Monday, December 20, 2010

Best Ever Vegan Chocolate Cake!

vegan chocolate cake 10

Oh Dearies!

I am exhausted after being with my mother this last week and taking care of her & my Cauldron Boy who seems to be increasingly more demanding lately (smile). He is also very sweet lately though, and was extremely so when he saw that in all my exhaustion I still made him this chocolate cake. Indeed, he was delighted to see it waiting for him through the window of our hollow...

That being said, I have a question for all of you lovelies (especially you omnivores and avid carnivores out there):

Are you delighted at the idea of a Vegan Chocolate Cake?

I'd love to know your true thoughts on this and whether you have had vegan baked goods before. What you think of them or imagine them as & all of that jazz!

Thoughts and ideas aside though, I want all of you to know that this cake is the best chocolate cake I have ever made-hands down! And that is coming from someone who uses organic eggs, cream, and butter somewhat regularly. I have no prejudice against organic dairy products. They are lovely. However, this cake is a vegan masterpiece that I hope all of you will try whether you are a vegan or an avid carnivore, as it is just easy, utterly moist, and delicious.


The cake itself also reminds me of something wonderful from my childhood, but I can't quite figure that one out. Maybe an improved and organic hostess cupcake? Though it might be something more special and delicious than that. Like I said, I can't quite figure out what this nostalgic treat is doing to my taste buds in reference to my memory and years past.

I hope you try it though this holiday season or some time soon while the mystical world of memory taunts me...;-)


-Best Ever Vegan Chocolate Cake-

1 1/4 Cups Arrowhead Mills Organic A.P. Flour
3/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar
1/4 Cup Organic Cocoa Powder
1/8 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Vegan Yogurt*
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 Cup Almond Milk
3/4 Tsp. Real Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
*I used Wildwood Organic Vegan Yogurt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a square 8 by 8 inch baking dish with Pam.

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, & salt thoroughly. Create a well and place the milk, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and vinegar in it. Gently mix till the batter is homogeneous. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clean...

Allow to cool before adding frosting and decorations.


-Quick Chocolate Frosting-

1 Cup of Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp. Organic Cocoa
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
4 Tbsp. Almond Milk

In a bowl, place the sugar and cocoa and mix thoroughly. Add the milk and oil & stir with a fork till smooth. Pour over cooled cake (I turn the cake upside down and pour it over the side that was not exposed to air, but this is up to you!). Garnish with crushed peppermint, nuts or whatever you like.

Enjoy!

See how moist!?


















p.s. I have to thank my Bonnie over at Sweet Life for inspiring this post through her lovely chocolate cupcakes with Peppermint cream cheese frosting!
p.s.s. I will climb back up on that no sugar bandwagon after the holidays (smile). Yeah...

45 comments:

  1. Greetings to my Witchy friend.
    wonderful photo of your cake. I had never heard of vegan cake, but is does look so moist and chocolatey..how can it not be good? In the new year I would love to try some of your vegan recipes; they all sound very appetizing and healthy; thank you for sharing; this foodie is always wanting to try something new.
    Rita

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  2. Hi, Stella!
    I've noticed that using vegetable oil gives cakes a moistness that butter-made cakes sometimes lack. And, having once been a vegetarian, I have had the pleasure of enjoying meat, and dairy-free goodies. I think people would be surprised by how delicious vegan food can be!

    As for this cake, there are no words that can justify how spectacular it looks. Your brown sugar pineapple cake was mind-blowing, so I can only imagine how this chocolate sensation must taste.

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  3. that looks very yummy i have never tried vegan chocolate cake, this may sway me to give it a go! it looks amazing.

    Zoe

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  4. YUM! i have a super simple vegan cake recipe from the garden of vegan cookbook that i usually turn to, whenever i need a chocolate cake... but this might take its place!

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  5. Stella, this is gorgeous. I love the glaze you put over it! Sigh, now I need to find a wheat free version...

    Happy holidays to you!

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  6. Oh Stella, this cake DOES look like the best ever vegan chocolate cake! Just look at all that moist chocolatey goodness...mmmm. You know I don't eat much meat, but do have my cravings. I've never had a vegan cake before, but I know I would have no problems devouring one. To be honest, looking at your ingredients makes me believe that this cake would no doubt taste better than a non vegan cake. You've used top notch ingredients here, Stella. No matter how demanding one gets, I'm sure they wouldn't be able to refuse this cake. That's so sweet of you to make this for Cauldron Boy in all your exhaustion, now that's love (smile). I'll bet his eyes widened and paces picked up in speed upon seeing this lovely through his window. You two are lucky to have each other. When my hubby gets too demanding, forget cake, I go on strike (wink).

    I'll be taking a bit of a blogging break, but will still be dropping by to stalk you. So I hope you and Cauldron Boy have a happy holiday and a very merry Christmas, Stella! Big hugs!

