German chocolate cake

A good excuse for some Kaffee und Kuchen.

Ingredients

Cake

• 230g unbleached plain flour
• 340g evaporated cane juice
• 75g cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 40ml strong coffee, cooled
• 120ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240ml soya milk and cider vinegar*
• 3 tsp egg replacer, whisked with 4 tbsp warm water

*Pour 1 tbsp cider vinegar into a measuring jug, then add the soya milk to equal 240ml.

German Chocolate Frosting

• 115g vegan butter
• 120ml soya milk
• 140g dried unsweetened shredded coconut
• 115g shelled pecan nuts, chopped, plus extra for decorating (optional)
• 85g evaporated cane juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

• 225g butter substitute, softened
• 420g organic icing sugar
• 25g cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour two 23cm round sandwich tins.
2. In a stand mixer, combine the flour, cane juice, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled coffee, oil, vanilla extract and soya milk/vinegar mixture. Turn the mixer onto a low speed and slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the side and base of the bowl. Add the egg replacer and mix again for 1 minute. The cake mixture will be very thin. Divide it between the prepared cake tins.
4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Cool in the tins on wire racks for 10 minutes, then flip the tins over to release the cakes. Leave to cool for 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile make the German Chocolate frosting. In a saucepan, melt the butter substitute. Add the soya milk, coconut, pecans, cane juice and vanilla extract. Stir until combined, then heat for 2 minutes or until the mixture comes to the boil.
6. Place one cooled cake on a serving plate.  Using an offset spatula, spread half of the German Chocolate Frosting on top, then add the second cake and spread the remaining frosting on top of that.
7. Make the Chocolate Buttercream - Using a mixer, beat the butter substitute on a medium speed for about 20 seconds until smooth in texture. Stop and scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder and mix for 1 minute on a low speed. Add the water and mix on a medium speed until combined, then increase the speed to high and beat for a further 2 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy. Set aside.
8. Frost the side of the cake with the Chocolate Buttercream. If you like, decorate the top of the cake with piped Chocolate Buttercream and press some extra chopped pecans into the base of the cake side.

Recipe from Sweet Vegan by Emily Mainquist. Published by Kyle Books.