Classic Vegan Chocolate Cake from The Beginner’s Guide to Gluten-Free Vegan Baking
A classic chocolate cake with a gluten-free, vegan makeover and some sneaky ingredients to make it moist and healthy-ish. You can choose to completely frost this cake or you can simply leave the cake naked and add a middle and top layer of chocolate buttercream frosting. I like to serve this chocolate cake with fresh berries, but it’s totally delish on its own.
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Servings: 2 (9-inch [23-cm]) round cakes
Ingredients
- Cake
- 4 tbsp 28 g flaxseed meal
- ⅔ cup 160 ml water
- 2 cups 296 g gluten-free baking flour
- ½ cup 65 g tapioca starch
- ½ cup 48 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp 9 g baking soda
- 2 tsp 9 g baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large bananas - ripe and smashed with a fork
- 1 large avocado - peeled, pitted and mashed
- 1 ¾ cups 420 ml plant milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup 240 ml maple syrup
- 1 cup 168 g dark chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp 30 ml coconut oil, melted
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup 215 g vegan butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups 480 g confectioners’ sugar
- Topping - Optional
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans.
- To make the flax eggs, combine the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the bananas, avocado, milk, vanilla, maple syrup and flax eggs.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the oil for 45 seconds to 1 minute, then add it to the other wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. Don’t overmix.
- Pour the batter into the two prepared round cake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into it comes out clean and the top of the cake looks done. The edges will start to look crispy and the cake will be slightly firm to the touch.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter and vanilla together until smooth, then add the sugar a little bit at a time until the frosting forms.
- Allow the chocolate cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Garnish with fresh berries, if desired. Store covered on your counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
You may also use a 9 x 13–inch (23 x 33–cm) cake pan; the cake will just be thinner.
Find more of Gina’s recipes on @healthylittlevittles.
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