Chocolate Cake with Gooey Ganache
A nice vegan chocolate cake recipe from Isa that I adjusted slightly -- by doubling it (because her recipe makes just one 8" round), making it in a square pan (easier!) and poking holes all over the top of the cooling cake so that the ganache will drip into it throughout.
Ingredients
2 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp vinegar (apple cider or white balsamic)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
Dry mix:
2 cups flour (I use white whole wheat)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Ganache:
1 1/3 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk
16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (we prefer 60% TJ Chocolate Chunks)
Note: YUMMY with 10 oz chocolate chunks + 4 oz 100% Montezuma's Absolute Black!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the almond milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use your fingers to break up any dry chunks (this helps in next step - less stirring, better rising).
Add wet and dry ingredients and stir until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).
Lightly grease cake pan (1 rectangular or 2 round). Pour in the batter and bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.
If you're gonna pour ganache over, using a toothpick or steel straw, make 20-30 holes in the top of the cake while it's warm. The ganache will drip down into the holes and make the cake deliciously gooey. (Alternately, you can let the ganache cool and use a knife to put it on more like regular frosting.)
Make the ganache!
In a saucepan, head the milk to a boil. Add chocolate and stir .Turn heat off and mix until thoroughly melted.
(Note: I cut out the maple syrup addition, but even with just semi-sweet chocolate it's a bit too sweet; you can use some 100% chocolate if you have it; see note above.)
Let cool for about 15 minutes before using if you want to pour it on and not have it all flow to the side. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake slowly so it sinks into the holes. Refrigerate to cool and set the ganache.
Alternately, you can cool the ganache completely and spread it on later with a knife for a different (more usual) cake frosting consistency.
Photo: For Judi's 50th in 2019 :)
Got compliments! Some tips:
- I used a steel straw to make holes
- I reduced the frosting amount a bit (1 C almond milk, 10 oz choc chunks).
- Sometimes dry mix has clumps. I broke down any clumps (with my hands) before mixing in wet mix.
Ingredients2 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp vinegar (apple cider or white balsamic)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
Dry mix:
2 cups flour (I use white whole wheat)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Ganache:
1 1/3 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk
16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (we prefer 60% TJ Chocolate Chunks)
Note: YUMMY with 10 oz chocolate chunks + 4 oz 100% Montezuma's Absolute Black!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the almond milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract and mix well.In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use your fingers to break up any dry chunks (this helps in next step - less stirring, better rising).
Add wet and dry ingredients and stir until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).
Lightly grease cake pan (1 rectangular or 2 round). Pour in the batter and bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.
If you're gonna pour ganache over, using a toothpick or steel straw, make 20-30 holes in the top of the cake while it's warm. The ganache will drip down into the holes and make the cake deliciously gooey. (Alternately, you can let the ganache cool and use a knife to put it on more like regular frosting.)
Make the ganache!
In a saucepan, head the milk to a boil. Add chocolate and stir .Turn heat off and mix until thoroughly melted.
(Note: I cut out the maple syrup addition, but even with just semi-sweet chocolate it's a bit too sweet; you can use some 100% chocolate if you have it; see note above.)
Let cool for about 15 minutes before using if you want to pour it on and not have it all flow to the side. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake slowly so it sinks into the holes. Refrigerate to cool and set the ganache.
Alternately, you can cool the ganache completely and spread it on later with a knife for a different (more usual) cake frosting consistency.
Photo: For Judi's 50th in 2019 :)
Got compliments! Some tips:
- I used a steel straw to make holes
- I reduced the frosting amount a bit (1 C almond milk, 10 oz choc chunks).
- Sometimes dry mix has clumps. I broke down any clumps (with my hands) before mixing in wet mix.
