A Decadent Vegan Cake
When I first saw the picture of this cake titled Choco Raspberry Dream in Doron Petersan’s book, Sticky Fingers’ Sweets
Excerpted with permission. Sticky Fingers’ Sweets: 100 Super-Secret Vegan Recipes
My love affair with the raspberry began the first time I ever went raspberry picking. Greig Farm in Red Hook, New York, was right down the road from our house. We went there every chance we got, or at least when my parents gave in to my begging and pleading. Back to the story. I forced through the swarming bees (which also love raspberries) and popped one right into my mouth, filled with the warmth of the summer sun. They should have weighed me before and after, because there were way more berries in my belly than in my basket.
We’ve created a berry-great flavor cluster by teaming up with double chocolate! So rich and delicious, a fabulous and farm-friendly pairing!
- 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups plus 3 tablespoons (10 ounces) sugar
- ¾ cup (3 ounces) cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup brewed coffee, cooled
- 4 ounces good quality dark chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons vinegar (recommended: apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (recommended: Earth Balance)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (recommended: Earth Balance)
- ⅓ cup raspberry puree (store bought or homemade, see note)
- 4 ¼ cups (1 pound, 3 ounces) powdered sugar
- 1 ¼ tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup coconut creamer (recommended: So Delicious)
- 8 ounces 70% dark chocolate, chopped, or pistols
- 1 cup fresh raspberries for topping
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F
- Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, or lightly oil and dust with flour
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the bowl aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, oil, coffee, melted chocolate, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated.
- Fold in the vinegar until you begin to see streaks.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the 2 pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back to the touch.
- Place the pans on a cooling rack to cool completely, then run a knife or plastic dough scraper around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. Turn the pans upside down onto the rack to remove the cakes.
- For the Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the shortening and margarine and whip with the paddle attachment until completely combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Add the raspberry puree and mix until incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that the puree is mixed thoroughly
- On low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Add the lemon juice and mix to combine. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix on medium-high speed until all the ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- For the ganache: Heat the coconut creamer in the top part of a double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Do not boil.
- Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, pour the hot creamer over the chocolate, and let sit for 30 seconds.
- Whisk the coconut creamer and chocolate until the chocolate is melted and the two ingredients are completely combined. The ganache should be thick, but still pourable.
- Frost your cake with the raspberry frosting.
- Make sure your ganache is pourable, but not hot to the touch, as you don’t want to melt your frosting. With a spoon or a glass measuring pitcher, pour the ganache in the center of the cake until it reaches the sides. Pour a small amount along the edge, enough so you get a few drips running over the sides. Let the ganache set before moving the cake around or you risk losing your frosting and your ganache in a topping avalanche. Top with fresh raspberries.
- If you are making cupcakes, frost them however you like, with a round or star tip, or even by hand. You want those ridges! Then fill a piping bag one-quarter full with ganache, cut a small part of the tip off, and drizzle the ganache over the cupcake. More chocolate is what you desire? Then dip the entire top of the frosted cupcake into the ganache. Chocolate-covered raspberry heaven.
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