It Must Be Magic!

Magic Chocolate Cake, that is.

I had it for breakfast this morning, dessert and midnight snack last night; I took it to work to share with my co-workers yesterday; I had it for dessert the night before last; and, I snacked on it last weekend. I am in seventh heaven.

I have been seeing this recipe around for awhile, but I never tried it until last week. This is a decadent, sinful, moist chocolate cake, and it's completely vegan. This cake recipe is the easiest you'll find, whether your are a vegan or not. Notice that it has only 9 ingredients, all of which (with the possible exception of cocoa powder) are in your kitchen right now. This is the perfect recipe to bake with kids. Supervise them closely, of course.

I am going to post the recipe here, but I urge you to check out the demo at Mercy for Animals. If you have QuickTime, you may also be able to view the demo at CompassionateCooks.com.

This is the recipe for a single layer cake that you cook and serve from a square pan--like a snack cake, or it should also yield 12 cupcakes (use liners). Double the recipe and bake in two greased and floured 8"-9" round pans, or one Bundt pan. I had some difficulty with sticking with each of the last two methods, so be careful and patient when removing from the pans.

Magic Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to °350

1 1/2 C. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 C. Sugar
1 t. Baking soda
1/4 t. Salt
3 T. Cocoa powder
1 C. Cold water
1 t. Vanilla extract
1/3 C. Vegetable Oil
1 T. White vinegar

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (large, if you double the recipe). Mix well, using a fork.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine the water, vegetable oil and vanilla. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Add the vinegar, and mix well with a fork.

Pour into (greased and floured, if desired) pan. Bake for 25- 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool completely and frost with this simple chocolate icing recipe:

Simple Chocolate Icing

2 T. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/2 t. Vanilla extract
1 1/3 C. Powdered sugar
1/3 C. Cocoa powder
Soy milk

Soften Buttery Spread in a mixing bowl. Beat in vanilla extract. Mix in powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add just enough soy milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Be careful not to add too much, only a tablespoon at a time.

This is enough icing for the top of a snack cake. I would triple (or even quadruple) the recipe for a two-layer cake.

Notes:

I used (King Arthur Flour brand) White Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar and Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract, all from Trader Joe's. My cocoa is Chatfield's Premium Cocoa Powder; it's alkaline free (or "non-Dutched").

For the icing, I purchase the organic version of Earth Balance Buttery Spread at Trader Joe's, as well as their organic powdered sugar. Of course, I used the same vanilla and cocoa.