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  7. Hello Dearie Stella!
    I am absolutely delighted with your vegan CHOCOLATE cake: it looks so moist and delicious! I would love to try it soon :-)
    I bake vegan and/or gluten-free goodies every now and then, because I feel it is a great way to enjoy sweets which are a little healthier and much lighter than the normal egg-sugar-butter-wheat combination... However, if I had some good surprises, I also baked some not-so-appetizing vegan cakes (latest one was made with chickpea flour and it was approaching the consistency of a stone...) The main problem is to get the right texture, that can only be obtained with (organic) butter-eggs-sugar and the chemical reaction of these 3 together...
    :-)
    Wishing you a great start of the week!

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  8. Stella my honest to goodness answer is that yes I am very excited about vegan chocolate cake! It's funny how turned off people get when they hear the word vegan. Once I made my husband vegan brownies but didn't tell him they were vegan - he gobbled a bunch of them right up. But after I told him that they were vegan he didn't eat any more. Weird!

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  9. Gosh..the chocolate cake looks so darn moist and sinfully decadent!

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  10. Hi Stella!
    I had never heard of vegan cake... but it looks so moist and delicious.
    Now, I'm very interested in vegan cakes... it looks more moist than the traditional... it's a beautiful cake!

    Wishing a great week and a Merry Christmas day!

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  11. The cake looks moist and soft! I want some for Christmas, I wish.

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  12. I'm not much of a cake fan, vegan or otherwise--but I must admit that yours looks pretty good! I would gladly try it!

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  13. I get very excited about chocolate cake.... these look wonderful. I must have, must, must, must :)

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  14. Your chocolate cake looks moist and rich, so 'masterpiece' is probably an accurate description! I don't really care if it is vegan, and when I make it, I'll probably use non-vegan yoghurt. Thanks for the lovely recipe. And hope you have great holiday :)

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  15. I think a vegan desserts are great especially one that looks so moist and gorgeous! I am always on the lookout for eggless recipes :) I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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  16. I love recommending your site for delicious vegan recipes, especially the desserts. Your recipes are outstanding.

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  17. Hi Stella, this looks just wonderful! I'm sure it tastes just as good as a chocolate cake made in the traditional way with butter, eggs etc. I like vegan baked goods and have enjoyed some excellent scones, cookies, cakes etc. over the years. I will have to give this recipe a try. I hope you're relaxing this week:)

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  18. Oh I adore this cake, but then again I ADORE you my witchy friend, so the nodding has worked for you also, how funny I just gave the exact advice to my little sister (my mom has been visiting her for a month!) lol. I can imagine Cauldron Boy's suprise to see this chocolate cake waiting for him, my hubby has also been a handful lately..the holidays drive men mad..lol. Try to rest a bit, with your mom, cauldron boy and work..it catches up. Thanks for the shout out, we must have been on the same wave length as I just made your pecan oat crust today for mini tarts for my new year's post..lol
    take care and have a wonderful holiday!!!

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  19. It looks amazing, so moist and delicious, a wonderful chocolate cake! Happy holidays to you!

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  20. Any chocolate cake is exciting in my book! I think it's tricky though - sometimes people think a vegan recipe is a healthy recipe and that's not necessarily true. Just like some people think "gluten-free" automatically means healthy!

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  21. Stella!! I've missed you! I just got back from Thailand trip and kinda jet lag now. Yes, I was delighted when I read vegan choc cake. It sounds very interesting to me although I'm not a vegan. I'd love to try, tho. I wonder if I can tell the difference between vegan one and non-vegan one.

    I also posted this on my Facebook page!

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  22. From the looks of it, I don't think anyone would be able to tell it was a vegan cake!

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  23. Stella
    if you say its the best chocolate cake you have ever had, I believe you! I have never had any vegan baked goods, basically because I have never had to. With your reccomendation I would certainly try it, and I'm sure after the initial make a face and hold your nose like a little kid, find that it was very tasty. Its better to serve and then say , oh by the by thats a Vegan cake, no butter, no eggs, no dairy.......no way!!!! Who would ever think you could make it that way. I do have to admit the vegan yogurt scares me, I don't even want to know what they're milking to get it.....gasp
    Have a great holiday my friend!
    Dennis

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  24. I am not put off by the idea of a vegan chocolate cake. I've had some really great, moist vegan baked goods before, and when they're done well they rival their non-vegan counterparts. Definitely interested in trying this out (mostly because it looks so moist and chocolatey!)

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  25. Stella, this is a gorgeous cake...and as long as it's organic, tastes good and has chocolate too :)
    I am there...
    Happy Holidays and Happy Solstice :)

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  26. Oh my goodness...this looks and sounds so good! I love that you used red wine vinegar, I will have to try that the next time I make vegan chocolate cake. The candy canes on top are a nice touch :)!

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  27. I may not be vegan, but I ADORE vegan baked goods. The texture is always so light, moist, and airy! Good stuff. THis cake looks wonderful! I will definitely be giving it a try!

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  28. I'm so glad you asked that question. I get stares from omni's when I serve a vegan cake - as if I've put ground dirt in it or something. It always cracks me up, but then I remember - hey, it leaves more for me! ;-) Love this recipe and the pics!

