’s recipe week, my dudes! This weekend I got the lovely opportunity to fly home to San Francisco to see my family for a few days and celebrate my dad’s birthday. In lieu of birthday celebrations I’m bringing out my TOP SECRET WEAPON: the best vegan chocolate cake you will ever have. I would not lie to you, guys, this cake has been described by many as: fluffy, moist, decadent, life-changing, and “the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had”. Now that I’ve sufficiently raised your expectations to the point at which you might actually be disappointed no matter how good this cake is, here’s the recipe. Taste the magic.

Disclaimer: This beauteous recipe was conceived by my friend, Jenna Jayasinghe. I just modified it a bit. Her blog is below. ​

Ingredients:
((**=see note below))
For Chocolate Cake:
2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour
2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup neutral oil (I used canola, but you could use coconut, vegetable, etc.)
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water (mix the flax and water and set in the fridge for about 15 minutes or until it gets a sticky, egg like consistency)
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar (mix the milk and vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes before adding into the bowl)
2 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups boiling water

Chocolate coconut cream frosting (premade or homemade--homemade requires 24 hours of chilling coconut milk):
Premade: SoDelicious coconut whipped topping (you can find it here: http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/coconut-milk-frozen-desserts/cocowhip-original)*
Homemade:
Coconut cream (recipe below)
¼ cup cocoa powder
Powdered sugar to taste
 
*Homemade coconut cream: To make your own you’ll need one can of full fat coconut milk (I find that the brand Thai Kitchen works the best). Let it sit in the fridge for a full 24 hours before making the frosting. Once chilled, scoop out the solidified cream on top and leave the water on the bottom of the can alone (use it to make a smoothie or something). Because of this, the frosting needs to stay relatively chilled.


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside
3. Beat the oil, flax egg, almond milk mixture, and vanilla until combined (~1 min)
4. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined (be careful not to over mix)
5. Add in boiling water (batter will be very thin)
6. Spray 3 9-inch pans with nonstick spray and fill with batter evenly. Bake for about 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. Let cool completely before frosting.

Homemade frosting:
`1. Place coconut cream into a chilled mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat for about 2 minutes to expand.
2. Add in cocoa powder and beat until combined
3. Add in powdered sugar to taste (I used about 5 tablespoons)
4. Let chill in the freezer for 15 minutes before frosting the cake

Premade frosting:

1. Scoop coconut whip into a medium mixing bowl
2. Fold in cocoa powder gradually to retain fluffiness of frosting

Jenna’s Blog:
http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/coconut-milk-frozen-desserts/cocowhip-original

Oona Albertson

Junior Foods and Nutrition Major