Plant-based Deep n’ Delicious Chocolate Cake
I made a plant-based (vegan) Deep n’ Delicious chocolate cake for a friend’s birthday last spring, and it was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. Baked in a disposable foil cake pan for easy door dropping and classic Deep n’ Delicious aesthetic, with frosting piped on with a star tip to complete the effect, I’ve baked this several times and it has been devoured each time – it’s wonderful, vegan or not.
The cake itself is wonderfully deep, dense and chocolatey, and though I used a ripe banana, the flavour doesn’t come through – it doesn’t taste like a chocolate-banana cake. You could swap leftover pumpkin puree, but I think most of us probably have a banana or two tucked away in the freezer. Enjoy!
Plant-based Deep n’ Delicious Chocolate Cake
AuthorJulie
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the lemon juice into the milk and let it sit while you mix the rest of the batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, mayonnaise, applesauce and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients along with the milk, and stir just until combined. Add the hot coffee, and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Spray two 8 or 9-inch round or square cake pans or a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray and divide the batter between them (or pour into a 9x13-inch pan). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly domed and the middle of the cakes are springy to the touch. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the frosting, icing sugar, cocoa, 2 Tbsp milk or water and vanilla until smooth and lighter in texture, adding more liquid or sugar as needed to make a spreadable frosting. (If you use unsalted margarine, add a pinch of salt.) Spoon into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe rows of frosting blossoms on top of the cake, or spread it over the top with a knife. Makes 2 smaller single-layer cakes or one 9x13-inch sheet cake.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the lemon juice into the milk and let it sit while you mix the rest of the batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, mayonnaise, applesauce and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients along with the milk, and stir just until combined. Add the hot coffee, and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Spray two 8 or 9-inch round or square cake pans or a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray and divide the batter between them (or pour into a 9x13-inch pan). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly domed and the middle of the cakes are springy to the touch. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the frosting, icing sugar, cocoa, 2 Tbsp milk or water and vanilla until smooth and lighter in texture, adding more liquid or sugar as needed to make a spreadable frosting. (If you use unsalted margarine, add a pinch of salt.) Spoon into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe rows of frosting blossoms on top of the cake, or spread it over the top with a knife. Makes 2 smaller single-layer cakes or one 9x13-inch sheet cake.
Hi! This looks incredible! I have been missing this cake since going vegan years ago and was thrilled to have come across this recipe! One quick question for you: how would you suggest making this gluten free? Do you have any recommendations for flours to substitute? Thanks in advance if you have any tips!
Oooooh man. This cake is ridiculously good. And very easy to make. I made the 9×13 version.
Does the Mayo impact the taste in a negative way?
Not at all! Mayo is actually a pretty common ingredient in chocolate cakes!
So the taste of the bananas don’t vine they. But what about the cOfFeE?!?! I can’t stand coffee so must know! If the coffee does come they, are there any substitutes?