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  29. I have had vegan baked good in the past, and while some have been fabulous, all too often they are very dense and overly sweet. This one however looks light and lovely, I would definitely give it a go! Glad you get to recuperate now!! xoxo

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  30. OMG! Stella! I have never been motivated to copy any vegan sweet recipe until NOW. The last two photos of the cake are incredible as they clearly communicate how richly moist this cake is. YUUUMMM! I laughed at your intro. We are all so tired at this time of year, aren't we. A happy lovey tired.
    Merry, Merry Christmas to you and your family!
    I wish you warmth, love, and happiness!
    BIG hug!
    :)
    Valerie

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  31. Darn it - That looks good Stella - I promised I wouldn't eat any more sweets - but that goes out of the window. Who can resist such chocolate decadence!

    MERRY CHRISTMAS Stella, Cauldron boy & family:)

    Chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

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  32. I am absolutely delighted at the idea of a vegan chocolate cake! Whenever I'm out and about, I often go for the vegan treats at the local cafes. They're just as good and better for you. This is wonderful, Stella. Thank you! xoxoxo

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  33. Stella, this chocolate cake makes me week in the knees! Before reading your post I looked at all of the photos my mouth was immediately watering. To answer your question, as an omnivore I don't care if a cake (or any food) is vegan or not, if it looks good and tastes good that is all that matters. If the food didn't hurt any animals in the making than that is the big red bow on top for me. My husband is more of a carnivore but he will tell you the same thing. Your cake looks moist, chocolaty, soft and oh so delicious! Can I ask you I've noticed on some of your baked recipes that you use red wine vinegar. Why or what does this do for the cake? I'm just curious if it gives a little vinegar taste to the baked goods? Thanks & I hope you have a very Merry Christmas:)

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  34. Yes I am delighted over a vegan chocolate cake. Especially since your ingredients are very simple. I tried vegan cake recipes from babycakes but I could never find evaporated cane juice. Ugh. Happy Holidays Stella!

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  35. Darling, I'm thrilled at the thought of ANY sort of chocolate cake! Yours looks supremely moist and delectable! I will give this a try next time I need a little chocolate. ;)

    Sorry I've been MIA the last week or so, the holidays have taken full control of my life! This is my first time to blog through the Christmas season. Whew!

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  36. I love this vegan cake! It does look so moist and delicious. I haven't done much vegan baking but I'd love to try. I did make eggless pancake batter over the weekend, using flax in place of the eggs. It turned out great! Have a nice Christmas! :)

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  37. I am so reliant on eggs for baking (especially baking low carb) but I would be willing to try this because it looks beautiful. And if you say it's the best choc. cake you've ever had, I will believe you!
    Merry Christmas, Stella!

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  38. Your chocolate cake look so moist, you can't tell is vegan.

    May you and your loved ones be blessed with the essence of Christmas — Love, peace, joy and hope — all your lives through. Have a most wonderful Christmas

    Merry Christmas

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  39. Stella, I really like the look and sound of this cake! Yes, it does look amazingly fudgy and moist!

    Merry Christmas! I hope the New Year brings much joy and prosperity to your family!

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  40. hi stella! thanks for dropping in on my blog! (:
    ...great cake you have there by the way. just like everyone else, it's the fudginess and moistness i love

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  41. I must try this recipe. It reminds me of one big brownie. I love that you added candy canes to the top. Beautifully done!

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  42. Oh my gosh how incredibly moist this cake looks! Delicious!!

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  43. This cake looks amazing. I've never seen such a moist looking vegan cake. It's the yogurt isn't it that makes all the difference?! I am su excited to try this.

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  44. I have read all the comments on this recipe and don't see any from someone who has tried it. I was searching on google for a vegan chocolate cake and found this one. I needed to make one for my vegan aquatic instructor's birthday. I asked my roommate to get what I needed at the store, and being a man, he got all the wrong stuff. I asked for vanilla soy yogurt, he got peach, I asked for almond milk, he got none (I used coconut milk from my pantry) and organic flour, he got white whole wheat flour (which I needed anyway bcuz thats what I bake with) asked for turbinado sugar and he said they didn't have it so I used granulated fruictose which I always have and bake with all the time. I made due with what he brought me and was amazed by the outcome. Most vegan recipes I have tried were heavy, dense, too sweet and sometimes gritty. For all u skeptics out there, this is truly a delicious cake. The birthday girl and all her coworkers loved it and couldn't believe it was vegan. My son who doesn't care for chocolate cake, thought it was great, as did my grandson. These are the changes I made altho I'm sure the original would be just as wonderful, maybe even better. I ground oatmeal in the FP to make oat flour. I combined it with the white whole wheat flour (1/2 & 1/2) I used fruictose, 1/3 c cocoa (actually 2/3 cup bcuz I doubled the recipe. (we like it more chocolaty) coconut milk instead of almond milk, peach yogurt, bcuz thats what the "man" brought me, canola oil, and added 1 tsp almond emulsion. For the glaze, I added 1 more Tbl cocoa and almond emulsion. I doubled the recipe & made it into 18 cupcakes. Baked for 30 minutes. After dipping the cupcakes into the glaze I topped them with toasted almonds. They were fantastic!! Thanx Stella for sharing his awesome recipe.

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Please do comment, Dearies!