Vegan Chocolate Cake

This is a fantastic fudgy chocolate cake. Don’t take too big of a piece as it’s very filling! 

Yields: 1 8” cake (12 slices)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda 
• ½ tsp fine sea salt 
• 1 ½ tsp instant coffee 
• ¾ cup cocoa powder 
• 1 cup + 3 tbsp soft dark brown sugar  
• 1 ½ cups hot water 
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil 
• 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar  
• For the Icing: 
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp coconut butter (this is not the same as oil) 
• ¼ cup soft dark brown sugar 
• 1 ½ tsp instant coffee 
• 1 ½ tbsp cocoa powder 
• ¾ cup Camino Dark Baking Chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 

For the Garnish:

• 1 tbsp pistachios, chopped  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Spray the sides of an 8” spring form pan or round cake tin with pan spray, then line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment.  
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, instant coffee and cocoa powder in a bowl and use a fork to mix.
4. In a second bowl, mix together the sugar, hot water, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar until the coconut oil has melted. Stir into the dry ingredients.  
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes.  You will know it’s ready when the cake is coming away from the edges of the tin slightly and a toothpick inserted will come out clean.  
6. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the cake cool in its tin. Once completely cooled, remove from the tin to a serving dish. 

Icing Method: 

1. For the icing, put all the icing ingredients, except the chopped chocolate, into a heavy-based saucepan and add 4 tablespoons cold water. Bring to a boil. Once everything is dissolved, turn off the heat.  
2. Add the finely chopped chocolate and swirl the pan so that the chocolate is all covered and allow to sit for one minute.  Whisk until you have a dark glossy icing, and leave to cool until runny enough to cover the cake, but thick enough to stay (mostly) on the top. 
3. Pour over the cake and use a spatula to ease the icing to the edges.  
4. Decorate with chopped pistachios while the icing is still slightly warm.  
5. Leave to stand for 30 minutes for the icing to set before slicing the cake.